THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE BY RICHARD OSMAN
PLOT SUMMARY:
It's the following Thursday.
Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.
As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?
But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?
MY REVIEW:
I loved the first book, so I couldn't wait to dive back into the Thursday Murder Club world and I'm glad to say it didn't disappoint. The wit and characters were as good as ever and I cannot wait to read the third instalment.
The Man Who Died Twice welcomes us back into the motley crew and they are as witty and fun as ever. Joyce with her new Instagram account @greatjoy69 - yep and she's delighted with herself! The ever mysterious and sassy Elizabeth, who I feel we get to know better in this sequel. Ron and Ibrahim continue to be the 2 friends every group should have, they kind of remind me of Chandler and Joey! And then of course we have Donna and Chris, who seem to take a little more a backseat in this book in comparison to the first but continue to bring a great dynamic to the group. The chemistry, love, and friendship between this unlikely lot is just as strong and genuine as the first book and you can't help but love them even more. They each bring their own unique touch to the story and Osman depicts them in such a way that you can picture them as real people and you feel a part of the club.
The writing and tone of voice is just as good as the first one. There are so many laugh out loud moments and Osman captures the personalities and the voices of each of the characters so well. I really like the dual perspectives that we also had in the first book, where we observe what is happening from a third party perspective but then we also get thrown in and feel a part of it with Joyce's first person diary entries.
The story itself has a number of fun twists and turns and there are several sub plots that add some nice layers, without over complicating things. You get to learn more about each of the characters as these different stories unfold and just when you think you have them figured out, they continue to surprise you. The various twists and turns that come your way are sometimes so random and unexpected (as they should be!) but they add to the overall narrative and strengthen what is in fact a very good murder thriller.
So look, big love for this book and I can't wait to read the next one. The main reason I didn't give it full marks was because I enjoyed the first one a little more but I think that was due to the novelty of the characters.
If you're looking for a clever and fun book, then this is definitely worth a read.
IN 3 WORDS/PHRASES:
Fun
Witty
Ridiculous, in a good way!
FAVOURITE QUOTE:
“And if one is never lost in life, then clearly one has never travelled anywhere interesting.”
FAVOURITE CHARACTER:
Honestly it is so hard to choose just as one as each character brings their own touch to the book but I adore Joyce, she is just gas.
OVERALL RATING:
8/10