The Man Who Died Twice (The Thursday Murder Club Book 2)

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Elizabeth is everything I ever wanted to be when I grew up and kinda still is. She's a badass old lady and the smartest person reading the room at any given time. I love that she learned to lean on her friends a little this time around. And her Stephen! God, I love him and I can see why Elizabeth loves him, too. Abridged: Sara Davies; Reader: Haydn Gwynne; Producer: Mary Ward-Lowery; Music: Tom Constantine (25 January 2021). "The Thursday Murder Club: Episode 1". The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. BBC. BBC Radio 4. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021 . Retrieved 27 January 2021.

Joyce is considering getting a rescue dog, and Ron is offering advice. The dog’s name is Alan, (who calls a dog, Alan?) but she won’t be pressured into keeping that name despite being told that dogs do NOT adjust well to suddenly being called something new!

UPDATE: There's a good article and interview with the author about these two books in 'The Guardian' here'.

I would definitely recommend the first book over this one, but I think many people will enjoy them both. As a side note, I wouldn’t recommend reading The Man Who Died Twice without having first read the Thursday Murder Club since a lot of character development happens in the first book. Elizabeth is a former secret agent with MI5, with crucial know-how, instinct, and access to police and British intelligence resources. Joyce is a retired nurse, and she adds a very different perspective on situations and is the perfect person to deal with people, with empathy that puts people at ease. Ron was a union man and a real go-getter with a solid and determined personality. Ibrahim is a former psychiatrist with a unique and treasured ability to read people and their body language. Ibrahim is mugged, and it leaves him frightened to leave his home, and he uses excuses why he can’t participate in outside activities. The personal story of Ibrahim is quite touching and, unfortunately, a horrific reminder that assaults like this do happen to our seniors. The support and care from his group of friends add a sensitive dimension to the story. It also provides the reason local detectives Chris Hudson and Donna De Freitas return, and their friendship and relationships extend the exciting characters surrounding the Thursday Murder Club. Another special friend of the club, is the calm and mysterious Bogdan, someone who always has the means to get something unusual done. The Man Who Died Twice is the second book of the series and dare I say, I enjoyed it even more than the first, which I loved. It seems the more time I spend with these characters, the more invested I become. Elizabeth: once upon a time a spy, having vivid past, involving into international operations and she didn’t share most of it with her friends now taking care of her husband Stephen who is suffering from dementia.

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I need to reread the first book cause I gave that 3.5 stars. Was I wrong? Or does the second book just have my specific tropes? It’s impossible to single out any one feature that makes The Man Who Died Twice such an absolute treat…Richard Osman creates real magic with his characters.They are frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious but also entirely real and three-dimensional…If possible, this sequel is even better than the Osman’s charmer of a debut, The Thursday Murder Club. This series is both a load of fun and an ode to how the power of friendship is important throughout one’s life but especially during the final stretch.Don’t miss it.”

There was a lot of meandering and tangents that I kept on losing focus. Beyond the 30% mark or so, the investigation and reveals were light and didn’t hook me in. It’s always a little intimidating reading a sequel to a popular book, because there’s always the danger it will lose some of its shine or run dry on some of the ideas that made its predecessor so successful. I needn’t have worried. Personally, I think this one is even BETTER, and here’s why:a b c Truss, Lynne (8 September 2021). "The Man Who Died Twice By Richard Osman review – relax and enjoy". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021 . Retrieved 9 October 2021. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED spending time with these characters and getting to know them even better. These are people with real lives, vivid pasts and things they still want to get done in life. I'm so hoping that this series will continue, it’s absolutely wonderful!! I guess you can probably spot the theme here. Even though this is a super fun mystery, at it's heart this is a story of people making their way in the world and the special bonds they've formed with one another.

The club makes a triumphant return… The Man Who Died Twice, like its series predecessor, is an unalloyed delight, full of sharp writing, sudden surprises, heart, comedy, sorrow and great banter.” a b c "Meet the Author: Richard Osman on debut novel The Thursday Murder Club". The Sunday Post. 19 September 2020. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021 . Retrieved 15 December 2020. Meanwhile, Elizabeth has a plan regarding Ryan and asks her friend Bogdan to acquire come cocaine. Bogdan does it and hands it off to Ron. Ron then goes to Ryan’s house, pretending to be a plumber sent by the housing association. He plants the cocaine and Ibrahim’s credit card in Ryan’s toilet and then “anonymously” calls Donna and Chris. Ryan Baird is arrested. When Elizabeth’s ex-husband, who is still an MI5 operative, approaches her about money-laundering and a diamond theft, the Club becomes embroiled in a complex and deadly, but highly entertaining, adventure. Douglas has remarried but proclaims his undying love for Elizabeth. He’s a hard man to resist, but she knows better. It’s wonderful to see how many people have fallen in love with Richard’s fabulous Thursday Murder Club and simply couldn’t wait to read the next instalment,” said his publisher Joanna Prior, managing director of Penguin General. “The response to these characters and the crimes they solve from readers around the world has been extraordinary and it has been a joy to work with retailers to make publication week such a big moment for everyone to share in.”I actually felt it was important for us to hear her struggles. I liked to see that vulnerability from her. It made her relationships with the people in the Murder Club seem that much more important now. I get it, Donna. I see you. Osman follows The Thursday Murder Club, his supremely entertaining debut, with an even better second installment. . .A clever, funny mystery peopled with captivating characters that enhance the story at every quirky turn.” The main characters are established. Whereas The Thursday Murder Club made the introductions and scattered those “get to know you” details that one might enjoy at a party where conversations don’t go too deep, this book is more like a sit-down dinner with a glass of wine, where you really start to get to know your new friends and their histories. I loved finding out more about Elizabeth’s secretive past. She’s a badass! And Joyce. Don’t let her sweet, ditzy manner fool you. She’s got her own skills to bring to the table. Ron and Ibrahim, DCI Chris and Donna, lovable Bogdan … all of them had new layers of their personalities and skills revealed, which made me feel more invested in them and their story. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim—the Thursday Murder Club—are still riding high off their recent real-life murder case and are looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet at Cooper's Chase, their posh retirement village.