Book Review of The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Grab Richard Osman’s second book, The Man Who Died Twice, then check out my full book review below. Back at the Coopers Chase retirement community, the Thursday Murder Club Members get an unexpected visitor as they start looking into their cold cases. This is another great book if you like cozy murder mysteries!
If you need a reminder of what happened at the end Osman’s first book, The Thursday Murder Club, check out my review and summary first.
Here’s a short synopsis of the book:
“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.
But they are out of luck.
An unexpected visitor—an old pal of Elizabeth’s (or perhaps more than just a pal?)—arrives, desperate for her help. He has been accused of stealing diamonds worth millions from the wrong men and he’s seriously on the lam.
Then, as night follows day, the first body is found. But not the last. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can our four friends catch the killer before the killer catches them? And if they find the diamonds, too? Well, wouldn’t that be a bonus? You should never put anything beyond the Thursday Murder Club.”
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Full Book Review Without Spoilers
Your favorite members of the club are all back and even better in the second book of Thursday murder club series. I don’t say this very often at all, but I liked this second book of the series more than the first. We get to know the characters so much more in this one, and the plot gets even crazier than the previous novel.
Until I read this series, I really didn’t know you could have so much fun with a story of murder and cold cases. Even with the very real threat of organized crime after the group, they’re still super entertaining. The whole tone of the book makes the it more like a comedy than a murder story, but the mystery part is still good.
With how fast the pace moves in the book, this is a good book for vacations or just a cozy weekend read. You’re not going to want to put it down once you start.
Characters
Osman’s characters are truly what make this book and this whole series such a hit. Even as a young person, you can’t help but get attached to them, especially as you learn more and more about them as the series continues. The secondary characters are interesting, well written, and a little bit quirky in the best way.
Plot
The plot of this book really pulls you in from the beginning and keeps your attention throughout the whole book. The pace of the book still feels fast because of the short chapters and different points of view. And while the plot of this does get more intense than the first book, it’s still a fun mystery story.
Writing
Osman’s writing is so enjoyable in all of these books that you just want more. He has an impeccable way of writing a complete characters that make you love the story. And I wish there were more books in the series.
Full Book Review With Spoilers
You’ve been warned that from here on out there will be spoilers.
I wasn’t expecting this book to be as good as the first (because sequels usually aren’t), but I would call this one even better than the first! There’s something about being familiar and comfortable with the characters, but then getting to know much more about their past. I didn’t know I wanted more Bogdan in the book, but now that’s pretty clear I do.
And we get to see the members of the TMC take on an even bigger mystery with higher stakes and the mysterious old colleague come back. This story had even more red herrings than the first. And just when you think you have Elizabeth and the other members figured out, they bring a whole new twist at the end that you didn’t see coming.
The violent mobster, the local drug dealer, and the growing number of dead bodies make the plot more thrilling and create one wildly entertaining book. Honestly, the way the book reads did make me think that Douglas faked his own death. I did not see the ending coming, especially because I didn’t think twice about Siobhan being Poppy’s mom in the first place.
I think this book has more of a mystery feel than the first one, but still a great amount of humor and entertainment from the characters.
Pros of the Book
Like the first book, the biggest pro of this book is the complex and intriguing characters that are not only funny, but fun to read about. And in this one, we get even more characters to love along with all the members of the Thursday murder club coming back.
Another big appeal of this book along the same lines is that we get to learn a lot more about each of the characters. The questions about Elizabeth’s past from the first book are the primary focus of this book. And we get to see a whole other side of Bogdan.
Cons of the Book
There really wasn’t too many cons of this book for me since I knew what I was getting into. There was moments in the book that the organized crime and what Elizabeth was able to do felt a little much.
Conclusion
Overall, if you liked the first book or just love a cozy mystery book, this is a must read for you. The entire Thursday Murder Club series should be a must read, but it seems to only be getting better as it goes. I highly recommend this one.
You can find the book here.
I have a full summary of the book here if you need a refresher on any of the main points.
Rating-4.5 out of 5 stars
There was not much I didn’t like about this book. I devoured it in just two sittings because I couldn’t put it down and almost immediately went to the library for the next book. It’s such an enjoyable read that really makes the series as a whole better.
Here’s how I rate all my books: My Rating System
Who Would Enjoy Reading The Man Who Died Twice?
If you’re a fan of cozy murder mystery, this one is such a great read. And if you liked the first one even a little bit, give this one a try. However, if you prefer your mystery books to have a lot of suspense and seriousness, this is not the book for you.
What to Read After The Man Who Died Twice
If you liked this book as much as I did, continue on with the series or grab another fun mystery novel. There’s lots of options from other series or stand alone mysteries.
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
To continue on in this series with these same main characters, try the third book The Bullet That Missed. I’m currently reading it, and you can get a copy here.
I have a review and summary of this book as well.
The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
If you like a good mystery with well written characters and plot twists, try this series that I really enjoyed. Less cozy than The Thursday Murder Club but more of a traditional detective murder mystery. You can find the book here.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
If you are looking for another cozy murder mystery with a great twist at the end, check out this one that also features an older lady trying to solve a murder. You can get the book here.
