【 THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTUNE 】

book #5 in the Thursday Murder Club series

Genre: Cosy crime
Audience: Adult
Author: Richard Osman
Published: September 2025
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 432 (paperback)

Richard Osman does it again in this final instalment of the Thursday Murder Club. I was somewhat nervous going into this, because a final book means he could kill off whoever he wanted – and I was still feeling emotionally scarred from the rollercoaster that was book four.

But I’m pleased to say that I’ve come out in tact at the other end of another fabulous mystery. One of the things I really like in these books is the character progression he weaves in – which would be something easy to leave out and focus on the mystery alone. But Joyce and Elizabeth still have so much growing to do throughout this book, and it’s a truly wonderful time.

The stakes are high in this story, with a large fortune hanging over the heads of a few characters, which gets absolutely everyone in a tizzy. I liked the ‘impossibility’ of this mystery, meaning that this book almost took a more Sherlockian turn than the straight up ‘let’s solve murders’ vibe of the earlier books. Though, I do miss the excessive presence of Elizabeth’s past colleagues being called in (it feels like with every subsequent book this happened a little less each time).

I also feel that due credit must be given to the hilarity of Donna’s character, who is sulkily stuck on ‘guard’ duty for one the royals and thoroughly perturbed to be missing the mystery-solving of the Thursday Murder Club. Not to mention her absolute jealousy of Chris’ firearms training. That was pure fun.

Plus we must also revel in the perfection that was all of Ibrahim’s perspectives. His friendship with Connie is hilarious and the faith he has in her is so beautifully and innocently misplaced.

There isn’t much more I can say for this, other than if you’re looking for reassurance that this series continues to be original and that this instalment offers something fresh and fun compared to the previous four, then I can tell you that that’s exactly what you’re going to get.

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Title: The Impossible Fortune
Series: The Thursday Murder Club
Author: Richard Osman
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Who’s got time to think about murder when there’s a wedding to plan?

It’s been a quiet year for the Thursday Murder Club. Joyce is busy with table plans and first dances. Elizabeth is grieving. Ron is dealing with family troubles, and Ibrahim is still providing therapy to his favourite criminal.

But when Elizabeth meets a wedding guest who’s in trouble, kidnap and death are hot on their heels once more. A villain wants access to an uncrackable code, and will stop at nothing to get it. Plunged back into action once more, can the gang solve the puzzle and a murder in time?

Joyce’s daughter, Joanna, jumps into the fray to help the gang as they seek answers: Has someone kidnapped Nick? And what’s this uncrackable code they keep hearing about? Plunged back into action once more, can the four friends solve the puzzle and a murder in time?