Completed February 2021
THE THURSDAY
MURDER CLUB
The Thursday Murder Club held many surprises, not least that I found myself wanting to go and live in a retirement village (is 24 too young? Possibly).
This revelation was simultaneously a relief. As much as I consciously recognise the warped media portrayal of ageing, its persuasive tendrils had still left me reluctantly terrified – it's implied in by many an outlet that nothing interesting happened to you beyond your mid 30s (40s if you are a man and you are lucky). So it was both reassuring and refreshing to acquaint myself with a quirky cast in their 70s who shrugged convention aside with grace and good humour.
The book was funny in a fantastically British way – both leaning into references and playing up stereotypes, tongue in cheek. The jokes ranged from wild hilarity to so subtle that I'm sure I'd pick up more on a second reading. Humour in writing can be very hit or miss, so I think it says it all I kept finding myself on the receiving end of funny looks as a result of my embarrassingly frequent chuckling.
Plot-wise, The Thursday Murder Club was about as lighthearted as it's possible for crime fiction to get, which definitely isn't a criticism. The focus is far more on the mystery than the murder and you don't feel all that much sympathy for one of the victims anyway. So instead of dark and dramatic, it's an upbeat adventure with your four best friends who happen to be 50 years older than you. Truly escapism at its best.
Overall, I think the story is best compared to the homemade cakes it frequently features. Moreish and reliably sweet, but even better with the unexpected zesty tang here and there. This is what truly took the novel to the next level – whenever I settled into the comfortable rhythm up popped another surprise, whether it be plot twist or cheeky inference I hadn't seen coming.
Would recommend whilst sitting in a cosy armchair with a fresh cup of tea.
“In life you have to learn to count the good days. You have to tuck them in your pocket and carry them around with you. So I’m putting today in my pocket and I’m off to bed.”