After watching The Thursday Murder Club on Netflix, I couldn’t wait to dive back into the world of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron.
These characters feel like old friends now: eccentric, loyal, and always up to something delightfully suspicious. The Impossible Fortune, the fifth instalment in Richard Osman’s beloved series, brings the gang back together for a new mystery, and while it’s lighter in tone than its predecessor, it still carries the emotional weight and wit we’ve come to expect.
The story kicks off with a wedding. Joyce’s daughter Joanna is marrying Paul, and the Thursday Murder Club is in full celebratory mode. But of course, trouble is never far behind. When best man Nick Silver pulls Elizabeth aside with a cryptic plea for help, and then promptly disappears, the gang is drawn into a tangled investigation involving a murdered crypto partner and a missing Bitcoin fortune.
Alongside the central mystery, we follow Ron’s daughter as she tries to leave an abusive marriage, Ibrahim’s attempts to rehabilitate a career criminal, and Elizabeth’s quiet grief following Stephen’s death. It’s a lot to juggle, but Osman manages to weave these threads with care and compassion.
What I loved most was the sense of expansion; the cast grows, with familiar faces like Connie and Kendrick stepping into the spotlight, and new characters adding fresh energy. Joanna, Joyce’s daughter, is a welcome addition, and her dynamic with Joyce adds a lovely layer of warmth. Osman’s signature humour is present throughout, with Joyce’s journal entries providing plenty of chuckles and a few poignant detours. There’s even a cheeky James Bond reference that had me grinning, Osman knows exactly how to charm his readers.
Thematically, The Impossible Fortune explores ageing, identity, and the cost of greed. It’s hopeful without being saccharine, and while the mystery itself felt a touch nebulous in its resolution, more indirect than I’d prefer, the emotional arcs more than made up for it. Elizabeth’s grief is handled with quiet dignity, Ron’s reckoning with his age and role in his family is deeply relatable, and Ibrahim’s storyline reminds us that even the most rational minds can’t fix everything.
This book is perfect for fans of cosy mysteries who value character development as much as plot. If you’ve followed the series from the beginning, you’ll appreciate the evolution of the gang and the gentle humour that cushions the darker themes. It’s not the strongest mystery of the lot, but it’s certainly one of the most heartfelt.
The Impossible Fortune is like a warm hug wrapped around a whodunnit. It’s whimsical, tender, and full of familiar faces navigating new challenges. While the mystery may not be the sharpest, the emotional resonance and character-driven storytelling make this a worthy addition to the series. I missed these characters, and it was a joy to be back with them. Roll on book six! I’ll be waiting.
Thank you to Penguin Random House South Africa for this review copy!
Read an extract here: Extract: The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman Penguin Random House South Africa
Richard Osman | Penguin Random House
