Cover Image: The Bullet That Missed

The Bullet That Missed

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Member Reviews

Such a fun novel to read! The characters are quirky and smart and they made me laugh aloud. It is always uplifting to have older characters who accept their age but still enjoy life and look to the future. This is one of my favorite series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking/Penguin Random House for the ARC to read and review.
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So nice to be back with the Thursday Murder Club! I love this series and the third installment is fantastic. Didn’t want to put it down and the humor is right on target. Feels like spending time with a group of old friends and it’s hard to leave the world of Cooper’s Chase Retirement Village at the end of each book. I recommend this series to my library patrons and it’s been enormously popular.
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This is the third in a trilogy of cold case loving pensioners living in a quiet retirement village in Kent.  They are still meeting every Thursday and seem to choose cold cases that turn into real time murder mysteries.  The four pensioners are quirky and seem to be unlikely friends but they all bring something to the table and they all are easy for the reader to fall in love with.  This third book involves some ties to Elizabeth's former life with MI5/MI6, several murders, and local TV personalities.  Through it all our pensioners, and the local police, interview a number of suspects, comb through reams of case notes and financial records to uncover not only the murderer but also a major fraud scheme. Delightfully fun characters and plots that keep the reader guessing.  It doesn't get much better.
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I've enjoyed each book in this series more than the last. These, and Lynne Truss's Twitten books, are my go-to recommendations for patrons who want a mystery that is light, but not dumb. 

The plot is solid, but for me it's all about the vivid, charming characters. I tell patrons it's a murder mystery but really it's about friendship and trust.

Every book in this series has been an absolute treat, and I look forward to whatever Osman writes next. Ten out of five stars.
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I'm sure I've mentioned before that I've gotten away from the cozy mystery genre, but in the case of the Thursday Murder Club series I'm willing to make an exception.  Elizabeth is still my favorite character, but the others are not far behind.  As with many cozys, the cast of recurring characters has continued to grow and I hope that the author trims things before it becomes unwieldy.

As for plot, there are a few twists but mostly it's just fun to see this group of friends work together to solve a mystery, another cold case, while dealing with a far more current threat.  They aren't related, but of course threads from one will influence the other.  No spoilers - just read!

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
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I really liked this book. I read most of the first one but once I started listening to the audiobook I got confused as to who was saying what and gave up on it. I don't recommend listening to this book as there are so many different characters and they all have different sections of the book as well as their own chapters.

In this installment, the Thursday Murder Club investigates the murder of Bethany Waites - a reporter on a show that Joyce likes. The investigation leads to them discovering fraud/money laundering and two other deaths. As usual more characters are introduced, there may be a new member of the club, Viktor, an ex KGB agent with a history with Elizabeth.  My favorite character was Alan, Joyce's dog ;) 

I really enjoyed the romances in this installment. Chris is dating Donna (his partner)'s mom.  Donna is dating Bogdan, and Ron starts dating Pauline, a makeup artist who knew Bethany from work.  Also, Elizabeth and Stephen's relationship is discussed and he is clearly doing poorly in regards to his dementia.  

The mystery itself was convoluted, and each person figured a part out and didn't tell the reader right away.  Overall,  enjoyed this installment a lot and will definitely read further when new ones come out. I will probably even make time to read the 2nd book, though I'd rather go forward since the romances/relationships in this one were IMHO the best part, not necessarily the mystery.
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I don't know how he does it, but Richard Osman as written another book that is better than the one before.  I am always wrapped up in these characters and their shenanigans.  I hope some of the additional characters will make a reappearance in future books (hello to Viktor possibly joining them at Coopers Chase).  I highly recommend this to readers who like a mystery with a little fun thrown into the mix.
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A LibraryReads selection for September 2022, THE BULLET THAT MISSED by Richard Osman is the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series (Steven Spielberg already has movie rights for the first title). In the latest, Osman seems to expect readers to vividly remember all of the characters; however, less recap from the author means it takes a while to recall the distinct personalities and that makes for a slower start. Once again, Osman offers a couple of mysteries and several twists going at once, plus some definite references to the age and capabilities of his sleuths (former MI6 agent Elizabeth, rather eccentric Joyce, psychiatrist Ibrahim, and plodding Ron, plus local police and gentle giant Bogdan).  This time they are working with a former KGB colonel and are trying to evade a killer while also working to solve the cold case death of a young woman broadcaster. THE BULLET THAT MISSED offers an amusing and suspenseful tale; it received a starred review from Kirkus ("Your next must-read mystery series.").
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I have been a fan of this series since the first book, and I continue to be blown away by Osman's writing. Like the others in this series, The Bullet That Missed is such a fun read, and I was happy to be back with these characters. I love Elizabeth's cool handling of situations and her husband's nonchalance with what is going on. I love the capers that these characters get into and the interplay between. Definitely a great read, and I can't wait for the next installment in the Thursday Murder Club series!
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Another home run. I absolutely love this series. Fantastic plot. The gang is out to solve a cold case but Elizabeth has some old problems coming back to haunt her. Loved the ending!
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The bullet may have missed, but Richard Osman never does! This is the third installment for the Thursday Murder Club, with an extensive list of characters, several of whom die in the course of the story. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim are investigating a 10 year old cold case when suddenly things become personal. Elizabeth is kidnapped, and told she must kill a former KGB spy, or else her abductor will kill  Elizabeth's best friend Joyce. Eventually the two cases coalesce, and plot twists abound.
A delightful read!
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First and foremost, I loved this book, it's the best one in the series thus far. I really appreciate the author not repeating character backgrounds/elements from the previous novels and focusing on the story/plot.  The books is full of twists and turns, but still of full of humour.   If you're a fan of the previous novels in the Thurday Murder Club series, you will not be disappointed.
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Great read. Suspense and love and murder happen regardless of elder age. 

This series is unique in its plotline and its characters. I love that the story is set in an active living retirement community - where each person has their unique background and personality and passion. The Thursday Murder Club intertwines with the local police, the local gangs, and international strategists! 
 
Ageism? check
Senility? check
Love and sex? check
Ex-MI6 spy? check
Russian mafioso to pull for? check
Assassin with compassion? check
Real life, real death? check

I particularly enjoyed seeing this book's focus on Ibrahim's character and his engaging attention to detail and codes. His friendship with and place within the Club make the tale so rich. And the "bullets" that appear in the novel are varied and consequential, physical and metaphorical: Each important to solving the plot.

Publication Sept 20, 2022. Start with the first in the series and enjoy your way through. Hopefully Book 4 will be available soon!  (Thanks to Penguin/Viking and Netgalley for the chance to read an advance copy!)
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Things seem like they are settling down. Ibrahim has begun venturing into public again. Joyce has chosen a new cold case for the group to study. Elizabeth is reluctantly coming to terms with Stephen's dementia Bogdan and Donna are trying out the dating scene. Donna has gotten used to her mother and her partner Chris dating. But, of course, things can't stay this placid for long.

Ron begins dating someone they meet as part of the investigation into the cold case. Donna and Chris receive medals ( we won't tell anyone they had the help of the Thursday Murder Club to close the case). And Elizabeth and Stephen are kidnapped and threatened with death if Elizabeth won't assassinate someone. Really? Who chooses retired operatives living in a senior center to carry out their dirty work? And the cold case seems to still have some open leads to pursue.

Hold on tight as Osman takes us through chess games, kidnappings, antique shops, swimming pools suspended between skyscrapers (seriously), prisons, television studios, doctored tea, and several train stations. Your head will be spinning as the characters discuss cryptocurrency, VAT scams, investigative reporting, and relations between MI6 and the KGB. This is the club working several cases at once and still making their younger counterparts look as if they are moving in slow motion.
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I was so happy to revisit my friends at the Cooper Chase Retirement Home to see what they have been up to and they have been up to a lot! They are investigating a ten -year- old disappearance and probable murder of a beloved TV news personality who was investigating a money laundering scheme. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim partner with her former TV co-star, his make-up artist, a Viking and other colorful characters to try and solve the crime and, of course they do.

Love is in the air with Ron, Donna, Chris, Bogdan and Joyce is hopeful. Joyce is still on social media and now trying crypto currency. She has a new cardigan so anything can happen

This series gets better with each entry in The Thursday Murder Club. Love the humor and the interaction between the characters, and there is a great twist at the end. I can’t wait to see what new cases The Thursday Murder Club will solve in the next entry in this wonderful series.

The Bullet That Missed will be published on September, 20th. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an impartial review of it.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery though for me it's more about the characters than solving the crime. There was a slight twist but it wasn't entirely a surprise. The characters continue to be witty and charming and it was a delightful book.
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The Bullet That Missed 
by Richard Osman 
Pub Date: September 20, 2022
Viking 
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!  I have now added the first book in the series for our line-up for our book club at the library.  Each book in the Thursday Murder Club series gets better and better. The mysteries are more intricately plotted and there are more interesting characters introduced.

The Club is back together, they all live in Cooper’s Chase, an upscale retirement complex:  What a joy to see  Joyce and her folksy journal entries. Elizabeth with her special skills and secrets -- and her dear husband Stephen. Ron with a budding romance. Ibrahim working on the codes and anagrams. Chris and Donna are thriving with the police force and there may even be an additional career option for Donna. At the heart of this third book is the murder of a television producer/morning host. Who pushed Bethany Waites and her car off a cliff? And who is sending Elizabeth anonymous texts. I loved this book! I have purchased and preordered all of them for the library.  I highly recommend. 
5 stars
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Thank you so much for the ebook ARC but as soon as I started it, I remembered how much I loved the audiobooks of the first two in the series.  I'm going to wait until my library has the audio.  Many staff and patrons are thrilled that a 3rd book is coming out~
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The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman is the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series. These stories get richer as the reader learns more about the members of the club and as the club expands to welcome new members. The story moves along at a rapid clip and is highly entertaining. Recommended for all mystery fans and readers who are looking for older protagonists.
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Richard Osman scores again with the continued detecting adventures of a group of friends at a "quiet" retirement village in England. The crew of seniors, including a former MI6 spy, psychiatrist, labor union boss, and their associates dedicated to solving cold cases, is not to be underestimated, though the the unsuspecting may make that mistake. Delightfully charming and humorous with a touch of cold blooded plotting, this third book of the series is again a winner not to be missed.
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