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Richard Osman

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The Bullet That Missed: The third novel in the multi-million copy bestselling murder mystery series (The Thursday Murder Club Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Richard Osman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

80,288 ratings

Book 2 of 4: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery

in British Detective Stories

See all formats and editions

THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE RECORD-BREAKING, MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING THURSDAY MURDER CLUB SERIES BY RICHARD OSMAN

----------

'Full of Osman's trademark charm, insight and intelligence' Lee Child
'Tender, hopeful and funny' Marian Keyes
'I adored this thrilling adventure. His best yet!' Claire Douglas
'Infectious, charming and full of heart' Gillian McAllister

It is an ordinary Thursday and things should finally be returning to trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club is concerned. A decade-old cold case leads them to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no a new foe pays Elizabeth a visit. Her mission? be the cold case turns white hot, Elizabeth wrestles with her conscience (and a gun), while Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim chase down clues with help from old friends and new. But can the gang solve the mystery and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again?

----------

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB SERIES

'Infectious, charming and full of heart' GILLIAN MCALLISTER

'I adored this thrilling adventure. His best yet!' CLAIRE DOUGLAS

'Another witty, charming and hugely entertaining read ... his best yet' SUNDAY EXPRESS

'A joy to be red herrings and loads of charm'GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'I snickered so much reading this one' THE OBSERVER

'Opening the new Osman is like sitting down to dinner with treasured friends you know are going to kill you - deliciously!' PETER JAMES

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People were always trying to tell you something, and all you really had to do was let them.
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‘Everyone wants to feel special, but nobody wants to feel different,’ says Bogdan.
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From the Publisher

	Book 1	Book 2	The Bullet That Missed: The third novel in the multi-million copy bestselling...	Book 4	We Solve Murders

Customer Reviews	165,318	98,071	80,288	70,352	24,755
Price	£5.00	£5.00	£5.00	£5.50	£11.00
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Review

Humour is gently threaded through every element ― Observer

Unlike the bullet, Richard Osman seems incapable of missing ― The Times

Delivered with the sharp wit that we associate with Osman ― Financial Times

From the Back Cover

A new mystery is afoot in the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series from million-copy bestselling author Richard Osman. Coming Autumn 2022! Pre-order your copy now.

Readers can't get enough of the Thursday Murder Club series!

About the Author

Richard Osman is an author, producer and television presenter. His first three novels, The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed were multi-million-copy record-breaking bestsellers around the world. The Last Devil to Die is his fourth book. He lives in London with his wife, Ingrid, and their cat Liesl.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

1.

I don't need makeup," says Ron. He's in a straight-backed chair because Ibrahim told him you mustn't slouch on television.

"Do you not?" replies his makeup artist, Pauline Jenkins, taking brushes and palettes from her bag. She has set up a mirror on a table in the Jigsaw Room. It is framed by lightbulbs, and the glow bounces off her cerise earrings as they bob back and forth.

Ron feels the adrenaline pumping a little. This is the stuff. A bit of TV. Where are the others though? He told them they could come along "if they fancied, no big deal," and he will be gutted if they don't show.

"They can take me as they find me," says Ron. "I've earned this face, it tells a story."

"Horror story, if you don't mind me saying?" says Pauline, looking at a color palette, and then at Ron's face. She blows him a kiss.

"Not everyone has to be beautiful," says Ron. His friends know the interview starts at four. They'll be here soon surely?

"We're agreed there, darling," says Pauline. "I'm not a miracle worker. I remember you back in the day though. Handsome bugger, weren't you, if you like that sort of thing?"

Ron grunts.

"And I do like that sort of thing if I'm honest with you, right up my street. Always fighting for the working man, weren't you, throwing your weight around?" Pauline opens a compact. "You still believe in all that, do you? Up the workers?"

Ron's shoulders go back a touch, like a bull preparing to enter a ring. "Still believe in it? Still believe in equality? Still believe in the power of labor? What's your name?"

"Pauline," says Pauline.

"Still believe in the dignity of a day's work for a fair day's pay, Pauline? More than ever."

Pauline nods. "Good oh. Then shut your mush for five minutes and let me do the job I'm paid to do, which is to remind the viewers of South East Tonight what a looker you are."

Ron's mouth opens, but, unusually for him, no words come out. Pauline starts on his foundation without further ado. "Dignity, my arse. Haven't you got gorgeous eyes? Like Che Guevara if he worked on the docks."

In his mirror, Ron sees the door to the Jigsaw Room open. Joyce walks in. He knew she wouldn't let him down. Not least because she knows Mike Waghorn will be here. This whole thing was her idea, truth be told. She chose the file.

Ron notices that Joyce is wearing a new cardigan. She just can't help herself.

"You told us you weren't going to have makeup, Ron," says Joyce.

"They make you," says Ron. "This is Pauline."

"Hello, Pauline," says Joyce. "You've got your work cut out there."

"I've seen worse," says Pauline. "I used to work on Casualty."

The door opens once again. A camera operator walks in, followed by a sound man, followed by a flash of white hair, the quiet swoosh of an expensive suit and the perfect, masculine yet subtle scent of Mike Waghorn. Ron sees Joyce blush. He would roll his eyes if he wasn't having his concealer applied.

"Well, here we all are, then," says Mike, his smile as white as his hair. "The name's Mike Waghorn. The one, the only, accept no substitutes."

"Ron Ritchie," says Ron.

"The same, the very same," says Mike, grasping Ron's hand. "Haven't changed a bit, have you? This is like being on safari and seeing a lion up close, Mr. Ritchie. He's a lion of a man, isn't he, Pauline?"

"He's certainly something or other," agrees Pauline, powdering Ron's cheeks.

Ron sees Mike turn his head slowly toward Joyce, slipping off her new cardigan with his eyes. "And who, might I ask, are you?"

"I'm Joyce Meadowcroft." She practically curtsies.

"I should say you are," says Mike. "You and the magnificent Mr. Ritchie a couple, then, Joyce?"

"Oh, God, no, my goodness, the thought, no, heavens no. No," says Joyce. "We're friends. No offense, Ron."

"Friends indeed," says Mike. "Lucky Ron."

"Stop flirting, Mike," says Pauline. "No one's interested."

"Oh, Joyce'll be interested," says Ron.

"I am," says Joyce. To herself, but just loud enough to carry.

The door opens once again, and Ibrahim pokes his head around. Good lad! Only Elizabeth missing now. "Am I too late?"

"You're just in time," says Joyce.

The sound man is attaching a microphone to Ron's lapel. Ron is wearing a jacket over his West Ham shirt, at Joyce's insistence. It is unnecessary, in his opinion. Sacrilegious, if anything. Ibrahim takes a seat next to Joyce and looks at Mike Waghorn.

"You are very handsome, Mr. Waghorn. Classically handsome."

"Thank you," says Mike, nodding in agreement. "I play squash, I moisturize, and nature takes care of the rest."

"And about a grand a week in makeup," says Pauline, putting the finishing touches to Ron.

"I am handsome too, it is often remarked upon," says Ibrahim. "I think perhaps, had my life taken a different turn, I might have been a newsreader too."

"I'm not a newsreader," says Mike. "I'm a journalist who happens to read the news."

Ibrahim nods. "A fine mind. And a nose for a story."

"Well, that's why I'm here," says Mike. "As soon as I read the email, I sniffed a story. A new way of living, retirement communities, and the famous face of Ron Ritchie at the heart of it. I thought, 'Yup, viewers will love a bit of that.' "

It's been quiet for a few weeks, but Ron is delighted that the gang is back in action. The whole interview is a ruse. Designed by Joyce to lure Mike Waghorn to Coopers Chase. To see if he could help them with the case. Joyce sent an email to one of the producers. Even so, it still means that Ron is going to be on TV again, and he is very happy about that.

"Will you come to dinner afterward, Mr. Waghorn?" asks Joyce. "We've got a table for five thirty. After the rush."

"Please, call me Mike," says Mike. "And, no, I'm afraid. I try not to mix with people. You know, privacy, germs, whatnot. You understand, I'm certain."

"Oh," says Joyce. Ron sees her disappointment. If there is a bigger fan of Mike Waghorn anywhere in Kent or Sussex, he would like to meet them. In fact, now he really thinks about it, he wouldn't like to meet them.

"There is always a great deal of alcohol," says Ibrahim to Mike. "And I suspect many fans of yours will be there."

Mike has been given pause for thought.

"And we can tell you all about the Thursday Murder Club," says Joyce.

"The Thursday Murder Club?" says Mike. "Sounds made up."

"Everything is made up, when you really think about it," says Ibrahim. "The alcohol is subsidized by the way. They tried to stop the subsidy, but we held a meeting, a number of words were exchanged, and they thought better of it. And we'll have you out by seven thirty."

Mike looks at his watch, then looks at Pauline. "We could probably do a quick supper?"

Pauline looks at Ron. "Will you be there?"

Ron looks at Joyce, who nods firmly. "Sounds like I will, yeah."

"Then we'll stay," says Pauline.

"Good, good," says Ibrahim. "There's something we'd like to talk to you about, Mike."

"Which is?" asks Mike.

"All in good time," says Ibrahim. "I don't wish to pull focus from Ron."

Mike sits in an armchair opposite Ron and starts counting to ten. Ibrahim leans into Joyce.

"He is testing the microphone level."

"I had worked that out," says Joyce, and Ibrahim nods. "Thank you for getting him to stay for dinner-you never know, do you?"

"You never do know, Joyce, that is true. Perhaps the two of you will marry before the year is out. And, even if not, which is an outcome we must prepare for, I'm sure he will have plenty of information about Bethany Waites."

The door opens once more, and Elizabeth enters the room. The gang is all here. Ron pretends he is not touched. Last time he had a gang of friends like these, they were being hospitalized by police riot shields at the Wapping print-workers' strike. Happy days.

"Don't mind me," says Elizabeth. "You look different, Ron, what is it? You look . . . healthy."

Ron grunts, but sees Pauline smile. That's a cracking smile, to be fair to her. Is Pauline in his league? Late sixties, a bit young for him? What league is he in these days? It's been a long time since he'd checked. Either way, what a smile.

2.

It can be hard to run a multimillion-pound drugs gang from a prison cell. But it is not, as Connie Johnson is discovering, impossible.

Most of the prison staff are on side, and why wouldn't they be? She throws enough money around. There are still a couple of guards who won't play ball, however, and Connie has already had to swallow two illegal SIM cards this week.

The diamonds, the murders, the bag of cocaine. She had been very skillfully set up, and her trial date has been set for two months' time. She is eager to keep things ticking over until then.

Perhaps she will be found guilty, perhaps she won't, but Connie likes to err on the side of optimism in all things. Plan for success, her mum used to say, although soon afterward she died, having been hit by an uninsured van.

Above all it's good to keep busy. Routine is important in prison. Also, it is important to have things to look forward to, and Connie is looking forward to killing Bogdan. He's the reason she's in here and, eyes like mountain pools or not, he is going to have to go.

And the old guy too. The one who helped Bogdan set her up. She has asked around, and found his name is Ron Ritchie. He'll have to go as well. She'll leave them until after the trial-juries don't like witnesses being murdered-but then she will kill them both.

Looking down at her phone, Connie sees that one of the men who works in the prison admin block is on Tinder. He is balding and standing next to what appears to be a Volvo of all things, but she swipes right regardless, because you never know when people might come in handy. She sees immediately that they are a match. Quelle surprise!

Connie has done a bit of research into Ron Ritchie. He was famous apparently, back in the seventies and eighties. She looks at the picture of him on her phone, his face like an unsuccessful boxer, shouting into a megaphone. Clearly a man who enjoyed the limelight.

Lucky you, Ron Ritchie, thinks Connie. You'll be famous again by the time I've finished with you.

One thing is for sure: Connie will do anything she can to remain in prison for as short a time as possible. And, once she is out, the mayhem can really begin.

Sometimes in life you simply have to be patient. Through her barred window Connie looks out over the prison yard, and to the hills beyond. She switches on her Nespresso machine.

3.

Mike and Pauline have joined them for dinner.

Ibrahim loves it when the whole gang is together. Together, and with a mission in mind. Joyce had been adamant that they were to investigate the Bethany Waites case. Ibrahim was quick to agree. Firstly because it is an interesting case. An unsolved case. But mainly because Ibrahim has fallen in love with Joyce's new dog, Alan, and he is worried that if he upsets her, Joyce might restrict his access.

"You want a drop of red, Mike?" Ron asks, bottle raised.

"What is it?" asks Mike.

"How do you mean?"

"What wine is it?"

Ron shrugs. "It's a red, I don't know the make."

"OK, let's live dangerously, just this once," says Mike, and lets Ron pour.

They have been very keen to talk to Mike Waghorn about the murder of Bethany Waites. It is assumed that he will have information that was not in the official police files. Mike doesn't know that yet, of course. He is just enjoying free wine with four harmless pensioners.

Ibrahim will be patient before he starts asking about the murder, because he knows that Joyce is excited to meet Mike, and she has lots of other questions for him first. She has written them down in a notebook, which is in her handbag, in case she forgets any of them.

Now that Mike has a glass of unidentified red in front of him, Joyce clearly feels able to begin. "When you read the news, Mike, is it all written down, or are you allowed to put it in your own words?"

"That's an excellent question," says Mike. "Perceptive, gets right to the heart of things. It is all written down, but I don't always stick to the script."

"You've earned that right over the years," says Joyce, and Mike agrees.

"Gets me into trouble from time to time though," says Mike. "They made me go on an impartiality course in Thanet."

"Good for you," says Elizabeth.

Ibrahim sees Joyce take a sneaky peek at the notebook in her handbag.

"Do you ever wear any special clothes when you read the news?" asks Joyce. "Special socks or anything?"

"No," says Mike. Joyce nods, a little disappointed, then takes another look at her book.

"What happens if you need the loo during a show?"

"For heaven's sake, Joyce," says Elizabeth.

"I go before the show starts," says Mike.

Fun though this is, Ibrahim wonders if it isn't time to kick off this evening's proceedings himself. "So, Mike, we have a-"

Joyce places a hand on his arm. "Ibrahim, forgive me, just a couple more things. What is Amber like?"

"Who's Amber?" says Ron.

"Mike's co-host," says Joyce. "Honestly, Ron, you're embarrassing yourself."

"I do that," says Ron. He says this directly to Pauline, who, in Ibrahim's opinion, had very deliberately sat next to Ron at the start of dinner. Ibrahim usually sits next to Ron. No matter.

"She's only been there three years, but I am already starting to like her," says Joyce.

"She's terrific," says Mike. "Goes to the gym a lot, but terrific."

"She has lovely hair too," says Joyce.

"Joyce, you should judge news presenters on their journalism," says Mike. "And not their appearance. Female presenters, particularly, have to put up with that a lot."

Joyce nods, knocks back half a glass of white, then nods again. "I do take your point, Mike. I just think that you can be very talented and have lovely hair. Perhaps I'm shallow, but both of those things are important to me. Claudia Winkleman is a good example. You also have lovely hair."

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09FSPKJT6
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (15 Sept. 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3.0 MB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 411 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 765 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 8 in Rural Life Humour
- 11 in British Detective Stories
- 12 in Women Sleuths (Books)

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80,288 ratings

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Richard Osman

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Richard Osman is an author, producer and television presenter. The Thursday Murder Club is his first novel. He is well known for TV shows including Pointless and Richard Osman’s House of Games. As the creative director of Endemol UK, Richard has worked as an executive producer on numerous shows including Deal Or No Deal and 8 Out of 10 Cats. He is also a regular on panel and game shows such as Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie To You and Taskmaster.

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be the best in the series, praising its well-paced plot with twists and turns, and its ability to introduce new characters smoothly. The writing is easy to read, and customers appreciate its humor, with one noting how the author combines the amusing with the poignant. Customers describe the book as comforting and light-hearted, with one review highlighting its unique approach to the murder club genre. They also appreciate its cleverness, with one customer noting how it knocks down well-known crime series tropes.

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Readability Plot Character development Humor Writing quality Heartwarming Murder mystery Cleverness

999 customers mention ‘Readability’982 positive17 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a brilliant series that gets better with each installment.

"...compares to these (are you all humming the tune now, sorry,) they are brilliant, buy them, read them and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have." Read more

"...It's handled so well. I wish every sufferer could have a Bogdon!..." Read more

"...This has the advantage that Joyce is a big fan, and we have the delight of her visiting various television studios and getting very involved in her..." Read more

"Well this is just the best fun! First off let us talk about those wonderful characters...." Read more

575 customers mention ‘Plot’533 positive42 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, describing it as a good tale full of twists and turns, with one customer noting a clever twist at the end.

"...These books show so much of people’s nature, a theme throughout for me is Chris and Donna’s tolerance of what could be seen as interfering old people..." Read more

"fluent storyteller, relatable jokes, a writer who knows his readers. i listen to his podcast...." Read more

"...set of characters, all with their own distinct personalities, quirks and reasons to make me smile, and I can see why people have really taken them..." Read more

"Another winning story. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and warm inside. I want to be part of the gang...." Read more

349 customers mention ‘Character development’337 positive12 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that the personalities are well-developed and the author introduces new characters smoothly. They find the characters engaging, with one customer mentioning how they "just jump off the page."

"...The characters all mesh together and create a page turning story...." Read more

"fluent storyteller, relatable jokes, a writer who knows his readers. i listen to his podcast...." Read more

"...created such a brilliant set of characters, all with their own distinct personalities, quirks and reasons to make me smile, and I can see why people..." Read more

"...you love them (the whole gang) and yet still bring in new characters to pull the reader in...." Read more

266 customers mention ‘Humor’261 positive5 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it good-humored and witty, with several mentioning they laugh out loud in places. One customer notes how the author combines amusing elements with poignant moments.

"...The characters all mesh together and create a page turning story. Humorous, interesting and some of it is very sad, you start to see deterioration..." Read more

"fluent storyteller, relatable jokes, a writer who knows his readers. i listen to his podcast...." Read more

"...Brought a real smile, as do all the asides where Joyce provides a first person narrative to be fair, as pitch perfect in this book as any that come..." Read more

"Another winning story. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and warm inside. I want to be part of the gang...." Read more

252 customers mention ‘Writing quality’237 positive15 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it easy to read and decent for a quick read, with one customer noting that it flows smoothly from page to page.

"...Joyce has some very good lines about living for today, as you might not be here tomorrow, so do the things you want to now before it is too..." Read more

"...humour, mood swings and deadpan delivery that just make the dialogue sing. Elizabeth, a former spy, has all the tricks up her sleeve...." Read more

"...But it is Osman's own gentle observational writing that makes this wonderfully funny and full of warmth...." Read more

"...Bullet That Missed" is noticeably more assured, more relaxed and more fluent than it was at the outset...." Read more

97 customers mention ‘Heartwarming’97 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming and comforting, describing it as delightful and sometimes sad, with one customer noting how the love of life shines through each page.

"...He has such a good heart and something really good happens for him in this novel...." Read more

"...been instilled with the perfect blend of determination, humour, mood swings and deadpan delivery that just make the dialogue sing...." Read more

"Another winning story. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and warm inside. I want to be part of the gang...." Read more

"...television studios to self-published authors, there are many sly digs at people and places...." Read more

66 customers mention ‘Murder mystery’66 positive0 negative

Customers love the Thursday Murder Club series and consider this book a brilliant addition, with one customer noting how it knocks down several well-known crime series tropes.

"...I love a good murder, not undertaking one personally, that would be against the law folks, but true crime, fiction, you name it, I love it and these..." Read more

"...There is of course our intrepid set of OAPs, a story about money laundering and murder, a prison story and an ex KGB agent...." Read more

"Really enjoy the Thursday Murder Club series. Good mystery and not too complicated. Would recommend." Read more

"...Osman is a skilled and entertaining writer with a unique spin on the murder club genre." Read more

59 customers mention ‘Cleverness’59 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's cleverness, describing it as brilliant and inventive, with one customer noting it's a racy who-done-it.

"...The set up works perfectly, and the role of investigative journalist means that the sense of peril is implicit, and the reason for fearing the worst..." Read more

"Rating: 4.2/5 Given the phenomenal success success of the first two books in the "Thursday Murder Club" series, it is unlikely that many..." Read more

"...and relationships continue to evolve in touching, amusing and beguiling ways...." Read more

"...The plots are daft but very ingenious, and the characters have warmth and wisdom - each of them so different from each other...." Read more

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Cornish Lass
They are just getting better Richard ….
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2022
Verified Purchase

Richard, please hurry up and do number 4, as I can’t wait! I have devoured 1, 2 and now 3 and loved all of them. I think it is the characters you really get behind them and in number 3 we meet some new ones, who are equally as captivating and I doubt we have heard the last of them, also hope we get some clarity in book 4, as intrigued about Connie and what will happen to her going forward and even to find out what happens to the chief inspector and can Elizabeth and Viktor please take the trip to Dubai, they have to follow up.

The characters all mesh together and create a page turning story. Humorous, interesting and some of it is very sad, you start to see deterioration of health for one and the realisation from some that they will not live forever. Joyce has some very good lines about living for today, as you might not be here tomorrow, so do the things you want to now before it is too late.

Alan is a dark horse, well actually he’s a dog, but he is a highly intelligent dog and he reminds me of the dog from another book I’ve read this year, lessons in chemistry (try it couldn’t put it down.) dogs with their own minds and thoughts, which is now I like to think they are in real life as well.

There is a good plot throughout the book and it sweeps you in, which is why I read it cover to cover in 3 sittings. Although you could read this as a stand alone, I would highly recommend that you don’t as otherwise you will miss out on the back history of the characters, which Richard has built in the previous 2 books.

I love a good murder, not undertaking one personally, that would be against the law folks, but true crime, fiction, you name it, I love it and these books are some of the best I’ve read and if I can find a retirement complex that has it’s own murder club when I am a bit older, i’m in, put my name down at once. Tell my son please, in case I can’t decide myself, I only want a complex with a weekly murder club, not knitting or conversational French, murder.

These books show so much of people’s nature, a theme throughout for me is Chris and Donna’s tolerance of what could be seen as interfering old people, putting their noses in where the police should be only. I also love Bogden who really grows as a character in number 3 and how he is with Stephen is how you hope others would be when confronted with a gentleman in decline. He has such a good heart and something really good happens for him in this novel. No spoilers, but it will make you take a deep sigh and say “you deserve this mate.”

In this one there is television involved, so the author can talk about that I imagine without much research given his day job and I loved the line that the make up room is where you can catch up on all the gossip, as I imagine that is a fact.

I recently read a book that was compared to these books, big splash on the advert about if you enjoyed Richard’s books, you’ll enjoy these. No, they were terrible, also I love Rev Richard Cole’s and they have compared his first novel to these, again, I read it based on that, again was so disappointed. Nothing compares to these (are you all humming the tune now, sorry,) they are brilliant, buy them, read them and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

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Amazon Customer
a good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 April 2025
Verified Purchase
fluent storyteller, relatable jokes, a writer who knows his readers. i listen to his podcast. i always assumed that writers would be shy and introvert. this chap does not seem to be.

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JenMedBookLover
Funny, fabulous and little bit poignant - another winner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 September 2024
Verified Purchase
I do like this series. No idea why it has taken me so long to read book three, but I have now and I am definitely looking forward to the next instalment. With The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman has created such a brilliant set of characters, all with their own distinct personalities, quirks and reasons to make me smile, and I can see why people have really taken them to their hearts.

In this The Bullet That Missed, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim set out to discover what happened to young reporter, Bethany Waites, who disappeared without a trace, much like the money from the fraud case she was investigating. Her car was found having been driven off a cliff, but her body was never recovered, assumed lost to the sea. But was it murder or suicide, and if murder, who had cause to kill her? Add to this a threatening Swede and a demand that Elizabeth murder a former acquaintance to save the lives of those she loves, and this proves to be one heck of a ride for our favourite retirees once again.

There are two things that I love about these books - the mystery and the characters. Mystery wise, Richard Osman leads his characters into a world he knows quite well - Television - and the case surrounding the missing Bethany leads the foursome into many a witty a situation, meeting a whole host of celebrities and technical staff along the way. We start with Ron about to make an appearance on South East Tonight, alongside famed presenter and friend of Bethany, Mike Waghorn. He's there to tell the story of the now infamous Thursday Murder Club, and, whilst there, the four get drawn into investigating Bethany's disappearance. The set up works perfectly, and the role of investigative journalist means that the sense of peril is implicit, and the reason for fearing the worst for bethany quite clear. It's an intruiging case of money laundering, and the more the team investigate, the more perplexing it becomes, with key witnesses ending up dead. Bit of an issue, but not an insurmountable one for the intrepid foursome.

As for characters - well who wouldn't love Elizabeth and co? They have been instilled with the perfect blend of determination, humour, mood swings and deadpan delivery that just make the dialogue sing. Elizabeth, a former spy, has all the tricks up her sleeve. Ron, perhaps the grumpiest of the four, finds a new lease of life, and a spot of romance too which puts a spring in his step - at least figuratively. Ibrahim, ever ordered and regimented, sits as the figure of common sense amongst the friends. But it is Joyce who I perhaps love the most. She is at her very best this time around, taking everything in her stride, as always, even when faced with celebrities she adores, and the real threat of being murdered if Elizabeth fails in her side mission. She is just so perfect, easy to underestimate and the real dead pan, almost too innocent delivery of some of her lines, the unintended humour that she brings forth, never fails to amuse.

And the wider cast of characters, from series regulars, police officers, PC Donna De Freitas and DCi Chris Hudson, to Bogdan, the sometime companion to Elizabeth's husband, Stephen, through to newcomers, Mike and Pauline, makeup artist to the stars and love interest for Ron, they each add something special to the story. There isn't a wasted line or interaction in this book at all. Add in a self-published crime writing Chief Constable, Andrew Everton, and two money laundering gangsters in Viktor and 'The Viking', and we have a real variety of characters who lend various moments of wit and menace. I love the back and forth between Viktor and Elizabeth, and the scene between The Viking and Joyce was so innocently delivered it was pure magic. Brought a real smile, as do all the asides where Joyce provides a first person narrative to be fair, as pitch perfect in this book as any that come before.

The conclusion to this book is a touch surprising, but quite fitting all things considered. There are moments throughout that are tinged with sadness, and not just due to the lament of Mike Waghorn over the loss of his friend and colleague, Bethany, There are poignant moments between Bogdan and Stephen which mark the passing of time and act as a reminder that our beloved characters are well past the first flush of youth, perhaps steering us towards an almost inevitable conclusion. But it is the laugher, not the tears, that will be well remembered from this book and I am looking forward to reading book four, although with perhaps a little trepidation.

If you have read either of the first two books in the series, this is an absolute treat. If you have not yet started, and you enjoy a slightly cosier crime story with brilliant characters, and a dry and yet perfectly balanced humour, you really do need to get reading. You're missing out on a real treat.

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Reading For Escape
Fantastic page turner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2024
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Another winning story. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and warm inside. I want to be part of the gang. I consider myself lucky that I was late to this series because it has meant that I can read each book immediately I've finished the previous one. But I know it's going to be tough to wait a year when I've finished the fourth. Having lost my mum 3 years ago who had dementia Steven's story hits a nerve. It's handled so well. I wish every sufferer could have a Bogdon! It's rare to find books that draw you in with the main characters, make you love them (the whole gang) and yet still bring in new characters to pull the reader in. The scale of imagination it must take to write these tales is incredible and much appreciated. Long may the series continue!

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小島
三作目も面白い❗️
Reviewed in Japan on 21 December 2022
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いつもの四人組の老人たちのユーモアたっぷりのやり取りと奇想天外な展開のミステリーが魅力。

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Kate Frego Hastings
Love this series
Reviewed in Canada on 7 December 2024
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Great characters, quirky writing style, good plot

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DannaH
They Just Get Better and Better
Reviewed in the United States on 5 February 2025
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I have to say, this is one of my favorite Thursday Murder Club books. The addition of new characters is quite good. The Viking and Viktor really added new and wonderful interactions for the Club. I, of course, immediately fell in love with Viktor.
Delving into Connie Johnson’s brain was an experience in and of itself. And Mike and Pauline add two more people for us to love.
Love is on the table for several of the younger characters (no spoilers) and the couples are delightfully weird and perfect.
I highly recommend starting from the first Thursday Murder Club book so that you get to know all these wonderful, flawed, quirky and oh so real people. I feel like I really know them and would love to be in their club.
Also, isn’t Bogdan just the best ever? He and Stephen are the definition of love.

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bunu
Great crime novel
Reviewed in Germany on 14 April 2025
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A fantastic read! The story keeps one reading . Great charactres. Impossible to put the book down once you habe started to read

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Amazon Customer
un très bon livre
Reviewed in France on 24 October 2024
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Comme les autres ouvrages de la série, il s'agit d'un véritable page-turner. Je l'ai lu en une journée

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The Bullet That Missed: The third novel in the multi-million copy bestselling murder mystery series (The Thursday Murder Club Book 3) Kindle Edition

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5.0 out of 5 stars They are just getting better Richard ….

5.0 out of 5 stars a good read

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny, fabulous and little bit poignant - another winner

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic page turner

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5.0 out of 5 stars 三作目も面白い❗️

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this series

5.0 out of 5 stars They Just Get Better and Better

5.0 out of 5 stars Great crime novel

5.0 out of 5 stars un très bon livre

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They are just getting better Richard ….

a good read

Funny, fabulous and little bit poignant - another winner

Fantastic page turner

三作目も面白い❗️

Love this series

They Just Get Better and Better

Great crime novel

un très bon livre