The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club #2/2) ****

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman is the second novel in the Thursday Murder Club series. The club includes four pensioners (all in their 70s): Elizabeth Best, spy; Ron Ritchie, trade unionist; Joyce Meadowcroft, nurse; and Ibrahim Arif, psychiatrist. This plot involved 20 million pounds of stolen diamonds; a drug dealer, Connie Johnson, who is smarter than the local police; and a young man, Ryan Baird, who, unfortunately (for him), mugs Ibrahim. The plot has plenty of twists and turns, but the fun is the absurd situations and overly clever dialogue. I found this British author reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen.

An enjoyable read, full of non-sequiturs, comedic observations, and absurd humor.

Examples of the humor

In an answer to how Elizabeth became a spy:  “I had a professor… Well, he was desperate to sleep with me, this professor—people were in those days. So I knew he wanted to sleep with me, and I knew he wanted me to interview for the Service. And I honestly felt I should probably do one or the other—you know how men can be with rejection. So I had to either sleep with him or interview with the Service, and I chose the lesser of two evils.”

When Connie Johnson is arrested: Connie leans forward again, getting as close to Ron as she possibly can. She hisses, “When I get out, you’re a dead man.” Ron looks back at her. “Well, I’m seventy-five, and you’ll be doing thirty years so, yeah, agreed.”

Friends: “So no one’s dancing anymore?” “If they are, they’re not dancing with me,” says Donna. “Who are my closest friends? Chris, who’s sleeping with my mum. My mum, who’s sleeping with Chris. You lot, and, back me up here, my best friends shouldn’t be in their seventies.” Ibrahim nods. “Agreed. Maybe one would be okay, but four of us seems a bit much.” “The only person my age I’ve met down here who I actually like is Connie Johnson, and she’s a drug dealer. I bet she dances, though.” “And she certainly does drugs, I imagine,” says Ibrahim.

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