The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman Book Review
- Joao Nsita
- Jun 26, 2024
- 13 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
Why The Man Who Died Twice Deserves Your Attention
A second book in a beloved mystery series has a difficult job: it must feel familiar enough to comfort you while still offering something new. Richard Osman’s The Man Who Died Twice succeeds by bringing back the friendships, humor, and emotional warmth of The Thursday Murder Club while widening the story into a more dangerous world of stolen diamonds, organized crime, secret identities, and old professional loyalties.
This The Man Who Died Twice review explores why the novel remains one of Richard Osman’s most enjoyable mystery books. First published in the United Kingdom on September 16, 2021, the novel is the second book in The Thursday Murder Club series. It follows Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron as they become involved in a case that is far more connected to Elizabeth’s mysterious past than their previous investigation.
The book is a cozy mystery sequel, but it also borrows from caper fiction, spy stories, and traditional British crime novels. The setting remains Coopers Chase, the comfortable retirement village where the club meets, yet the plot reaches into London’s criminal underworld and the shadowy world of intelligence work.
Elizabeth receives a letter from an old colleague who needs her help. The letter involves a dangerous criminal, stolen diamonds, and a past relationship that Elizabeth has never fully explained to her friends. Before long, the Thursday Murder Club is pulled into a case involving murder, revenge, money, and questions about who can truly be trusted.
The novel is especially appealing because it gives the original characters more space to grow. Joyce becomes even more confident, Ibrahim faces a painful challenge, Ron remains gloriously outspoken, and Elizabeth is forced to confront parts of her history that she would rather keep hidden.
You do not need to expect a dark or frightening thriller. The violence and criminal danger are present, but Osman’s tone remains warm, witty, and accessible. The result is a mystery novel that offers suspense without abandoning its central promise: spending time with people you genuinely enjoy.
If you are new to the series, reading The Thursday Murder Club first is recommended. However, if you already know the characters, The Man Who Died Twice feels like a natural continuation rather than a simple repeat of the first book.
If you love this, check out Book Review: The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman.
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The Story at the Heart of The Man Who Died Twice
The novel begins with the Thursday Murder Club enjoying the comfortable routines they established after the events of the first book. Coopers Chase remains a carefully managed retirement village where residents attend activities, share gossip, and find ways to fill their days. Yet the club members are not content to sit quietly and allow life to pass them by.
Elizabeth is the emotional center of the new mystery. Her past has always been deliberately vague, and her friends understand that she has worked in a world involving secrets, deception, and people who know how to disappear. When she receives a letter from Douglas, an old colleague and former husband, the tone of the group changes immediately.
Douglas claims to be in serious danger. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent criminal network, and people who are willing to kill to protect their interests. Elizabeth understands that helping him could put everyone at risk, but she also knows that ignoring him may be impossible.
Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim respond in their own ways. Joyce is compassionate and curious, but she is no longer the uncertain newcomer she was in the first novel. Ron is ready to confront anyone who threatens his friends, while Ibrahim approaches the situation through careful planning and analysis.
The investigation becomes more personal when Ibrahim is attacked during a robbery. The incident leaves him shaken and angry, and the club decides that they cannot simply leave the matter to the police. Their desire for justice grows alongside the larger diamond mystery, connecting events at Coopers Chase with a criminal world none of them can safely ignore.
The supporting characters also become more important. Donna De Freitas and Chris Hudson continue to develop as police officers and friends of the club. Bogdan, the resourceful handyman, remains a valuable ally. Together, the official investigators and amateur detectives create an informal network that allows the story to move between police work, personal investigation, and carefully planned acts of misdirection.
One of the novel’s pleasures is watching the club work as a team even when its members disagree. Elizabeth is secretive, Ron is confrontational, Ibrahim is cautious, and Joyce is often more observant than anyone expects. Their different methods could create constant conflict, but their affection for one another keeps pulling them back into cooperation.
The central conflict is not only about locating diamonds or identifying a killer. It is also about whether the past can remain buried once the people connected to it begin appearing again. Elizabeth has spent much of her life controlling information, but this case challenges her ability to decide what others should know.
The story moves between the familiar comfort of Coopers Chase and the more threatening spaces occupied by criminals, spies, and people with complicated motives. This contrast gives the novel its energy. A conversation over tea can sit close to a dangerous confrontation, and a gentle friendship scene can be followed by a revelation about betrayal.
Osman remains careful not to turn the book into a conventional action thriller. The characters are older, and their age affects how they respond to danger. They rely on intelligence, social skill, humor, preparation, and teamwork rather than physical strength.
The result is a mystery that feels larger than the first book while keeping the same emotional foundation. The bodies may pile up, but the story is ultimately about loyalty, memory, responsibility, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love.
How Richard Osman Brings This Story to Life
Richard Osman’s writing is easy to read, but it is not empty or careless. He uses short chapters, quick scene changes, and multiple points of view to maintain momentum. The structure gives the novel a conversational quality, as if several people are telling you different parts of the same story.
Joyce’s diary entries remain one of the strongest elements. Her voice is warm, funny, and deceptively perceptive. She often records ordinary details about food, neighbors, clothing, or daily routines, but those observations help create a vivid picture of the community.
The dialogue is especially sharp. Osman gives each character a distinct rhythm, making it easy to recognize who is speaking even without constant reminders. Ron’s blunt political opinions, Ibrahim’s careful explanations, Elizabeth’s strategic evasions, and Joyce’s gentle curiosity work together to create natural comedy.
The pacing is more adventurous than in the first novel. The introduction of organized crime and intelligence connections adds urgency, but Osman never allows the plot to overwhelm the friendships. The book can move quickly through a dangerous situation and then slow down for an intimate conversation about fear or regret.
Osman also understands the power of understatement. Characters do not always announce their pain. Sometimes a joke, a cup of tea, or a seemingly small act of kindness reveals more than a dramatic speech could.
The Themes That Make The Man Who Died Twice More Than a Mystery
The Past Never Disappears Completely
Elizabeth’s history is the driving force of the novel. She has spent years building a new life, but the arrival of Douglas reminds her that old choices can return without warning.
The book asks whether a person can truly separate their present identity from the work, relationships, and compromises that shaped them. Elizabeth is not simply hiding secrets because she enjoys deception. She is also trying to protect the people she loves from the dangers attached to her earlier life.
Loyalty and Chosen Family
The Thursday Murder Club members are not related by blood, but their loyalty is powerful. Each character is willing to take risks for the others, even when they disagree about the best way to respond.
Their friendship has the feeling of a chosen family. They provide one another with companionship, practical help, emotional honesty, and a reason to remain engaged with the world. The mystery gives them something to investigate, but the friendship gives the story its heart.
Aging and Vulnerability
The novel does not pretend that its characters are physically invincible. Ibrahim’s attack is especially important because it forces the group to confront vulnerability. Even people who are intelligent and experienced can be injured, frightened, or made to feel unsafe.
Osman treats aging as a reality rather than a punchline. His characters may need more time to recover, but they also possess patience, life experience, and emotional knowledge that younger characters may lack.
For a wider look at classic and contemporary crime fiction, explore The 20 Must-Read Crime Fiction Books of All Time.
Justice Outside the Rules
The characters often find themselves operating beyond official procedures. They do not always follow the rules, but they are motivated by a strong sense of justice. This creates an interesting tension between legality and morality.
The book does not present the police as useless or corrupt. Instead, it shows that informal knowledge can sometimes uncover information that official systems miss. The strongest results come when professional investigators and amateur detectives work together.
Readers who enjoy Richard Osman’s blend of humor and suspense may also enjoy Book Review: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.
What The Man Who Died Twice Gets Absolutely Right
The greatest strength is the development of the central quartet. The first novel introduced their personalities, while this sequel gives those personalities more emotional weight. Each member faces a situation that reveals something new about their fears, values, or history.
The second major strength is the expanded role of Elizabeth. Her mysterious past could easily have become a simple plot device, but Osman uses it to explore trust and identity. Elizabeth is clever and capable, yet she is also emotionally guarded and not always morally straightforward.
The humor remains excellent. The jokes do not depend solely on the characters being older. Instead, the humor comes from their individual personalities, their sharp observations, and the contrast between the calm setting and the dangerous situations they enter.
The novel also handles friendship beautifully. The characters protect each other without becoming sentimental, and they argue without losing their affection. Their relationship feels believable because it contains irritation, generosity, selfishness, forgiveness, and laughter.
Finally, the book is highly readable. It combines a stolen diamonds mystery, a murder investigation, criminal intrigue, and emotional storytelling without becoming inaccessible. Even when the plot becomes complicated, the characters provide a clear reason to keep turning the pages.
Where The Man Who Died Twice Could Have Gone Further
The main criticism is that the mystery sometimes becomes too crowded. The diamond plot, criminal connections, Ibrahim’s attack, Elizabeth’s past, and several supporting characters create a lot of moving parts. Some readers may need to pause and mentally reorganize the connections.
The book also has less physical jeopardy than the premise suggests. The characters face dangerous people, but the tone remains reassuring enough that the suspense may feel softened. Readers seeking a genuinely tense thriller could find the danger more playful than frightening.
A final limitation is that certain villains feel broader and less nuanced than the main characters. The Thursday Murder Club members are richly drawn, while some of the criminals function mainly as obstacles. The emotional complexity belongs more strongly to the heroes than to the opposing forces.
Books to Read If You Loved The Man Who Died Twice
If you enjoyed the friendship and gentle humor of Osman’s sequel, try The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. It features older amateur detectives, an English setting, a local murder, and a group of people whose ordinary lives become unexpectedly adventurous.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith is another excellent choice. Precious Ramotswe uses observation, patience, empathy, and common sense to solve cases. Like Osman’s books, it focuses as much on relationships and community as it does on crime.
For a more modern and emotionally tender mystery, consider Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Vera is an older amateur investigator who becomes involved in a murder while forming an unexpected chosen family.
You can also find more crime and suspense recommendations in 10 Must-Read Thriller and Mystery Books Releasing in May 2025.
Who Will Love The Man Who Died Twice the Most?
This book is best for readers who enjoy cozy mystery sequels, British crime fiction, amateur sleuths, found-family friendships, and humorous detective stories. It is also a strong choice for fans of Agatha Christie who want a contemporary mystery with older protagonists and a warmer emotional tone.
You will probably enjoy it if you like ensemble casts, secret pasts, stolen diamonds, police partnerships, retirement village settings, and mysteries that mix danger with comfort. Reading it as part of a book club could lead to interesting discussions about loyalty, justice, age, secrets, and whether the characters’ methods are ethical.
Content Warnings: Murder, death, grief, physical assault, organized crime, threats, weapons, emotional distress, and references to dementia and aging. The violence is not generally graphic, but the subject matter is intended for mature readers.
For another suspenseful story involving secrets and complicated motives, see Book Review: Tell No One by Harlan Coben.
How The Man Who Died Twice Stayed With Me
The most memorable part of this book is the way it treats friendship as an active choice. The characters do not simply care about each other in theory. They show up, interfere, investigate, lie, argue, and take risks when one of their friends is threatened.
Elizabeth’s story also gives the novel a lingering emotional question: how much of yourself can you reveal before the people closest to you begin to see you differently? Her secrets create the mystery, but they also reveal how difficult it can be to accept love when your entire life has been built around control.
Joyce remains the emotional doorway into the story. Her warmth makes the world feel safe, even when the plot becomes dangerous. Through her perspective, the novel suggests that curiosity, humor, and companionship can remain powerful forms of courage at any age.
Final Verdict: Is The Man Who Died Twice Worth Reading?
Yes, The Man Who Died Twice is worth reading, particularly if you enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club and want to spend more time with its unforgettable characters. It expands the series without abandoning the gentle humor and emotional warmth that made the first book so popular.
The mystery is more ambitious, bringing together stolen diamonds, organized crime, intelligence work, and personal history. At times, the plot becomes crowded, but the character relationships give the story a steady emotional center.
Richard Osman’s greatest gift is his ability to make readers care about people who are often ignored by traditional crime fiction. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron are not stereotypes of elderly characters. They are complicated adults with desires, regrets, anger, intelligence, and unfinished business.
The book is not ideal for readers who want a dark, relentlessly suspenseful thriller. Its danger is softened by humor and the reassuring strength of the group. However, if you enjoy cozy crime, character-driven mysteries, British wit, and stories about friendship, this sequel offers a thoroughly satisfying reading experience.
About Richard Osman
Richard Osman is a British author, television presenter, and producer. He became widely known through television programs including Pointless and Richard Osman’s House of Games before making his fiction debut with The Thursday Murder Club.
His Thursday Murder Club books have become international bestsellers, combining mystery plots with humor, emotional storytelling, and ensemble casts. Osman also writes the separate We Solve Murders series, which introduces a new group of investigators and a more international style of crime adventure.
His writing is known for witty dialogue, warm characterizations, short chapters, and a strong interest in friendship, aging, loyalty, and the ways people create new lives after retirement.
Learn more about Richard Osman: Official Author Hub | Goodreads | Instagram
Frequently Asked Questions About The Man Who Died Twice
1. What is The Man Who Died Twice about?
The novel follows the Thursday Murder Club as Elizabeth becomes involved with an old colleague connected to stolen diamonds, dangerous criminals, and a threat to his life. The group also investigates an attack on Ibrahim.
2. Is The Man Who Died Twice worth reading?
Yes, especially for readers who enjoyed the first book in the series. It offers more of the characters’ humor and friendship while giving Elizabeth a deeper and more complicated personal story.
3. Is The Man Who Died Twice part of a series?
Yes. It is the second novel in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. It follows The Thursday Murder Club and comes before The Bullet That Missed.
4. Can The Man Who Died Twice be read as a standalone?
It can be read on its own because it has a separate central mystery. However, reading the first book will make the friendships, police relationships, and character development easier to understand.
5. What genre is The Man Who Died Twice?
It is a cozy mystery, humorous crime novel, and character-driven detective story. It also includes elements of a spy thriller, criminal caper, and traditional British whodunit.
6. Who are the main characters?
The main characters are Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron, the four members of the Thursday Murder Club. Important supporting characters include Donna, Chris, Bogdan, and Douglas.
7. Is The Man Who Died Twice a scary book?
It includes murder, violence, organized crime, and threats, but it is not a horror novel. The humor, friendship, and comfortable setting make the book much gentler than a dark psychological thriller.
8. Is The Man Who Died Twice romantic?
Romance is not the main focus, but relationships and past love are important to the plot. Elizabeth’s history with Douglas adds emotional complexity and raises questions about trust, loyalty, and second chances.
9. Is there an audiobook of The Man Who Died Twice?
Yes. The audiobook is widely available through major audiobook retailers and library services. The UK audiobook is narrated by Lesley Manville, whose performance captures the novel’s humor and changing character voices.
10. Should I read The Thursday Murder Club before this book?
Yes, reading the series in order is the best experience. The first book introduces the central group, while The Man Who Died Twice builds on their friendships and gives more attention to Elizabeth’s past.
Further Reading and External Resources
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