Devi Nair
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Lesley Manville āā± Duration: 12 hours 26 minutes āRead as part of my Book Club (weāre tackling Book 2 next) š·ļø Publisher: Books on Tape (Penguin Audio imprint) / Penguin Books
This was my second attempt at The Thursday Murder Club. I tried reading it in 2024 and couldnāt finish it then. This time I went in again through the audiobook, hoping the narration would pull me into the story in a way the text didnāt before. Sadly, the result was the same. I couldnāt finish it.
And that surprised me.
This is a hugely popular cozy mystery. People love it. The series is everywhere. Thereās even a Netflix adaptation with actors I absolutely adore. Knowing all that, I really wanted this book to work for me.
Part of it is the narrative distance; the story often feels like itās being observed from above rather than lived from the inside, which made it hard for me to visualize scenes, even with Lesley Manvilleās polished narration in my ears. Iām a very visual reader, usually an audiobook plus a Netflix adaptation is a cheat code for immersion, and I adore the casting of Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Tim Ellis in the film world of this story. But even after watching the movie, the bookās characters still felt like well-drawn sketches pinned to a corkboard instead of people moving through a space I could see.
The mystery itself is clever and layered, with multiple threads, red herrings, and that very British blend of murder and mildness that has clearly charmed millions of readers. I can absolutely see why this series became a phenomenon: the premise is irresistible, the banter is dry, the setting is ripe for endless cases. But chemistry matters, and sometimes you meet a book that looks perfect on paper and still doesnāt click in your gut. That was this for me. Iāll keep going with book two for the sake of my book club, but at this point Iām not sure Iāll be booking a long-term stay at Cooperās Chase.
Would I recommend it? This one sits firmly in the āitās not you, itās meā category. If you love quintessentially British cozy mysteries, layered plots, and donāt mind a bit of narrative distance from the characters, this might absolutely work for you, and clearly does for a huge chunk of readers. For me, the emotional disconnect and difficulty visualizing the world meant I DNFed it twice. Iām glad I tried, but I wonāt be pressing this one into peopleās hands.
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Lesley Manville āā± Duration: 12 hours 26 minutes āRead as part of my Book Club (weāre tackling Book 2 next) š·ļø Publisher: Books on Tape (Penguin Audio imprint) / Penguin Books
This was my second attempt at The Thursday Murder Club. I tried reading it in 2024 and couldnāt finish it then. This time I went in again through the audiobook, hoping the narration would pull me into the story in a way the text didnāt before. Sadly, the result was the same. I couldnāt finish it.
And that surprised me.
This is a hugely popular cozy mystery. People love it. The series is everywhere. Thereās even a Netflix adaptation with actors I absolutely adore. Knowing all that, I really wanted this book to work for me.
Part of it is the narrative distance; the story often feels like itās being observed from above rather than lived from the inside, which made it hard for me to visualize scenes, even with Lesley Manvilleās polished narration in my ears. Iām a very visual reader, usually an audiobook plus a Netflix adaptation is a cheat code for immersion, and I adore the casting of Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Tim Ellis in the film world of this story. But even after watching the movie, the bookās characters still felt like well-drawn sketches pinned to a corkboard instead of people moving through a space I could see.
The mystery itself is clever and layered, with multiple threads, red herrings, and that very British blend of murder and mildness that has clearly charmed millions of readers. I can absolutely see why this series became a phenomenon: the premise is irresistible, the banter is dry, the setting is ripe for endless cases. But chemistry matters, and sometimes you meet a book that looks perfect on paper and still doesnāt click in your gut. That was this for me. Iāll keep going with book two for the sake of my book club, but at this point Iām not sure Iāll be booking a long-term stay at Cooperās Chase.
Would I recommend it? This one sits firmly in the āitās not you, itās meā category. If you love quintessentially British cozy mysteries, layered plots, and donāt mind a bit of narrative distance from the characters, this might absolutely work for you, and clearly does for a huge chunk of readers. For me, the emotional disconnect and difficulty visualizing the world meant I DNFed it twice. Iām glad I tried, but I wonāt be pressing this one into peopleās hands.