The gang returns in Richard Osman’s second installment of his acclaimed Thursday Murder Club series, The Man Who Died Twice.

This time around, Elizabeth is confronted by a man from her past, and he needs her help. It seems he got caught up in a spot of bother and requires bodyguards, and who better to keep an eye out for his enemies than a group of brilliant septuagenarians!

Despite the task at hand being in the more than capable grasp of Elizabeth, it isn’t long until things go pear shaped. Having to concentrate fully on her mission proves difficult for Elizabeth and the gang when things within her merry band of crime-solvers take a turn for the worse. Even though life looks bleak at times as one of the four suffers a crisis of confidence, Osman’s trademark dry wit and comedic timing keep the story moving along at a brisk pace. While he never loses focus on the dangers surrounding the protagonists, it wouldn’t be a Thursday Murder Club story if the reader wasn’t laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all.

I really enjoyed the first book, but I absolutely loved the second installment. With this series, Osman has crafted a loveable, endearing collection of friends that kept me reading long after I should have turned off the light and rolled over to sleep. And really, isn’t that all we really want in our books? A story that so completely and totally captures our attention that time flies by with nary a worry. I can’t wait for the third installment, which luckily for me, comes out next week!