The Thursday Murder Club reconvenes to solve a ten year old cold case involving the disappearance and suspected murder of TV journalist Bethany Waites. Along the way, someone attempts to coerce Elizabeth into knocking off a person from her past. If Elizabeth doesn’t follow orders, her taskmaster will kill Joyce in cold blood!

Much like what we’ve seen throughout the series, the stakes are high, but that doesn’t mean that those involved can’t find a little humor in the situation. I can’t tell you just how many times I laughed out loud reading this one. The charming chemistry amongst the whole cast is something that author Richard Osman has expertly crafted over three novels.

In keeping with the prior novels, Elizabeth must deal with a figure from her previous life, so getting to further flesh out her backstory made for a compelling adventure. She’s the heartbeat of the group and is integral to all three stories to date, so getting to know even more about how her mind works was a welcome addition. I should also note that the evolution of the story’s chief antagonist was brilliantly executed and made perfect sense when confronted with the odd nature of the quartet.

It’s not surprising to suggest that if you loved the first two Thursday Murder Club novels, that you will also enjoy this one. I love spending time with Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim, as well as the other recurring characters. While it doesn’t quite get to the heights of the prior books, it is still a pleasurable read.