How to read the ‘Thursday Murder Club’ books in order

English TV presenter and author Richard Osman has written one of the most beloved and popular modern murder mystery series. The Thursday Murder Club novels have become worldwide bestsellers, and now, a Netflix film adaptation of the first Thursday Murder Club novel in the series is on the way, too.

If you’re a fan of British murder mysteries and love a good, cozy story, the Thursday Murder Club books are a must-read. The characters might be pensioners, but these stories are for everyone, offering funny, thrilling, and original narratives—and, of course, a whole bunch of murder, too.

Here’s how to read the Thursday Murder Club books in order.

1. The Thursday Murder Club (2020)

The first novel, The Thursday Murder Club, introduces readers to the titular mystery-solving club. Its members include Elizabeth, an ex-spy; Joyce, a former nurse; Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist; and Ron, an ex-union activist. In the sleepy retirement village of Cooper’s Chase in Kent, these four 70+-year-old friends spend their Thursdays unravelling cold cases. But what happens when their peaceful existence is disturbed by not one but two recent murders? Right on their doorstep, no less? They’ll stop at nothing to reveal the truth—even if it means risking their own lives.

2. The Man Who Died Twice (2021)

The second novel, The Man Who Died Twice, reunites readers with the Thursday Murder Club, fresh off their first case. When Elizabeth—remember, she’s a former spy—is visited by an old colleague desperate for help, she enlists her retired pals to solve the mystery. Diamonds, mobsters, and multiple bodies pile up as the case drags on. What will they do when all the clues lead to an undeniably ruthless killer?

3. The Bullet That Missed (2022)

In The Bullet That Missed, our four favorite retirees are in desperate need of some peace and quiet. Will they get it? Of course not. Though their latest investigation starts as a cold case—their favorite kind—it soon becomes all too real when it leads them to a local news legend and another (bodyless) murder. Then, to make matters worse, Elizabeth is visited by a new foe. The name of the game is “kill or be killed,” and as Elizabeth grapples with her conscience and a deadly weapon, the rest of the gang works tirelessly to catch the killer and save Elizabeth’s life.

4. The Last Devil to Die (2023)

What’s more festive than a good old-fashioned murder mystery? When a mysterious package is smuggled across the English border on Boxing Day and a body is found on New Year’s morning—the body of someone close to the Thursday Murder Club, no less—the group becomes embroiled in yet another high-stakes murder case in The Last Devil to Die. As it turns out, the antiques business is much more dangerous than it seems on the surface. Fraudsters, forgers, and drug dealers abound as the body count rises. Will they all survive this time? Or will one last devil die?

5. Book 5 is on the way … (2025)

A fifth—currently untitled—installment of the Thursday Murder Club series is coming soon. Though a two-year delay may seem like a lot compared to the author’s previous yearly releases, Osman has a good excuse—in the meantime, he wrote and published the first in a new set of thriller novels, entitled We Solve Murders. It might be worth a try as you wait for the fifth book! The next TMC novel will be published in the U.K. on September 29, 2025, and in the U.S. on September 30.