Challenge 12: Any book that was recommended to you

What does it take to convince you to read a book? Take a stroll down the rows of any bookstore or library, and you'll see covers filled with braggadocios comments like “Number One Bestseller!” or “New York Times Breakout Author!”. Is that what it takes to get you interested in a book? Generally the title and cover art grab my attention, and I check the back to get an idea about the book. The author is meaningless unless I'm already familiar with them. Without exception, I see a novel by George R.R. Martin or Stephen King, I grab it. I may not buy it, but at least I give it a good look. I almost never pay any attention to how many copies a book sells. There is really only one thing that I trust without fail, which is the recommendations of other readers I know, particularly when there are more than one recommending the same book.

Case in point, The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman. Recommended by three people, their praise was worth more than anything a publisher might splash across the book cover. This mystery novel follows the exploits of its four protagonists as they navigate a tale of vengeance, shady real estate deals and their golden years.

The muscle man for a suspicious real estate developer is murdered on the cusp of a major land renovation which happens to be in the back yard of a retirement community that's home to the Thursday Murder Club, four retirees who are also true crime enthusiasts, spending their Thursdays analyzing cold case murders. With a real murder in their midst, they don't waste this chance to put their unique blend of skills to use navigating a plot filled with twists and turns as suspects sprout up from everywhere between the criminal underworld and their own neighborhood. They each bring their own unique experience and skills to the table: Joyce, a nurse; Elizabeth, a intelligence agent; Ibrahim, a therapist; and Rob, a labor union leader.

There are many chances for the reader to analyze a suspect as the TMC drills down on one questionable character or another. As the story unfolds more and more suspects arise and there is just enough time and evidence to point to their guilt before they are scratched from the suspect list. Like any good mystery, the culprit was who I least expected.

Many of the best parts of the story come from these characters in their seventies and eighties subverting the judgment and expectations of the younger characters. The chief detective gets manipulated into volunteering more information than he planned. An concerned beat cop looking in from the outside gets placed front and center in the investigation. The police come to a conclusion or draw up a suspect, only to find the TMC has been a step ahead of them and is already moving on with their own inquiries.

The characters' age is mainly a side note, as the characters didn't have to be retirees, but it definitely plays a part as the story unfolds. The story has lots of humor but there are a few gloomy moments related to aging or dealing with younger people, and the story definitely has its dark moments as it wraps up.

Once again completing this challenge has led me to an author I knew nothing about but will continue to seek out in the future. It also leads me to believe I should give mystery novels more attention, considering the few I've read have always been enjoyable. Also it strengthens my faith in my fellow readers as they make their own journeys through the literary universe. On that note, thanks to my mom Edna, sister Amy and brother-in-law Bob for recommending this book to me.

D.G. Raymond