The impossible fortune

The Thursday Murder Club is back and better than ever. Former spy Elizabeth hasn't been herself since her husband Stephen's death, which explains the two-year gap since the group's last outing. (Well, that and the fact that Osman was busy writing the first book in a new series,We Solve Murders.) Osman handled Stephen's Alzheimer's disease with great sensitivity inThe Last Devil To Die (2023), and, here, it's a pleasure to watch Elizabeth gradually re-engage with the world as her best friend, Joyce, prepares for her daughter's wedding. About time, too, Joyce would probably say--Joanna has a successful career, but did she have to wait till her 40s to give Joyce that most coveted of relations, a son-in-law? And then what happens but that son-in-law's best man, Nick, approaches Elizabeth at the reception and tells her someone tried to kill him that morning. The next day, Nick's office is tossed, and he disappears. He's in the security business, the owner of a remote storage facility where people can keep anything they choose in absolute privacy and safety. He and his partner, Holly, were once paid by a client in bitcoin that's now worth 150 million pounds, and they each know half the code that would unlock it. They had just decided to sell it and had asked a few people for advice. All of these folks are now suspects in Nick's attempted murder. Or is it actual murder? This being the Thursday Murder Club, there's a lot more going on, of course. There are parts to play for Ibrahim, the psychologist who might be the most trusted man in England, and Ron, the former trade unionist who would do anything for his family--and his friends are his family, too. There are possibly reformed drug dealers, absolutely not reformed gangsters, a peer of the realm, the usual assortment of police officers, and a walk-on part for Prince Edward. There are satisfying red herrings and a well-constructed answer to the puzzle of what happened to Nick and why. And you'll be happy just to have spent some time in Osman's delightful world. If you're coming to the series from the Netflix movie, start at the top. If you've read the others, this is a high point. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.