The Impossible Fortune
First edition | |
| Author | Richard Osman |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Fiona Shaw |
| Series | Thursday Murder Club (series) |
| Publisher | Viking Press |
Publication date | September 30, 2025 |
| ISBN | 9780593653258 |
| Preceded by | The Last Devil to Die |
The Impossible Fortune is the fifth murder mystery book in the Thursday Murder Club series, written by British author and television presenter, Richard Osman. The book and its audiobook edition, read by Fiona Shaw, were published by Viking Press in September 2025.[1]
Characters
The main characters[2] are four pensioners who reside at the fictional Coopers Chase retirement village in Kent, England:
- Elizabeth Best, an ex-spy
- Ron Ritchie, a former trade union leader
- Ibrahim Arif, a psychiatrist
- Joyce Meadowcroft, a retired nurse
Familiar supporting characters [3][4] include:
- Donna De Freitas, police constable
- Chris Hudson, detective chief inspector
- Bogdan Jankowski, handyman and Donna's partner
- Jason Ritchie, Ron's son
- Kendrick, Ron's grandson
- Joanna, Joyce's daughter
- Connie Johnson, drug dealer
- Alan, Joyce's pet dog
Plot
When a guest approaches Elizabeth for help during Joyce’s daughter’s wedding, the Thursday Murder Club becomes involved in a case involving a disappearance, a murder, and a valuable code.[1] Alongside the main investigation, Ron deals with family problems and Ibrahim continues his work with recent parolee Connie Johnson.[3][4]
Reception
The book debuted at No. 1 on The Sunday Times Bestseller list[5] and reached No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list for combined print and e-book fiction.[6] Critics praised the storytelling[7][8] as well as the relationships between the characters. In her Library Journal review, Liz French wrote, "The crime, though ingeniously plotted, with many red herrings, is not the main attraction. It’s the growing love and respect among the Thursdays and their kith and kin, including a few criminals and cops, that is the biggest draw."[9]
References
- ^ a b "The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman: 9780593653258 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
- ^ "Meet the characters from The Thursday Murder Club". www.penguin.com.au. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
- ^ a b Orsini, Jamie (2025-09-30). "Book review of The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman". BookPage. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
- ^ a b The Impossible Fortune: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery | Bookreporter.com.
- ^ "The Sunday Times Bestsellers List — the latest UK book charts". The Sunday Times. October 4, 2025. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Combined Print & E-Book Fiction - Best Sellers - Books". The New York Times. October 8, 2025. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB | Kirkus Reviews.
- ^ Dwyer, Colin (2025-09-30). "New books this week: War, murder, and Lionel Richie". NPR. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
- ^ French, Liz (August 29, 2025). "The Impossible Fortune". Library Journal. Retrieved 2025-10-06.