The Bullet That Missed (2022) By Richard Osman

"Nothing like lying in your grave with a bullet hole through your head to make you think about your life."

Book 3 in 'The Thursday Murder Club' series brings readers back to Coopers Chase, and to a world of murder and mystery, for which the prior two books have done so well at portraying. I for one couldn't wait to dive back in.

"That’s all it was in the end. People were always trying to tell you something, and all you really had to do was let them."

New characters, new crimes and new mysteries await at every turn, as author Richard Osman uses his consistently wonderful blend of red herrings, humour and humanity to draw readers into an ever-growing mystery that, while complex, is brilliantly written and functional.

"At one point he brushed my hand and there was electricity, but I think that was the combination of the deep carpet outside the restaurant and my new cardigan."

As can be expected from Osman's work, everything is nearly tied together and geniusly unveiled over the course of each chapter. His knack for clever developments and twists is so satisfying to read, there were numerous times were I looked up from the page to take in the brilliance of what I was reading.

"If murder were easy, none of us would survive Christmas."

Consistently, the very best thing in these books, I have found, is the beautifully constructed and evolving relationships and personalities of the characters, especially the core protagonists. I love that they do not stagnate. They each have an ongoing development throughout the story that affects their decisions, feelings and outcomes.

"There are scars, yes, but that at least means the bleeding has stopped."

Osman's formal but light dictation makes for easy reading, as usual, which therefore makes his work incredibly good for binge-reading - particularly considering just how enthralling and humorous his writing is.

"If you are strong, you have a choice in life: to protect the weak, or to prey on the weak."

The only thing I'm disappointed in, is that I have to wait for the fourth book; 'The Last Devil To Die', to release onto bookshelves at the end of the year. I seem to enjoy each book more than the last, so expectations are suitably high for the next mystery that the 'gang' gets wrapped up in.

"It’s the people, in the end, isn’t it?...It’s always the people. You can move halfway around the world to find your perfect life, move to Australia if you like, but it always comes down to the people you meet."