Thursday Murders Club Books in Order: Full Series Guide

If you’ve been hearing buzz about the Thursday Murder Club series and wondering where to start—or whether you’re already missing a book or two—you’re not alone. Richard Osman’s cozy-crime franchise has become one of Britain’s most beloved modern mystery series, with five books published between 2020 and 2025, and a Netflix adaptation that brought the Jigsaw Room sleuths to an even wider audience. This guide lays out every book in order, what’s confirmed for the future, and what fans are watching closely as the series grows.

Books in Series: 5 · Author: Richard Osman · First Book Release: 2020 · Latest Book: The Impossible Fortune (September 2025)

In what order should I read the Thursday Murder Club books?

Richard Osman’s five Thursday Murder Club books are best consumed in the order they hit shelves—not just because of running jokes and evolving relationships, but because each installment builds meaningfully on what came before. “It’s much more satisfying to see Ron, Elizabeth, Ibrahim and Joyce’s characters evolve if you start reading from the beginning,” notes Dead Good Books (book retailer and series specialist).

Publication order

• The Thursday Murder Club (September 2020) — The debut that started it all. Four retirees at Coopers Chase retirement village begin meeting in the Jigsaw Room to review cold cases, and stumble into a live investigation when a local developer’s body turns up.
• The Man Who Died Twice (September 2021) — Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron return for a second case that ventures beyond the village walls, involving stolen diamonds and a standoff with a mafia boss.
• The Bullet That Missed (September 2022) — The club tackles a journalist’s unsolved death while Elizabeth faces a threatening ultimatum from a persistent nemesis.
• The Last Devil to Die (September 2023) — A friend’s death connected to drug dealing and antiques fraud pulls the group into darker territory than previous installments.
• The Impossible Fortune (September 2025) — Set a year after Book 4, the story centers on Joyce’s daughter’s wedding—but when a guest vanishes amid death threats tied to an uncrackable code, the club is back in action (Penguin Random House official listing).

Do I have to read the Thursday Murder Club series in order?

The books function as self-contained mysteries in the sense that each case gets solved within its own pages—you won’t be left stranded without a resolution. However, the personal storylines that wind through the series grow richer with each installment. Elizabeth’s complicated history, Ibrahim’s quiet observations, Ron’s fiery temper, and Joyce’s gentle warmth all develop across the five books in ways that feel earned rather than convenient.

If you’re buying the series for the puzzle-of-the-week, any entry works as a standalone. If you want the full emotional payoff of watching these four retirees grow closer—and stranger—the publication order is the way to go.

Is there a 5th Thursday Murder Club book?

Yes. The fifth entry, The Impossible Fortune, arrived in September 2025. Penguin Random House lists it at 368 pages with a US release date of September 30, 2025, while UK publisher Viking Books UK targeted September 25, 2025 (The Bookseller industry reporting).

Title and release details

The plot follows Joyce’s daughter’s wedding as a triggering event, but the mystery centers on a missing guest named Nick and a villain hunting an uncrackable code (Goodreads). Ron faces family troubles, Ibrahim finds himself therapeutically engaged with a criminal, and Joanna—Joyce’s daughter—steps up to assist the club. Two years passed between Book 4 and Book 5, the longest gap in the series so far.

How many books will be in the Thursday Murder Club series?

Five books are currently published as of September 2025, according to Goodreads series records. Osman has not announced a final count for the series, and the publisher has described the franchise as a “megabrand” with no signs of slowing.

Books released so far

• The Thursday Murder Club (2020)
• The Man Who Died Twice (2021)
• The Bullet That Missed (2022)
• The Last Devil to Die (2023)
• The Impossible Fortune (2025)

Confirmed future books

No sixth Thursday Murder Club title has been formally announced at the time of writing. What is confirmed is Osman’s parallel We Solve Murders series, with its second installment, We Chase Shadows, due September 10, 2026. The author has suggested he plans to alternate releases between the two series annually.

The pattern suggests readers can expect continued annual releases, though Osman has not committed to a specific number of future entries.

Will there be a 6th Thursday murders Club book?

This remains an open question. The Bookseller reports that Osman intends to continue releasing Thursday Murder Club books “annually alongside We Solve Murders,” which implies more entries are coming—but specific titles and dates beyond Book 5 have not been confirmed by the publisher.

Announcements on book 6

Industry watchers note that Osman’s dual-series strategy appears designed to sustain momentum across both franchises. Whether that means a sixth Thursday Murder Club book arrives in 2026, or whether he prioritizes the We Solve Murders follow-up, remains to be seen.

Richard Osman future plans

Osman has been characteristically warm and direct about his commitment to the series. “Whether it’s We Solve Murders or The Thursday Murder Club, you are guaranteed to enjoy yourself,” his publisher Viking Books UK stated in promotional materials (The Bookseller). Until an official announcement arrives, fans should treat Book 5 as the current endpoint—not necessarily the final one.