The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club #3) by Richard

TL;DR

Richard Osman's The Bullet That Missed is the third Thursday Murder Club novel, and at 91,000+ ratings it's clear the series hasn't lost momentum. Cold case, TV journalist, retired pensioner detectives — the formula works because Osman is genuinely funny and quietly merciless about aging, friendship, and loss. If you loved books one and two, three delivers without coasting. New readers should start with The Thursday Murder Club first.

Why It Matters

The Thursday Murder Club series helped redefine what cozy mysteries can be in the 2020s — older protagonists, real emotional weight under the wit, and crime writing that doesn't punch down. Osman's books topped UK bestseller lists for months, and the Steven Spielberg-produced adaptation cemented their crossover appeal.

Key Specs

Author: Richard Osman
Published: 2022 (UK), 2023 (US paperback)
Genre: cozy mystery, contemporary British crime
Series: Thursday Murder Club, Book 3
Page count: ~416
Format: Kindle, hardcover, paperback, audiobook
Audiobook narrator: Fiona Shaw

Pros

Tighter plotting than book two — fewer dropped threads
Joyce's diary chapters remain the comic high point
Elizabeth's backstory deepens without retconning
New antagonist is genuinely menacing without going gratuitous
Audiobook benefits from Fiona Shaw's pitch-perfect voicing

Cons

New readers will feel lost on the gang's prior arcs
Some side characters feel reused as comic shortcuts
The cold-case setup takes ~80 pages to fully bite
Pensioner-detective conceit is harder to suspend disbelief on after three books
Mid-book pacing dips during a TV-industry subplot

Who It's For

Readers who finished books one and two. Fans of Agatha Christie, Anthony Horowitz's Hawthorne series, or Janice Hallett. Readers who want crime fiction that's funny without being silly. Skip it if you haven't read the first two — start there. Skip it if you only read graphic noir.

How to Use It

The audiobook is the best way to experience Osman's pacing — his sentence rhythm reads better aloud. Read in 3–4 sittings; the cold-case subplot benefits from continuity. If reading on Kindle, use X-Ray to track returning characters across all three books.

How It Compares

Vs. Book 1 (The Thursday Murder Club): Book 1 is the introduction; this one assumes you know the gang. Vs. Book 2 (The Man Who Died Twice): Book 2 is faster but more chaotic; Bullet is steadier. Vs. Magpie Murders (Anthony Horowitz): Horowitz is meta-mystery, more puzzle-focused; Osman is character-driven.

Bottom Line

The right book three for the series — same magic, more depth. Buy it if you finished books one and two. Skip it if this is your first Osman; start with The Thursday Murder Club.

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