Richard Osman books in order: the complete list

How many Thursday Murder Club books will there be?

Richard Osman’s publisher says more books are coming in both series. We could not verify a fixed final number of Thursday Murder Club novels in the sources checked on 17 October 2026. Five are published; Penguin lists the untitled sixth novel for 9 September 2027. More books promised does not mean a fixed-length series has been announced.

Source: Penguin: Richard Osman author biography and more books promised. Read the Book 6 tracker.

How the two series differ

The Thursday Murder Club follows Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, four friends at Coopers Chase who meet over unsolved cases. The first novel introduces the group and their Kent setting; later books let their friendships and personal histories grow alongside a new central mystery. A reader can follow an individual case, but the relationships gain meaning in publication order. Start with The Thursday Murder Club if that warm, community-centred ensemble is what you want.

The club books balance a central puzzle with the changing lives of its four members. Their friendship and the retirement-village community remain part of the series as new investigations arrive. Reading them in sequence makes it easier to follow returning characters and references without requiring a plot summary before each book. If you prefer to meet the group gradually and see how the relationships develop, begin with book one; if you have already read a later title, the individual book pages explain its place and offer a route back to earlier instalments.

We Solve Murders begins again with Steve, Amy and Rosie. Its first book has a more mobile, international plot, and the second continues with the same trio. You do not need to know the Coopers Chase cast before meeting them. Start with We Solve Murders if you prefer a compact team and a quicker change of scene. Read We Chase Shadows second; it builds on the new group’s relationships rather than continuing The Thursday Murder Club.

The series are separate reading paths, so you do not need to alternate between them or finish one before trying the other. Within either path, publication order is the clearest way to keep character history and series references in context. A reader who wants a shorter commitment can start the first book of either series and decide later whether to continue; choosing We Solve Murders first does not spoil the Thursday Murder Club sequence.

Where the film fits

The Thursday Murder Club film adapts the first novel. It is a screen version of that story, not an eighth book, a continuation of the novel sequence or a bridge between the two series. You can read the first book before watching if you want to meet the characters on the page without seeing its adaptation first. The guide keeps book and screen details separate so you can choose your route.

The film belongs beside the first Thursday Murder Club novel in a reader’s route through the story. Watching it does not change the numbered book order, and it does not introduce Steve, Amy or Rosie from the other series. Readers who like to compare adaptations may enjoy reading the novel first and then looking at the screen guide; readers who prefer to discover a story on screen can watch first and return to the books afterwards. The adaptation page distinguishes confirmed production details from interpretation and links back to the source novel.

Listening in order

The audiobooks follow the same sequence as the print novels. The English narrator changes after the second Thursday Murder Club book: Lesley Manville reads books one and two, and Fiona Shaw reads books three to five. Nicola Walker reads the two English We Solve Murders recordings. A change of voice is a change of edition, not a change in story order. German, Spanish and Italian recordings may have translated titles and different performers; compare the exact listing before selecting one.

Use the audiobook guide to compare language, narrator and running time. A marketplace can offer more than one language, so check the spoken language rather than assuming it from the store’s country. For a new reader, choose a series first, then find its first recording in the language and region you use. If you have already read one series, the other begins independently at book one.

When moving from print to audio, use the book’s place in its series rather than the performer’s name as your guide. The narrator change within the Thursday Murder Club sequence does not mark a new story arc or a new series. Translated recordings can also have a different title from the English edition, so compare the linked book, recording language, narrator and marketplace before starting. The audiobook pages provide those details together where a verified listing is available.

Publication dates and editions

Publication order follows each novel’s first UK release. A later paperback, ebook, audiobook or translated edition has its own date and does not change where the novel belongs in the sequence. The individual book pages separate the first publication date from current UK edition details and audio release information. Use the ISBN when comparing print editions, and check the listed language and narrator when comparing recordings.

The reading list above is the quick reference. Use Where to start if you want a recommendation by setting and pace, or open a book guide for its premise, edition details and related pages. These are two distinct series; either first book is a clear entry point.