The Thursday Murder Club gift guide

Choose a gift

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Audible links open recordings; check current gift-purchase options on the service before buying for someone else.

For somebody new to the club

Give The Thursday Murder Club in paperback. It introduces Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron, along with the village and the friendships that make the later books matter. A famous title farther along the shelf can be tempting, but the first novel gives a new reader the simplest route into the story. If they have seen the Netflix film, the original novel is still the starting point: they can enjoy meeting its characters on the page and comparing the adaptation without skipping ahead in the series.

Start the collection: the first four paperbacks

Start a reading collection with individual paperbacks of The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die. The list below links books 1–4 individually at Waterstones, in reading order. Check which titles the recipient already owns. The Impossible Fortune, the fifth club novel, can follow afterwards.

For someone already caught up

We Chase Shadows is a hardback option for readers who have begun the separate We Solve Murders series. Penguin lists its UK release on 10 September 2026, ISBN 9780241745892. Steve, Amy and Rosie return for a second international mystery. Check that the recipient has read We Solve Murders first and does not already own the new book. For someone who has only read the Coopers Chase novels, the We Solve Murders paperback offers the better introduction to this new team.

For a quiz lover

The Richard Osman and Alan Connor House of Games book is a cheerful alternative when the recipient prefers a quiz to a novel. Penguin’s paperback is dated 8 October 2020, ISBN 9781785944635. Its familiar programme rounds make it a natural pick for fans of the show. The World Cup of Everything is another option for a lively household: it turns everyday favourites into debates. Both can be enjoyed independently of the crime-fiction series, and our other-books guide distinguishes the editions and author credits. The 2019 BBC Books hardback was published on 17 October 2019, ISBN 9781785944628, with the subtitle “101 new & classic games from the hit BBC series”.

For somebody who listens

The first Thursday Murder Club audiobook is read by Lesley Manville. Fiona Shaw takes over from The Bullet That Missed, book three; Nicola Walker reads We Solve Murders and We Chase Shadows. Match the audiobook to the recipient’s place in the series, just as you would a printed book. The Audible buttons below open edition pages rather than promising a transferable gift. Check the service’s current gifting options, region and the recipient’s existing library before purchase. A subscription, credit or individual recording can have different conditions.

Make the gift personal

Before buying, ask one quiet question: which of the books have they already read? That prevents duplicate gifts and makes it easy to choose the next case. For a newcomer, add a note explaining that the two series are separate and either first novel is a good start. For an established fan, pair the next unread book with the reading-order page or the audiobook guide. Our table below gives quick editorial choices for common recipients. Prices, signed copies and seasonal availability belong to the retailer’s current listing; none is promised here.

Sources

• Penguin: first club novel
• Penguin: We Chase Shadows hardback
• Penguin: House of Games paperback
• Hachette: World Cup paperback
• Mushens Entertainment: Fiona Shaw narrator announcement
• Foyles: House of Games 2019 hardback