The Impossible Fortune - Richard Osman

Published as an audiobook by Penguin Audio, 25-09-2025.
Narrated by Fiona Shaw.
Book 5 in the 'Thursday Murder Club' series. Preceded by 'The Last Devil to Die.'

Earlier this year I practically binge-listened to the entire Thursday Murder Club series, beginning my final review by saying that The Last Devil to Die felt like a suitable finale. However, I also wrote that the series had ended "for now" twice, and...well... I guess I was right! About a month ago, wandering through the Richmond Mall, I noticed that a fifth book was now on sale in Whitcoulls, so I raced home and purchased my audiobook copy that same day (it feels appropriate now to keep this as an audiobook series).

So, considering how 'final' the previous series finale was, how does The Impossible Fortune fare?

Well, to be honest, there are moments where, for me, it felt slightly 'lesser' than what had come before it. On occasion the characters (particularly, for me, Joyce and Ibrahim) felt a little like caricatures of themselves - perhaps even a little bit of Flanderization has taken place. It's only subtle; I still love the characters and the world, but inevitably, a long-running series is going to occasionally struggle with the balance. The Impossible Fortune does address this head on in patches, though, with Joyce mentioning on occasion that she doesn't feel as useful in this particular adventure, and Chris receding into the background for this entry while insisting that he wants to do something without the Thursday Murder Club. Donna and Bogdan also both have less to do this time around than in some other entries.

In fact, in this book I would suggest that the two most important characters (though not necessarily those with the most air-time) are Ron and Connie Johnson. Connie, who has been slowly developing her character over the last few books, even has a few months of self-awareness which are nice, and mostly seem realistic (at least as far as the heightened reality that is the Thursday Murder Club world ever seems realistic). Her mentoring of a young up-and-coming criminal named Tia does provide a few laughs, particularly when it becomes obvious that Connie is trying to be a mentor because Ibrahim would like it; though Connie realises that Ibrahim would not like what she is mentoring Tia in.

As I've said before, the case itself has become a much less important part of this series as time has gone on, but this case is interesting enough. A fortune in bitcoin, hidden in an inaccessible vault, with at least one murder victim and at least two possible suspects... each main character (bar, self-awarely, Joyce) gets to provide some moment of breakthrough in the case, with Joyce instead able to provide support for struggling background characters. And it wraps up fairly well.

This might not be might favourite entry, but it's still a solid continuation of a favourite series.

I will keep my eye out for future entries, and may even check out Osman's first non-Thursday Murder Club book soon, too.

Completed 11 October 2025.

Previous Book ~ Next Book


(Thursday Murder Club Series)

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