#richard osman books

[lifeimitatesart1998]

Top books this year 📚

Come say hi on Instagram: TheBookSaviour

[hgeeky]

My year in books 2024 - book series

Over the year I managed to read 140 books (including audiobooks), not including the 4 I started and still have on the go, and 3 that I started and abandoned.

I read quite a few series, here are some thoughts on those (spoiler free). I'll probably follow up with another post or two for other fiction and non-fiction.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaranovitch

I've now read all 9 of the main novels (although I read the first two in 2023), plus Tales from the Folly and What Abigail Did That Summer, all as audiobooks.

Kobna Hollbrook-Smith is an incredible narrator

I absolutely adore the blend of magic, folklore and police bureaucracy. The acronyms and procedure are set out in a way that feels so true to life - with all the quirks that come with how these things translate into practice. And it makes the magic somehow more believable. Plus the characters are so often charming.

I'm looking forward to working my way through the novellas and graphic novels while I wait for the next instalment.

The Aubreyad/Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian

I managed all 20 of the completed novels, my first complete circumnavigation (at some point I'll try to get my hands on the unfinished 21st book)

This is very much thanks to @elodieunderglass posting about it here, which encouraged me to seek out the audiobooks (my library has the Ric Jerrom ones)

I had attempted Master & Commander once, many years ago, because a lot of my family like the books. My grandfather especially liked them, and I wish I had known him better (he died in 2000). But I couldn't cope with the naval jargon at the time and gave up.

I did enjoy the film, and I've enjoyed Hornblower on TV and the Sharpe books, so I do generally enjoy that sort of thing and the audiobooks turned out to be perfect for me.

Ric Jerrom does a wonderful job with the characters and I could let a lot of the naval jargon wash over me (occasionally I did look things up to try to get a better handle on things).

Jack and Stephen are now my blorbos for sure.

And I absoutely love how much O'Brian managed to fit into these books - the natural history, the mores of the time, even the politics, as well as the action, adventure and romance.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

I find these books rather moving, as well as fun

The combination works wonderfully for perking me up, helping me embrace life and find the joy in it, and that's always worth something

In fact it's remarkably impressive

The blend of characters is wonderful, the range of perspectives and personalities really helps me look at the world afresh, and not take things for granted so much.

Jackson Brodie by Kate Atkinson

I read the first one in 2023, and 2-5 in 2024

I've long adored Kate Atkinson's books, and I've read at least two of the Jackson Brodie books before (1 and 4) but thought I'd give the whole series a go

Perhaps not entirely as successful as some of her other books, I did still enjoy them all. I think Big Sky (number 5) was my favourite.

Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood

I really enjoyed the TV adaptation a few years ago so I thought I'd give the audiobooks a go when I saw that my library has them

They are light and easy-going, with grate narration by Stephanie Daniel

I read the first one last year, and got through 2-8 this year. I particularly enjoyed 3 (Muder on the Ballarat Train), 4 (Death at Victoria Dock), 5 (The Green Mil Murder) and 8 (Urn Burial). I didn't mind a bit that I could remember some of the plots from the TV show.

The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

I gave Gideon the Ninth a go after seeing a lot of posts about it on here, and finding I could get it through Audible plus (which I get occasionally when I can get a discount)

It was an absolute headfuck of a fever dream for most of it and I loved it

Eventually I used some credits to get Harrow and Nona and loved them too. Harrow was also a headfuck but I think I'd got slightly more into the swing of things for Nona.

I went back to relisten to Gideon to see what I made of it, after having more context and it was good in a different way. I enjoyed having more things make sense and I appreciated many of the characters a lot more.

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein

When I found out my library had the audiobooks read by Andy Serkis, I thought it would be rude not to borrow them

I enjoyed The Hobbit the most.

I found Return of the King a bit of a slog. It all felt too ponderous when it was focused on humans, elves or dwarves, but fortunately the hobbits, ents and orcs gave it a lot more life and helped get me through.

Edit: Oops I forgot The World of the White Rat!

World of the White Rat - T Kingfisher

I didn't start at the beginning and I've not read everything

I gave the books a go thanks to Audible Plus and now I'm in love with them

Swordheart is my favourite, I've now listened to it twice

I've also covered the first 3 Saint of Steel books and have number 4 ready and waiting

I've also listened to quite a few other T Kingfisher books which aren't in the same world (or at least, not obviously) and loved those too - more on those in a separate post (if I manage it)

[okaycoffees]

I've been keeping a commonplace book for a few weeks. I don't have pretty handwriting or especially clever thoughts, but I enjoy having this little notebook that functions as an extension of my brain. The inside of the cover is currently a catch-all for paper items, including a note I wrote to myself a few years ago, salman toor and richard osman.

[ali-ali-al1]

I need to talk to strangers on the internet about The Thursday Murder Club character Chris Hudson and the accurate depiction of a very common and very miserable relationship with food that is not usually given space in media to breathe past being the butt of a joke or an unimportant detail (god fucking bless Richard Osman). I need to talk to strangers on the internet about the Thursday Murder Club. I need a fandom (if that’s still the correct terminology) how am I meant to live like this ⁉️⁉️⁉️

[midnights-wish]

"[...] He buys three other books too, because he wants the bookshop still to be there when he comes back next week."

Richard Osman, 'The Man Who Died Twice'.

[anicejuicymurder]

So excited to start reading this! The Thursday Murder Club books are some of my favourites and I really enjoy Osman’s style so I have high hopes for this new series

[monsterintheballroom]

[wideeyedreader]

Two recently completed books—trying to get back in the swing of things!

[all-rock-and-roll-is-homosexual]

Suede, 1996

📸: Pen K

[the-casbah-way]

another person to add to my “celebrities i saw around edinburgh during fringe season looking utterly fucking miserable” list because i just saw david o’doherty looking absolutely DEFEATED whilst perched on some steps right now

[lifeimitatesart1998]

The Thursday Murder Club

[nat-reviews-books]

Currently Listening: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Enjoying this, and ready to figure out who committed the murder.

[okaycoffees]

christmas presents from my grandparents ♡

[dangerliesbeforeyou]

tried reading a book on the train today & it's like r&s are HAUNTING me lol

[midnights-wish]

''More women are murdering people these days,' says Joyce. 'If you ignore the context, it is a real sign of progress.''

Richard Osman, 'The Man Who Died Twice'.

[rattenpelz]

when u finish the latest book in ur favorite series and you have to wait at least another year for the next one 🙂