I’m a huge fan of the Thursday Murder Club books by Richard Osman. If you are looking for Books Like Thursday Murder Club, I have all the amateur detective books with humor and heart for you to try.
Books Like Thursday Murder Club
What is my criteria for this list of Books Similar to The Thursday Murder Club series:
- An amateur detective story that include some middle-aged and above sleuths
- A Scooby gang of detectives that works together to solve crimes
- An overall cozy feel with humor and heart, but a bit of an edge too
Want to know more about The Thursday Murder Club Series? I have a series summary to Thursday Murder Club here.
And don’t miss The Thursday Murder Club on Netflix!
The Marlow Murder Club series by Robert Thorogood
Three women in idyllic Marlow, Buckinghamshire solve murders in their town, to the annoyance of the local police.
Thursday Murder Club vibes:
- Three woman from different backgrounds
- Work together as a team
- Annoy the local police
- UK setting
Book four in the series is coming out in Fall 2025 – I’ll link my review here!
The Appeal by Janice Hallett
This clever epistolary story features The Fairway Players, a community theater group that is holding a fundraiser for an ailing young girl. Then a body is found. Who did it and why?
Thursday Murder Club vibes:
- UK setting
- Comic tone
- Clever plot and strong community feel
Check out my discussion post on The Appeal by Janice Hallett
The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols
Yes, it’s set in California (!) but this clever cozy is perfect for fans of Thursday Murder Club.
Thursday Murder Club vibes:
- Mrs. B, the elderly proprietor of the Marigold Cottages in Santa Barbara, is a bit of a busybody
- Her cottage residents are a diverse and disconnected group, until a body is discovered in the bushes
- Quirky, comic and just a bit dark, this has a similar tone to Thursday Murder Club
Check out my Readers Guide to The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man (Vera Wong #2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Another California-set book, this features a middle-aged mother who runs a tea shop, feuds with the woman at the bakery next door, and then finds a dead body in her shop.
Thursday Murder Club vibes:
- Vera is both comic and feisty
- In this second installment she has assembled her Scooby gang and is ready to crack a new case.
- Multigenerational cast
Check out my Review of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Guide to Murderers, book one in the series.
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Reyborne
When an all-female group of ex-CIA agents on a retirement trip cross paths with a murderer who’s after them, they have to flex their spy muscles and catch a killer.
Thursday Murder Club vibes:
- If Elizabeth lived with four female colleagues from work, Golden Girls-style, instead of Ron, Joyce, Ibrahim and Stephen, she’d fit in with this girl gang.
- Plenty of international intrigue
- Comic yet thrilling!
Check out my Review of Killers of a Certain Age
The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Mystery book Susan Ryeland (no relation!) receives the latest manuscript from one of her authors, unaware that its going to plunge her into danger!
Thursday Murder Club vibes:
- This clever amateur detective story is literary and fun
- Ryeland’s deep knowledge of mystery books make these stories fun and intertextual!
The Maid by Nita Prose
This amateur detective story featuring a neurodivergent hotel maid is charming and reminded me of a game of Clue.
Thursday Murder Club vibes:
- As the series progresses, Molly leans on her co-workers, who become like a found family
- With its gentle humor and life lessons, Molly is not exactly a Joyce, but does have that vibe.
Check out my reviews of The Maid, The Mystery Guest, and The Maid’s Secret.
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
Another story about retired spies, The Martini Club series is about a group of former CIA employees who are trying to enjoy their quiet retirement … but murder finds them.
- Set in Maine, this setting isn’t the UK but has a small town feel
- Book one, The Spy Coast had more international intrigue, and book two, The Summer Guests, is set in a lake community and feels more cozy.
Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman
When a plus sized, middle aged woman takes a trip of a lifetime to France, she’s courted by a mysterious gentleman who plunges her into danger. Fortunately, she worked for a private investigator, so she knows how to handle herself.
- International intrigue
- Great European travelogue!
Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson
This charming story about found family banding together against nefarious people is a little cozier than The Thursday Murder Club, so perfect for those who want a gentler story.
- Takes place at Shelley House, mansion built in 1891 as part of a “Poet’s Row” that was bombed during WWII.
- Now Shelley House has seen better days.
- When the residents receive eviction notices, they begin to band together. When one of their own is attacked and hospitalized, they are horrified, but this bonds them even more.
Check out my Review of Nosy Neighbors
Do you have any suggestions for my list? Leave me a comment!