The Thursday Murder Club (2025)

A year and a half ago, my book club opted to read The Thursday Murder Club, a mystery novel by Richard Osman about a group of retirees who dedicate their free time to solving cold cases. When someone dies in their own neighborhood, the puzzles become personal. I admit I didn’t particularly enjoy the book—the weight of cozy mystery to actual clues to solve wasn’t balanced enough for me to fully invest. However, when I saw that Netflix released a movie adaptation starring Helen Mirren, I jumped at the opportunity to watch.

The story starts when Joyce (Celia Imrie) moves into a retirement home and meets the members of the Thursday Murder Club, Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), and Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley). Her arrival coincides with the news that the owners of Cooper’s Chase are planning on selling the entire community and kicking everyone out. The residents are irate, of course. The drama escalates when the only man with the power to stop the sale ends up murdered. From there, the Thursday Murder Club partners with police officer Donna (Naomi Ackie) to help solve the mystery.