Once known as the co-host of the unique British gameshow “Pointless” and the helm of “House of Games”, Richard Osman, has more recently become known as one of the most successful authors in the world. With the first book released in 2020, the “Thursday Murder Club” series has transformed him from an unassuming housewife’s favourite to a sales powerhouse.
Set within a middle-class retirement community, inspired by Osman’s mother’s own, the series follows a team of detectives consisting of retired intelligence officer Elizabeth, feisty former trade unionist Ron, retired nurse Joyce, and psychiatrist Ibrahim. To date, these books have amassed an impressive 4 million copies in sales in his home country alone and are frequently seen on the best seller lists here in South Africa. Osman’s next instalment in the series, titled “The Last Devil To Die,” has just been released and sales are already booming.
According to media reports, Osman has already inked a deal with Penguin’s Viking imprint, wherein he has committed to write two more Thursday Murder Club books and also begin a fresh series centred on a father-and-daughter detective agency. The same reports are saying his advance for these four novels exceeds £10 million (R240-million).
Nonetheless, the sheer magnitude of sales, surpassing R600-million and still climbing within the UK alone, speaks volumes. Nick Jones, Osman’s agent, compared the Thursday Murder Club series to the likes of Harry Potter in terms of sales and described it as a “once-in-a-generation phenomenon”.
“He didn’t invent cosy crime, but he has expanded it,” stated Jones, noting the influx of new authors in the field.
Who is Richard Osman?
At 52 years of age, Osman shared insights into his strong work ethic and commitment to delivering on his promises.
He said, “We grew up in an environment where if you have no money left, you’ve got no money left. I’ve always had a work ethic. The idea that maybe you won’t repay an advance absolutely mortifies me. I look at every single sale… it’s important to my soul for whatever reason.”
In 2020, upon its release, “The Thursday Murder Club” became the sole book to achieve over one million copies in sales in the same year. Its sequel, “The Man Who Died Twice,” ranks as the third best-selling fiction hardback ever, trailing only Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows.”
Osman, who is now married to actress Ingrid Oliver and has two adult children, resides in West London. His writing routine consists of completing a chapter each day, firmly planted at his desk every morning until he produces between 1,000 and 1,500 words.
No doubt, the numbers of sales will only soar ever higher as a film adaptation of the first book, produced by the legendary Steven Spielberg, is slated for release later this year.
The much-anticipated Thursday Murder Club movie is set to begin production this autumn, with Spielberg at the helm via Amblin Entertainment. Casting decisions are underway, and though there has been speculation about icons like Dames Judi Dench or Helen Mirren, the plan is to cast younger actors and use makeup to “age them up,” allowing for a series of films shot over the span of a decade or more.
