Richard Osman has nailed the crime genre with his hugely successful series of novels about The Thursday Murder Club.

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On Tuesday 18th March, Osman delighted fans by revealing he had finished the fifth instalment in the series – and he confirmed the title, too.

In September, fans can get their hands on The Impossible Fortune, which will see the beloved crime-solving gang back together for another outing.

There's now a cover, too, which is very bright and orange... with a little fox, too!

Read on for all we know so far about The Impossible Fortune, the fifth book in The Thursday Murder Club series.

Keep this page bookmarked, as we'll keep it updated with new information as it comes out.

When is The Impossible Fortune release date?

There's not long for fans to wait for The Impossible Fortune, as Richard Osman has confirmed it will land on shelves on 25th September 2025.

If you can't wait to get your hands on the fifth instalment of The Thursday Murder Club series, you can pre-order it right now here.

Osman shared on his X account: "Delighted to announce the name of the new 'Thursday Murder Club' novel – #TheImpossibleFortune. Available to pre-order RIGHT NOW.

"So lovely to bring the gang back together. And the whole thing starts with a wedding..."

What is The Impossible Fortune about?

The official synopsis has been released for The Impossible Fortune, which reads as follows (warning: this may be considered a spoiler if you haven't read the rest of the series!).

It reads: "Who's got time to think about murder when there's a wedding to plan?

"It’s been a quiet year for the Thursday Murder Club. Joyce is busy with table plans and first dances. Elizabeth is grieving. Ron is dealing with family troubles, and Ibrahim is still providing therapy to his favourite criminal.

"But when Elizabeth meets a wedding guest who’s in trouble, kidnap and death are hot on their heels once more. A villain wants access to an uncrackable code, and will stop at nothing to get it. Plunged back into action once more, can the gang solve the puzzle and a murder in time?"

Osman also cryptically shared some details behind the inspiration of the fifth novel in the series, explaining a famous West Ham United song prompted an idea...

"The inspiration was the lyric 'Fortune's always hiding...' from 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' (Ron's idea of course). But no-one got the reference. I thought everyone knew that song!"

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Authors

Helen Daly
Helen DalyAssociate Editor

Helen Daly is the Associate Editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.

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