Reviews

Mannen som døde to ganger by Richard Osman

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the_magpie_reader's review against another edition

5.0

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is set to be published in September 2021.

"The Man Who Died Twice" by Richard Osman was a pleasant surprise for me.
When I opened this book, I expected to be entertained, and thrilled, to have my curiosity piqued and be caught unawares by the plot twists. I did get all that, and I also got something I wasn't prepared for: lots and lots of laughter. Literally, I doubt I've ever read a thriller that is as funny. You don't usually think of funny when you think of novels about murders, spies, and mobsters. And yet, more than once this book made me burst out into laughter; even when I was commuting on the bus, and I knew I would look weird if I suddenly started laughing on my own, this mischievous, witty novel still got me chuckling.
If I had to describe this book, I'd say 90% of it is funny, 10% of it is emotional and 100% of it is pure inventive genius, and I think the funny 90% is what makes the emotional 10% shine even brighter than it would otherwise.
I loved the well-rounded characters, each with their own distinctive voice; I loved the plot, fast-paced and well-crafted; I loved the unusual setting (how many thrillers are there that are set in a retirement village?); and I loved the amazing writing style, so clear and fluid.
And I loved that, although this book is the second installment in a series, it reads perfectly well on its own (I can tell because I haven't read the first one... yet).
Overall, I can definitely recommend "The Man Who Died Twice" to anyone who loves thrillers... and anyone who doesn't. Because this novel is just so good and so unorthodox that I think everybody at all could appreciate it.