Thursday Murder Club, #2
The Man Who Died Twice
by Richard Osman
Contents
Chapter 38
Overview
Over pizza at Ibrahim’s, Elizabeth advances a bold theory: Douglas faked his death and planted a clue to the diamonds. Sue concedes DNA could have been tampered with and agrees to quietly review the identification process, buying a few days. After Sue leaves, Elizabeth reveals she already knows where to look and leads the Club to the woods.
Summary
The Club gathers at Ibrahim’s flat with MI5’s Sue Reardon for an informal debrief over pizza and wine. Elizabeth contrasts “weather forecasters” and “the weather,” framing herself and Ibrahim as planners and Joyce and Ron as impulsive actors, while subtly steering the room toward her new theory.
Elizabeth reveals they visited Martin Lomax and now doubt he killed Douglas and Poppy. Turning to Douglas’s meticulous nature, Elizabeth suggests he might have staged his death so she would witness the scene. She presses Sue on the body’s identification. Though records say DNA confirmed Douglas, Elizabeth argues a good plan could ensure a false match.
Sue admits limited opportunities existed to tamper with DNA—the MI5 team, the stand-in doctor, or the on-site lab—making a fake-out unlikely but possible. Ron suspects Lomax; Joyce suspects the doctor. Sue agrees to quietly review the identification process and keep the official investigation ticking over for about three days, while Elizabeth works on finding the diamonds.
As the evening winds down, camaraderie grows; Joyce gives Sue an envelope for Lance, and they toast the Thursday Murder Club. After Sue departs, Elizabeth confides she already knows where Douglas hid his clue. She proposes an immediate “walk in the woods,” and the friends set out to test her hunch.
Who Appears
- ElizabethLeads discussion, posits Douglas faked his death, seeks diamonds, withholds her clue’s location until Sue leaves.
- Sue ReardonMI5 officer; evaluates DNA identification, agrees tampering is possible, will discreetly review and buy three days.
- JoyceBacks impulsive action, suspects the doctor, hosts camaraderie, gives Sue an envelope for Lance.
- IbrahimHosts the meeting; reflective, supports Elizabeth’s planning mindset despite recovering from his mugging.
- RonImpatient and blunt; suspects Lomax, eager to head into the woods immediately.