New characters?

There are some writers I love so much that I just order their books without even reading the blurb. Richard Osman has become one of them.

Lovely prospect of sitting down for dinner with the Thursday Murder Club.

But wait – where are they? Nowhere to be seen, that’s where. New characters? New series? WHAT???

Fear not. It wasn’t long before I wasn’t missing Elizabeth & Co. Amy, the kickass bodyguard, her retired policeman father-in-law Steve and silver fox best selling mystery writer Rosie quickly became welcome new characters. (Unlike Malcolm Fox, who Ian Rankin introduced when he was taking a break from Rebus. I mean, Fox was fine, but he wasn’t Rebus. And when they were eventually pitted against one another it was no contest. Oh, and FYI, there’s a new Rebus coming out this month. Yahoo!)

In the acknowledgements at the end, Osman promises a return to Coopers Close next time, which is good news. But I will also be happy to find out what’s next for Amy and Steve’s newly formed investigation agency when their turn comes round again.

Elsewhere in Thursday Murder Club world, the first novel in the series is currently being turned into a film.

Helen Mirren as Elizabeth? Perfect! (Same way I felt when I heard Kristin Scott Thomas had been cast as Lady Di in Slow Horses.) Ben Kingsley (or “Sir Ben” as he apparently insists on being called) as Ibrahim? Sure. Celia Imrie as Joyce? Okay – although I was hoping for Penelope Wilton. Pierce Brosnan as Ron? Hmm. Not so sure about that. Ron’s a bit of a rough diamond. More Ray Winstone, surely? That said, I had my doubts about Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb and I was definitely wrong, so maybe.

In other reading news, look what’s also turned up in the post.

A new Jackson Brodie! Hurrah! Annoyingly, I shall have to read this month’s Bad Girls book (Fight Night by Miriam Toews) before I can get to it.

In non-reading news (but related to the first photo), no, I don’t have new placemats. What’s under my plate in the photo is a laminated, island-specific Monopoly board created by my friend Ray. Last time I met him for a pint, he gave me one with a not so subtle hint that perhaps it could feature in one of my “Sunday dinner with” photos on Facebook. (He was quite chuffed when it did.) Regular placemats now reinstated.

Also – I think I may have discovered my all time favourite red wine.

Ordinarily I couldn’t afford to be buying bottles of this, but there was a $10 off flash sale recently at the local wine shop and it was highly recommended by one of the staff. Bought one bottle, tried it and went back to purchase two more.

This Californian wine is absolutely wonderful.

Belatedly (like just this moment) occurs to me that the flash sale may have been because they’re discontinuing stocking it. Damn. Only one bottle left. I shall have to save it for a special occasion.