I wonder what Richard Osman makes of the sudden rash of ‘murder club’ novels.

Since Osman first wrote The Thursday Murder Club in 2020, there has followed in its wake: the Mothers’ Murder Club series by Kat Ailes; Brambleberry Bay Murder Club series by Addison Moore; London Ladies’ Murder Club series by Marty Wingate; SeaBreeze Island Murder Mystery Club series by L. C. Richards; The Witches Murder Club series by Samantha Silver; The Seniors Discount Murder Club series by Beatrice Lockhart; and The Marlow Murder Club series by Robert Thorogood; not to mention the stand-alone novels: The Murder Club by Sam Baron; Melaque Murder Club by Edmond Gagnon; and Campus Murder Club by Kristi Rose.

Now, from my, admittedly very limited, knowledge of Osman, I assess him as a pretty generous-hearted kind of guy; I can imagine him shrugging his shoulders; generously saying something like: “I am just happy if I have inspired anyone else to put pen to paper.”  So, if I am being mean-spirited, it is entirely on my own behalf.

Actually, I have no issue with any writer following a trend; good luck to them.  The making of a book––any book––is a commitment of hours and endeavour, and deserves praise and celebration.  My ire is squarely levelled at literary agents––that middle-ground between writers and publishers––and their limited aspirations.

How many times have I seen a statement from a literary agent declaring that they are looking for a new manuscript, which is “…like A Suitable Boy”, or words to that effect.  For A Suitable Boy insert any current bestseller.  In recent years, how many times must the phrase: “We are looking for something like The Thursday Murder Club” have tripped off a literary agent’s lips?

Of course, what they really mean is that they are looking for something that sells as well as The Thursday Murder Club.

Profitable repetition stifles creativity.  Just once, I would like to encounter a literary agent who is genuinely seeking out a manuscript that is “…like nothing I have ever seen before.”

In the meantime, authors––James Patterson excepting––queue up and join the murder club.

© Fergus Longfellow

Not surprisingly, Fergus Longfellow is still in search of an agent.