Order of Richard Osman Books

Richard Osman is not your average crime novelist. Born on November 28, 1970, in Billericay, Essex, England, Osman didn’t burst onto the literary scene with the brooding scowl of a tortured writer or the ink-stained fingers of a lifelong wordsmith. No, Osman entered the realm of bestselling books through a side door—television—and brought with him a keen wit, a love for puzzles, and an almost devious charm that would leave even Hercule Poirot nervously adjusting his mustache.

Raised in Sussex, after his parents separated when he was young, Richard and his brother Mat (yes, that’s Mat Osman, the bassist from the Britpop band Suede) were brought up by their mother, a librarian—how fitting for a man who would later obsess over cozy murder mysteries and crossword-loving detectives.

He was diagnosed with nystagmus, a condition that left him with partial blindness from birth, but Osman never let it define him. Instead, it sharpened his other senses—especially his sense of humor and storytelling instincts. He attended Warden Park School and later studied Politics and Sociology at Trinity College, Cambridge. It was here, among the hallowed halls and sharp minds, that Osman developed the satirical edge and observational wit that would become his trademarks.

Before penning his first novel, Osman became a household name in the UK for entirely different reasons. He was the co-creator and co-presenter of the BBC quiz show “Pointless”, a show delightfully obsessed with obscure trivia and answers nobody remembers—basically, Richard Osman’s dream playground. He also hosted “House of Games”, served as a producer for shows like “Deal or No Deal,” and was generally known as one of the smartest people in British television who wasn’t afraid to be funny with it.

And then came the twist no one saw coming.

At the age of 49, when most people are eyeing midlife with a mix of denial and dread, Osman casually dropped a bombshell: his debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club (2020). Set in a sleepy retirement village and featuring a gang of elderly amateur sleuths who investigate unsolved crimes over tea and biscuits, it was as if Agatha Christie had been reincarnated as a BBC executive with a killer sense of humor.

Critics loved it. Readers devoured it. Hollywood pounced. (A film adaptation is on its way, with Steven Spielberg’s production company involved—yes, really.)

But the real kicker? Osman wasn’t done. He followed up with book after book, each one sharper, funnier, and more heartfelt than the last. His writing combined British charm, quirky mysteries, and poignant commentary on aging, friendship, and justice. He turned old age into a superpower, and his books became anthems for those who believe it’s never too late to start something wonderful—or solve a murder.

As of now, Richard Osman is very much alive, delightfully sarcastic, and continuously plotting (on paper, of course). He married actress Ingrid Oliver in 2022 and continues to juggle his life as a television star, novelist, and national treasure.

In a literary landscape crowded with tortured detectives and Scandinavian gloom, Osman’s rise feels ironic, epic, and utterly deserved. The man who once asked contestants to name obscure trivia answers now challenges readers to solve far knottier puzzles—ones of the heart, the mind, and the occasional suspicious death.

And as he continues to write, one can’t help but wonder: what if the real mystery all along was how someone so effortlessly witty, clever, and human managed to sneak up on us and change crime fiction forever?

Spoiler alert: He did. And we’re better for it.