The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman (Pamela Dorman Books)

We plan weddings to pretend the future is certain. Joyce is obsessing over seating charts while her friend Elizabeth grieves. Then a guest disappears. Suddenly, the domestic comedy becomes a crime scene.

The Impossible Fortune follows the established pattern. There is a cagey business partner, a missing man, and a code. Joyce’s daughter Joanna joins the hunt. The dialogue snaps. Osman writes comedy well. The mystery itself is thin; it feels like an afterthought to the banter. It lacks the punch of the earlier books.

Including Joanna as an active player fails. Her presence crowds the already bloated cast of amateur sleuths.

Underneath the comedy is a real look at aging. These people fight irrelevance. They treat crime solving as a hobby to keep the mind from rotting. It is realistic, even if wrapped in a joke.

Entertainment does not need to be deep to work. This is a well-made distraction. It leaves you satisfied but empty, like a good biscuit with your tea.

Great for Sunday afternoon reading when your brain needs a light, funny break. Avoid if you want a dark thriller that leaves you looking over your shoulder.

3/5

Read next:

• The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood: Virtually identical DNA, though slightly more eccentric and less polished.
• Slow Horses by Mick Herron: For those who want British wit but with real grime, failure, and sweat.