Richard Osman has his own popular book series but the presenter turned author has revealed which books he enjoys reading in his free time.
Osman’s favourite book of all time is reportedly Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie.
The stories are a series of detective works which follow the investigations of Hercule Poirot.
Agatha Christie is known for her cult crime novels and she was dubbed the “queen of mystery”. Her best known novel is Murder on the Orient Express.
Another book Osman named as one of his favourites is Life After Life (2013) by Kate Atkinson.
The book is set in 1910 when Ursula Todd is born to an English banker and his wife. She dies before she can draw her first breath.
Ursula embarks on an unusual life – as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in a variety of ways, while the young century marches on towards its second cataclysmic world war.
Life After Life introduces concepts including the bright light, the tunnel, the presence of loved ones waiting on the other side – that have become cultural memes and have shaped countless readers’ notions about the end of life.
Osman has often taken to X to share thoughts on books he has enjoyed. On another novel, he posted: “I am behind the curve I know, but what a wonderful book Meg Mason’s ‘Sorrow And Bliss’ is. Wise and sad, but so funny. Like ‘actually’ funny. What an absolute treat.”
The novel is about a woman called Martha who knows there is something wrong with her but doesn’t know what it is.
Martha told Patrick before they married that she didn’t want to have children. He said he didn’t mind either way because he has loved her since he was fourteen and making her happy is all that matters.
The journey follows her life as she finds out what is wrong and considers how to go about her future.
In September of 2020, Richard Osman published his first book – The Thursday Murder Club.
It was met with an astounding reception, with one review from The Times stating that it has an “ingenious plot” and The Guardian describing it as the “fastest-selling adult crime debut” in history.