The Impossible Fortune

The main characters^[2] are four pensioners who reside at the fictional Coopers Chase retirement village in Kent, England:

• Elizabeth Best, an ex-spy
• Ron Ritchie, a former trade union leader
• Ibrahim Arif, a psychiatrist
• Joyce Meadowcroft, a retired nurse

Familiar supporting characters ^[3][4] include:

• Donna De Freitas, police constable
• Chris Hudson, detective chief inspector
• Bogdan Jankowski, handyman and Donna's partner
• Jason Ritchie, Ron's son
• Kendrick, Ron's grandson
• Joanna, Joyce's daughter
• Connie Johnson, drug dealer
• Alan, Joyce's pet dog

When a guest approaches Elizabeth for help during Joyce’s daughter’s wedding, the Thursday Murder Club becomes involved in a case involving a disappearance, a murder, and a valuable code.^[1] Alongside the main investigation, Ron deals with family problems and Ibrahim continues his work with recent parolee Connie Johnson.^[3][4]

The book debuted at No. 1 on The Sunday Times Bestseller list^[5] and reached No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list for combined print and e-book fiction.^[6] Critics praised the storytelling^[7][8] as well as the relationships between the characters. In her Library Journal review, Liz French wrote, "The crime, though ingeniously plotted, with many red herrings, is not the main attraction. It’s the growing love and respect among the Thursdays and their kith and kin, including a few criminals and cops, that is the biggest draw."^[9]