Author Richard Osman discusses his visual impairment, nystagmus, and how it informs his approach to character development and writing.
Uploaded by BBC News, 2026 · Watch on YouTube ·
Osman explains that because of his visual impairment, navigating unfamiliar places and airports is difficult and stressful, so he only sets his books in locations he has personally visited.
“I don't love travelling, so I always set it in places I have already been.”
Osman describes nystagmus as causing constant eye movement, resulting in his brain seeing a blurred, haloed version of the world comparable to driving in thick fog.
“The world is just blurred to me.”
Osman recalls never admitting in school that he couldn't see the blackboard to avoid drawing attention, instead training himself to listen closely and develop independent methods to keep up.
“I never, ever said, 'I can't see the board.'”
Osman shares that editors often note he never describes characters' physical appearances, because his blurred vision makes him perceive people through tone, manner, and overall vibe rather than visuals.
“I get a vibe of the person, which is how I experience people.”
Osman does not use diagrams, spreadsheets, or detailed plot outlines when writing, preferring to let characters speak to one another and allow the story to reveal itself organically as he writes.
“I don't write my plots in advance.”
Osman argues that growing up with a disability forces individuals to spend thousands of hours thinking outside the box, building unique problem-solving skills that AI and conventional thinkers cannot replicate.
“You've got 10,000 hours of experience of thinking in a way that other people haven't.”
Introduction
What's the new book about?
Why Richard doesn't like airports
What is nystagmus?
How he dealt with it growing up
How nystagmus affects his writing
How disability gives you an advantage in the world of AI
10 books, 1 series; 4 reviewed on LuvemBooks. Dates and covers from Amazon.
4.7/5
reader rating · 87,459 ratingsThe Last Devil to Die is the fourth Thursday Murder Club mystery by Richard Osman, in which Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim investigate the murder of Kuldesh Sharma — an antiques dealer and old friend — whose death pulls them into a world of art forgery, drug trafficking, and a missing dangerous package. Critics called it "the best Murder Club book yet," and its record-breaking debut at No. 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list confirms the series' extraordinary reach.
Reviewed Oct 9, 2026
4.6/5
reader rating · 94,232 ratingsThe Bullet That Missed is the third entry in Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, following four retirees at Coopers Chase — ex-spy Elizabeth, former trade union leader Ron, psychiatrist Ibrahim, and retired nurse Joyce — as they reopen the cold case of journalist Bethany Waites while Elizabeth is simultaneously forced into a deadly assignment by a shadowy adversary. The book debuted at number three on the New York Times Best Seller list and was the UK's bestselling hardcover of 2022, per The Sunday Times.
Reviewed Sep 7, 2026
4.6/5
reader rating · 113,231 ratingsThe Man Who Died Twice is the second entry in Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, following Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim — four pensioners in a Kent retirement village — as they unravel a diamond-theft conspiracy entwining international mobsters, a missing ex-husband, and mounting bodies. It sold 114,202 copies in its first three days, leading an industry analyst to call Osman a "publishing phenomenon."
Reviewed Aug 2, 2026
4.3/5
reader rating · 184,830 ratingsThe Thursday Murder Club is Richard Osman's debut mystery novel, in which four elderly residents of the upscale Coopers Chase retirement village — former spy Elizabeth Best, ex-union leader Ron Ritchie, retired nurse Joyce Meadowcroft, and psychiatrist Ibrahim Arif — find themselves investigating the real murder of a property developer. It became the first debut novel ever to top the UK Christmas bestseller chart, and critical reception was strong from the outset.
Reviewed Sep 30, 2026
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