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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSpoilers for the book and the 2025 Netflix film. Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club keeps Richard Osman’s core premise but streamlines its sprawling mystery for a feature-length adaptation. The available published comparison documents seven specific changes; Netflix’s production account confirms an eighth, the club’s new meeting place. It does not substantiate eleven distinct differences, so this guide sticks to those eight rather than padding the count.
Why the film changes the book
Richard Osman’s 2020 novel is the source for the film, which Netflix released on August 28, 2025. Chris Columbus directed, with a screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote. Netflix describes the book as roughly 400 pages and the film as about two hours. The filmmakers say that fitting the story into a feature meant simplifying its interlocking mysteries, red herrings and branching third act while retaining the central story and characters. Columbus said the adaptation required liberties with the murder and plot; Osman’s view was that the film should be allowed to be “a different thing to the book.” (Netflix Tudum, August 28, 2025; Netflix release announcement, April 25, 2025; Town & Country, August 31, 2025)
Eight confirmed differences between the page and the screen
1. Joyce’s journal narration is gone
The book shifts among points of view and uses Joyce’s first-person journal entries to ground the reader in the club’s investigation. The film does not use Joyce as narrator, changing how viewers receive context and access the characters’ thoughts.
2. Joyce learns about Tony Curran’s murder another way
In the novel, Elizabeth calls Joyce with the news. In the film, Joyce hears a radio report and alerts the others, making her discovery less dependent on a direct call from Elizabeth.
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3. Elizabeth’s police-station disguise is more visual
Both versions include Elizabeth’s visit to the police station under the pretense that she is a nun. The film spells out the disguise with a long skirt, jacket and head scarf.
4. Bogdan’s mother has a different fate
In the book, Bogdan tells Elizabeth that his mother has died. In the film, he says she is ill and lives in Poland, altering a small but personal detail of his backstory.
5. Joanna reviews the financial records remotely
The novel sends Joyce and Elizabeth by train to London so Joanna can examine financial records. The film replaces that trip with Joanna reviewing the records by email, reducing the investigation’s travel and logistics.
6. Jason’s insecurity is more explicit
Both book and film make Jason, Ron’s retired-boxer son, a suspect. ELLE’s comparison says the film puts more emphasis on Jason’s insecurity about his father’s opinion of his reality-TV appearances.
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7. Ibrahim gives a new eulogy
The film adds a funeral speech by Ibrahim. ELLE reports that the speech was written shortly before filming and incorporated ideas from Ben Kingsley, the actor who plays Ibrahim.
8. The club meets in an orangery, not a converted room
The novel’s club gathers in a room inside Coopers Chase. The film moves its meetings to a glass-sided orangery overlooking the grounds. Netflix’s production account attributes the set change to production designer James Merifield.
The seven book-to-film details above are identified in ELLE’s August 31, 2025 comparison; the orangery is documented in Netflix Tudum’s adaptation feature.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the evidence does not establish about the ending
Netflix’s ending explainer describes the film’s resolution: Bogdan confesses to Tony’s death, John acts to protect Penny, and Joanna acquires Coopers Chase. Those are details of the film’s plot, not proof that its ending differs from the novel. Without a verified book-to-film comparison of those events, it would be misleading to count them as additional adaptation changes. (Netflix Tudum, August 28, 2025)
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Where to read the original book
For a direct comparison, read Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club, the 2020 novel on which the film is based. The book’s multiple viewpoints, Joyce’s journal and longer investigative paths make clear how much of the story’s texture comes from the page rather than the screen. Netflix’s release announcement confirms the novel as the source material. Availability of the film on Netflix can vary by territory and change over time.
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