A one-paragraph dust-jacket profile on Richard Osman caught my eye. In particular: "Critics have already described 'The Man Who Died Twice' as his second novel."
Deadpan, droll, and delightful.
On the subject … blurbs from a favorite author do influence my interest in a story. An accolade from, say, Lee Child, carries some weight.
On the other hand, a recommendation from certain writers such as Stephen King has the opposite effect. He praises book after book after book. A kindness to new authors, but rather worthless to many of us readers.
Paige