Joyce is the character closest to the main protagonist of the novel. Hers is the only narrative given a first-person perspective through the writing of her diary entries, and much of the story is told through her by summarizing events. She is an elderly widowed woman over 65, with one daughter, Joanna, that she does her best to get closer to throughout the story. Having been brought into The Thursday Murder Club by Elizabeth, Joyce begins to grow as a character. There are many moments where she confesses to being someone who now has to keep her phone on, as the club brings her new friends and excitement in a way that she has only dreamed of.

Joyce helps solve the murder cases along with the others, and by the end she has become stronger. Joyce’s growth helps her get the closer relationship she hoped for with Joanna. The case brings the two of them together with help from Elizabeth. By the end of the story, Joyce has gone from a woman wishing she had a more exciting life, to a woman whose life is full of excitement.