The Last Devil to Die is the fourth installment in the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, the bestselling author and TV presenter. I would highly recommend reading the first books in the series before attempting this one. The book follows the adventures of four retired friends who live in a luxury retirement village and solve crimes as a hobby.
“Jesus, Dad,’ says Jason, laughing. ‘Of course it’d be Ibrahim. You and your mates are starting drug wars now. I used to prefer it when you wrote letters to the council complaining about the bins.”
In this novel, they face a new challenge when one of their acquaintances, an antiques dealer named Kuldesh Sharma, is brutally murdered and a mysterious package he was guarding goes missing. The package contains a large amount of cocaine that belongs to a ruthless drug lord who will stop at nothing to get it back. The Thursday Murder Club must use their wit, charm, and connections to unravel the mystery and find the killer while also dealing with personal issues and heartbreaks.
“Waiting for the last devil to die? What a joke. New devils will always spring up, like daffodils in springtime.”
I enjoyed many aspects of this book, but what I loved most was the humour and the character development. The wisdom and wit are simply outstanding and hugely entertaining.
“What is it about Christmas? Everything that’s wrong seems worse, and everything that’s right seems better.”
Osman has a great sense of humour, and he uses it to create hilarious situations and dialogues that made me laugh out loud.
“An antique is anything over one hundred years old. Everything else is vintage, or collectible.” “That chimes with what I have read,” agrees Ibrahim. “He’s right.” “I didn’t know that,” says Joyce. “We’re collectible, Elizabeth.”
He also creates memorable and realistic characters that have their own personalities, quirks, and flaws.
“What was it?” asks Ron. “Reindeer rustling?” “Soliciting a sexual act,” says Donna. “At Christmas,” says Joyce, shaking her head. “You’d think people would be too full.”
I just adore the friendship and chemistry between the four members of the Thursday Murder Club: Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron. They are very cunning and resourceful, and they often outsmart the police and the criminals. They are not afraid to break some rules and take some risks to solve the cases. They are also very human and relatable, and they face their own challenges and dilemmas as they grow older.
“Mankind finds futility very hard to stomach. People find all sorts of things to give their brief lives meaning. Religion, football, astrology, social media. Valiant efforts all, but everyone knows, deep, deep down, that life is both a random occurrence and a losing battle. None of us will be remembered. These days will all be covered, in time, by the sands.”
They are not perfect, but they are admirable and lovable.
“But, however much life teaches you that nothing lasts, it is still a shock when it disappears. When the man you love with every fibre starts returning to the stars, an atom at a time.”
I think Osman did a wonderful job of portraying them and making them come alive in the book once again.
“There is another light on, of course. Elizabeth’s. That light will be on for many nights now. She has all the darkness she needs.”
On his own admission, this book also features one of Mr Osman’s favourite villains he ever created.
“God cries every time someone lies to a Canadian.”
The Last Devil to Die is a delightful mix of humour, wit, suspense, and emotion. It was darker and more emotional than the previous three books in this series. My heart was shattered at one stage.
“And Stephen had still chosen her? Stephen had made her, that was the truth. Had glued her together. And here she lies. Unmade. Unglued.”
But, as always, it was a pure delight to read! It was one of those books I did not want to end.
“There is only so much reading you can do, so many cups of tea you can make, before the loneliness crowds in around you. You breathe it in, you cry it out, and the clock ticks slowly, slowly, until you are allowed to sleep. He hadn’t even dressed up on Christmas Day. Who was there to dress up for?”
Osman’s writing is witty and engaging, and his characters are well-developed and likeable. The book also explores themes such as ageing, friendship, love, loss, and grief in a sensitive and realistic way. Osman does not shy away from showing the vulnerabilities and struggles of his elderly protagonists but also celebrates their resilience and courage.
“I fear I might be barking up the wrong tree with this one. I just hope I can bark up the right tree one of these days. Before I run out of trees. Or before I stop barking altogether.”
The book is a perfect read for fans of cosy mysteries, British humour, and quirky characters.
“More women are murdering people these days,” says Joyce. “If you ignore the context, it is a real sign of progress.”
Witty, hopeful, reflective, and inspiring! I can’t wait for the next one!
Thanks to Exclusive Books for the opportunity to read this book.
About this book
Exclusive Books – The Last Devil to Die
