
In the charming retirement community of Cooper Chase in southern England, there are numerous clubs designed to keep the residents entertained. There’s a crossword club, French conversation classes, Zumba sessions, and for those seeking a bit more excitement than puzzle-solving, there’s also the Thursday Murder Club. The Last Devil to Die is the fourth collaboration between the retired amateur detectives and the well-known English TV host, Richard Osman. This time, the club members are investigating a missing shipment of heroin, all while seeking revenge for the murder of a friend.
Investigation in a Laid-Back Atmosphere
One might think that the club members, all nearly eighty years old, would have a bit of a handicap when it comes to chasing down criminals, simply due to their age. But that’s not the case. (Of course, they always have hip replacements, walking sticks, and Cavinton on hand if needed!)
You might also expect that various deranged villains would quickly neutralize of the club members with a well-placed elbow to the jaw, and while the amateur detectives recover from concussions in the hospital or lie comatose, the criminals would easily wipe away all evidence.
But the criminals in The Last Devil to Die are as mild as lambs! And remarkably patient and respectful toward the seniors!
We might also think that at some point the police would intervene and, with a decisive move, arrest the whole bunch for obstructing the investigation…
Well, yes, but what if the police are a little bit enchanted? A bit clumsy? What if they wouldn’t even manage to handle the case on their own? What if, as the previous three books in Richard Osman’s series have clearly shown, everyone is much better off if the retirement club take control of the murder investigations from the very start?
Of course, this doesn’t mean that the Thursday Murder Club is involved in every criminal investigation across South England. Oh, no! That would be too much! It’s just fun for them; a bit of entertainment to pass the time!
So, they only take action when a crime happens in their immediate surroundings. Or when a dear friend or even a close acquaintance is the victim. And in the case of The Last Devil to Die, that’s exactly what happens. Lucky them again!
Tea, Cake, and Some Sleuthing
It seems that Richard Osman has finally paid attention to our words. Apparently, our persistent arguing that the Thursday Detective Club is a one-man project was not in vain. Indeed, it’s the personal project of Elizabeth Best, the retired intelligence officer. Her clubmates merely serve as props in the club’s adventures, like a lone palm tree in the corner of a room.
Well, The Last Devil to Die has finally brought about a change in this regard. Joyce, the chatty chronicler from the previous books, who usually repeats word for word in her diary what had just happened, who usually repeats word for word in her diary what had just happened, has finally leveled up. The tiresome, well-meaning senior lady is turning into a crafty Mrs. Marple. This was exactly what the series needed.
However, the effort to balance things out isn’t complete just yet. Both of the male club members have remained as they were: Ibrahim is annoyingly know-it-all, and Ron is annoyingly unpleasant. But poor Ron suffers another setback: aside from driving, he really doesn’t have much else to do.
We’re Gangsters, At Your Service!
The investigation in The Last Devil to Die is incredibly simplified. The Thursday Murder Club members chat with various bad guys about the missing heroin shipment. However, their investigation has no real focus. Nothing comes out of it. True, at least the club members are having a grand old time.
And the ruthless criminals willingly assist with all this—rather than declaring the measly 100,000 pounds worth of heroin a loss and simply shooting the exceptionally annoying club members dead to ease their souls.
Such mild-mannered tough guys are rare in crime novels, that’s for sure. Of course, this likely requires a tender-hearted author, who views all of God’s creatures through the rose-colored glasses of good will, like Richard Osman. (Or Fredrik Backman. See: The Winners.)
Furthermore, seasoned (and less seasoned) crime readers will probably figure out both the killer’s identity and the motive for the murders by the first third of the book.
Which, frankly, doesn’t give a lot for a crime novel.
Okay, but then what the heck is The Last Devil to Die about?!
Hello, Hey, Mental Decay!
Anyone who has read the earlier installments of Richard Osman’s series and thought that the warm-hearted British author has perhaps overrepresented the theme of old-age mental decline in his mysteries will be even more surprised now. The Last Devil to Die truly revels in this topic!
Stephen, Elisabeth Best’s husband and the heart and soul of the Thursday Detective Club, is increasingly sucked into a downward spiral of dementia. This process and its consequences are explored in meticulous, interconnected scenes, much more thoroughly than the main plot of The Last Devil to Die.
Dementia is, of course, a very serious potential companion to the final stages of life, and in a retirement community, it’s likely an unavoidable part of daily life.
It’s unusual to see this tone from Osman, who typically never takes his own light-hearted crime novels seriously, but Stephen and Elisabeth’s trials add some truly impactful, even touching scenes to The Last Devil to Die. One can confidently say that the scene in which Stephen wanders lost in the crumbling walls of his own mind is is one of Richard Osman’s finest moments as an author.
Moreover…!
…Moreover, in a pivotal moment, Stephen has an epiphany, realizing the true nature of time, and suddenly understands what the Tralfamadorians have known for ages. Or rather, what they have always known. More precisely, what they will always know. (See: Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.)
Friends with Benefits
Anyone who has grown old probably knows exactly what’s most lacking at this stage in life. I mean, beyond fun, laughter, good health, and a sharp mind? Friends!
And you know, who finds a friend finds a treasure! *
And the Thursday Murder Club members have found treasure. In fact, they’ve hit the jackpot. Sure, at least 96% of them are difficult to tolerate, quirky individuals, but at least each of them has a heart in the right place, and you can count on them when things get tough. Besides, at this age, you can’t afford to be picky.
And beyond that, the club’s life is pure fun and laughter! If I ever end up in Cooper Chase, this is definitely the first place I’ll sign up for! (After the book club, of course.)
Fun, Laughter, and Murders
One of the essential ingredients in Richard Osman’s light-hearted crime books is playful, unserious humor. In this regard, each of Osman’s books starts strong. Then, the momentum quickly fades: the humor, which relies almost entirely on character comedy, runs out and turns into just plain silliness. However, The Last Devil to Die manages to handle this part more skillfully.
Although it’s clear that Osman subordinates the plot entirely to the joking (as the saying goes, he’d probably sell his own mother for a good punchline), the usual silly banter often gives way to genuinely witty jokes. All throughout the book.
And that’s certainly welcome, since The Last Devil to Die, while tackling important societal issues, doesn’t perform particularly well as a crime novel— as usual.
Rating: 7.3/10
The Last Devil to Die (The Thursday Murder Club #4) by Richard Osman
421 pages, Hardcover
Published in 2023 by Viking
—
Review of the rest of the book series:
1. The Thursday Murder Club
2. The Man Who Died Twice
3. The Bullet That Missed
—
You might also be interested in:
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Killing Gunther (2017)
*A classy nod to the film “Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure”