Read in 2024 - 9: The Last Devil to Die

The Last Devil to Die

Richard Osman

Not that long ago I read the 3rd book in Richard Osman's brilliant series about the Thursday Murder Club; my review for that is here (and should have a link to my post about the 2nd book, which in turn should have a link to the one about the 1st book).

The 4th in the series was once again pure reader's delight from start to finish. Not one scene, not one character made me wish the author had put that differently, or left it out altogether. There are tears and laughter, often close together; just like in real life.

Of course, in real life I don't think you'd meet a group of pensioners in a retirement village solving murders, usually being ahead of their friends at the police (unofficially, of course). Also, I very much HOPE that there aren't money laundering, drug smuggling and other serious crimes behind each and every shop or business - there must still be some legtimate businesses around, surely?

But it all makes for great storytelling, and of course it is lovely to meet up with the main cast, even though some of them go through some very real drama that is obviously based on people the author knows in real life (see his acknowlegements at the end of the book).

Some characters we've become acquainted with in the previous books make an appearance, too: There is Connie Johnson, everyone's favourite cocaine dealer, who is still doing her time in prison and for the first time in her life finds herself confronted with new, unwelcome emotions to handle; there is Kuldesh Sharma, antiques dealer and long-standing close friend of Elizabeth's husband Stephen, and a few others.

But a new set of characters liven things up considerably: A superior officer is put in front of Chris and Donna's noses, making things difficult for them; an art-forger is dappling in a new line of business; someone is thrown off a multi-storey car park, and what does the bear-like Canadian who seems to love dogs more than people have to do with it all?

Unlike in the other books, this time Joyce takes more of a lead than Elizabeth, in her very own style. Ibrahim makes a new friend, and Ron... is just Ron, and we love him for that.

I have learned from another blog that a film is going to be made of The Thursday Murder Club (the 1st book, I suppose), and much to my delight, Helen Mirren is going to play Elizabeth - I saw her in my mind from the first time she was introduced to us in the first book. An elderly Pierce Brosnan fits Ron very well, and Ben Kingsley will be the perfect Ibrahim. As for Joyce, her actress is yet to be revealed. I have a few ladies in mind but am not sure about any of them. We'll find out eventually!

Until then, I shall be anticipating more news about the film, and of course book #5.