The last devil to die: Thursday Murder Club #4

I am new to the Thursday Murder Club and I've come into the series at book 4, the latest in the series at the time of posting. Richard Osman is a British television presenter and producer in addition to his writing pursuits. His television work is largely in the quiz show domain.

Osman's Thursday Murder Club series is an acquired taste and one I took some time to get used to. He has a unique writing style that I would describe as 'chatty' and irreverent. His approach may fall flat if you are not a fan of British humour, or at least Osman's brand of it. I am, and I found myself chuckling as I made my way through the book.

Who are the Thursday Murder Club? Hilariously, they are a group of friends who live in (fictional) Coopers Chase retirement village, a former convent in the Kent countryside. This elderly bunch solves real murders, somehow managing to insert themselves into investigations (sticking their noses in where they do not belong, essentially). They take on some pretty shady and dangerous characters! Elizabeth, a former MI6 operative, is the leader of the group. Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim make up the rest of the quartet.

I read at the time of posting that a film version of the first book is underway. Helen Mirren has been cast as Elizabeth, Celia Imrie as Joyce, Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim, and Pierce Brosnan as Ron. Perfect casting! Picture these actors as you read the books as I can guarantee that it will enhance your reading experience. Interestingly, I read the book before the casting announcement and my first thought was that Helen Mirren would be fabulous as Elizabeth!

The last devil to die | Published September 2023 | Read January 2024

In book 4, the Club investigates the murder of a friend of Elizabeth's husband. The friend is an antiques dealer who comes into the possession of an ancient box of Middle Eastern origin. The story covers the gamut of forged art and heroin smuggling, with a side order of romance scamming. It is not difficult to work out what is going on, but it is the madcap journey to the case's conclusion that is fun to read.

I love that the crimefighters are pensioners, and Osman uses the Club to talk openly but sensitively about growing old and dying. As Joyce says in the book: "There is nothing that makes you feel more alive than the certainty of death." The group's friendship is lovely to read and it takes up more space in the novel than the case investigation. In The last devil to die, there is an emotional side to the story as Elizabeth's husband's health is failing. Osman handles a difficult and controversial subject with care and balances the heartbreaking elements of the book with the humour and mayhem of the Club's activities.

It does take a while to get into the murder but once it gets going, Osman serves up a cracking story. Joyce's diary entries pepper the action and they are a nice sidebar, showcasing Osman's brand of humour. Give the books a go and see what you think! Cup of tea and a slice of Battenburg cake, anyone?

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐