The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4)

Title: The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4)

Author: Richard Osman

Published in: 2023

Date read: 24th February 2024

Score: 5/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Mystery, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Last Devil to Die," published in 2023, is the fourth novel in Richard Osman's hugely popular "Thursday Murder Club" series. It brings the beloved quartet of septuagenarian amateur detectives from Coopers Chase retirement village into another complex and charmingly chaotic murder investigation, blending their signature wit with a more poignant exploration of aging and loss.

The story finds the members of the Thursday Murder Club – Joyce Meadowcroft, Elizabeth Best, Ron Ritchie, and Ibrahim Arif – dealing with personal challenges even as a new mystery lands on their doorstep. The primary case revolves around a sinister art forgery ring and the brutal murder of an antiques dealer.

The murdered man is Kuldesh Sharma, a friend of the Club, who was involved in smuggling illegal diamonds. His death occurs shortly after he reveals to the Club that he's stumbled onto a major criminal enterprise involving the illicit trade of priceless artifacts and highly valuable, untraceable diamonds.

The investigation quickly draws the Club into the shadowy world of art forgery and international crime, a realm far more dangerous than their usual village mysteries. They discover that Kuldesh was working with a secretive individual known only as "the Master," who is orchestrating the illicit trade. The Club must unravel who "the Master" is and how they are connected to Kuldesh's murder.

As they delve deeper, the Club finds themselves interacting with an eclectic mix of characters: dodgy dealers, wealthy collectors, concerned family members, and various figures from both the criminal underworld and legitimate art circles. The stakes are raised when they realize that the Master is ruthless and has no qualms about eliminating anyone who gets too close.

DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas are, once again, the official police contacts, navigating the Club's often unorthodox (and sometimes illegal) methods. The novel also touches on the personal lives of the Club members, particularly exploring themes of love, grief, and the challenges of aging, adding an emotional depth to the usual humour and clever plotting.

The climax involves the Club orchestrating a clever trap to expose "the Master," leading to a tense and dangerous confrontation where their lives, and the truth, hang in the balance. "The Last Devil to Die" is a poignant, humorous, and intricately plotted mystery that continues to charm readers with its unique characters and their enduring zest for solving crimes.

Comments:
Fantastic story again. As I am writing this, it is only a matter of days before Netflix launch the TV adaptation. I am sure it will do the books proud, there is certainly no lack of talent from the cast.

Books that we've read by Richard Osman (4):
The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1) (2020), The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2) (2021), The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club, #3) (2022), The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4) (2023)