The Last Devil to Die

The Last Devil to Die, the latest in Richard Osman’s Coopers Chase mysteries, opens in dramatic fashion with shady/respectable antique dealer, Kuldesh Sharma, embroiled in a life or death situation not entirely of his own making. That's where the gang of four pensioners, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, come in and off we go again with another stonking yarn.

Some other favourite characters are reprised here: Connie Johnson, who still runs the major south coast drug smuggling operation from her luxury prison cell; Computer Bob who helps the gang bring romance fraudster 'Tatiana' to justice and who gives a sympathetic ear to Ibrahim (we learn more about Ibrahim's back story in this outing); Ron's dodgy ex-boxer son, Jason Ritchie, now making a living as a celebrity 'meeter and greeter' and ex-KGB officer, Viktor, who helps Elizabeth in her anguish over her husband Stephen's future. It’s all very rich fare.

There are some new characters, not least Snowy the fox, who graces the cover of this edition, distinguished by his white tipped ears and his nocturnal visits to the elderly, bewildered and lonely. This is all faithfully recorded by the lovely Joyce, still mourning her husband Gerry, but always on the lookout for a new love interest. She is currently keeping her eyes open for imminent new arrival 'Edwin Mayhem', according to the Coopers Chase magazine.  Disappointingly he turns to be a rather dull typo – in reality Edwin Mayhew.

This is a fantastic book – it’s warm, compassionate but also thrilling and exciting. There is the usual hokum involving heroin dealers, art forgers, armed psychopaths and internet fraudsters.  Elizabeth and her mates take all this in their stride, helped by Polish handyman/hunk, Bogdan, and tame police officers, Donna and Chris.

But more importantly, Richard Osman focuses on the matter of the deterioration of Stephen, his fine mind lost to dementia.  He dedicates this book to his own beloved grandparents, Fred and Jessie Wright, and to all the millions who are coping with the loss of their loved ones to this cruel disease.  He writes with extraordinary empathy about Stephen's struggles and the inevitability that Elizabeth has to face. Osman’s writing is brilliantly sensitive throughout this lovely book.

This is the last of the Thursday Murder Club adventures for now. Osman has plans for a new partnership but promises that he will return to Coopers Chase.  I just hope he doesn't leave it too long as Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are all in their late 70s and can't go on for ever.