The Last Devil to Die

A Thursday Murder Club Mystery, Book 4

By: Richard Osman

Narrated by: Fiona Shaw

The fourth installment in the beloved and New York Times bestselling series from Richard Osman, also author of We Solve Murders

“The best Murder Club book yet. . . A poignant complement to both the fair-play mystery plot and the characters’ lively humor.”
—The New York Times Book Review

It's rarely a quiet day for the Thursday Murder Club.

Shocking news reaches them—an old friend has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.

The gang's search leads them into the antiques business, where the tricks of the trade are as old as the objects themselves. As they encounter drug dealers, art forgers, and online fraudsters—as well as heartache close to home—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim have no idea whom to trust.

With the body count rising, the clock ticking down, and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out?

And who will be the last devil to die?

©2023 Richard Osman (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Skulduggery and laughs abound as our favorite gaggle of amateur-detective retirees tackle drug runners, dodgy antique dealers, art forgers and Battenberg cake recipes.”
—People

“The best Murder Club book yet. . . A poignant complement to both the fair-play mystery plot and the characters’ lively humor.”—New York Times Book Review

“So what is it about the Thursday Murder Club books that make them so broadly appealing? The simple answer is that they are really good. The writing is pithy and fresh, so much so that I kept writing down lines from The Last Devil To Die. . . But there’s more than just quotable sentences at work here. Osman’s plots play fair with the reader, carefully placing 'red herrings' to fool the reader into picking the wrong possible murder suspect—a gambit that has improved with each successive book. The endings feel both inevitable and earned: the exact combination one wants in a good mystery. . . Osman’s greatest strength is fusing the puzzle-mastery of Christie and her Golden Age peers with emotional earnestness and wry humor.” —Esquire

Story is good. Narrator is not.

I enjoy the stories and characters from the Thursday Murder Club series and was looking forward to this new release. Unfortunately, the narration was distracting from both the story and the characters. There was little difference in how characters were represented, so it was difficult at times to know who was speaking. The characterization of Chris was awful, and most of the time, female characters - Joyce in particular - just sounded breathless.

The story itself had several subplots, and the introduction of new, minor characters, some of which might become major in the future. Again, their characterizations through the voices provided little as to their personalities, so at least two of them blur together in my mind. It added some confusion to the story. I hope future books are read by a different narrator.

Touching

I nearly cried during this book. The author is great at making humorous and light hearted mysteries but he also happened to have one of the most moving sections of a book I've read in a long time. It was just beautifully done and moving without being saccharine.

Possibly the best yet!

I loved this one so much that I may need to immediately listen again. The topics touched my heart and the dialogue was spot on. Mwah.

I like it so much

I liked it so much that I'm going to listen to it again right now

Brilliant, tender, charming novel

Osman is a novelist of a unique and astounding gift. As soon as I finish one of his jewels of novels, I hunger for the next. I’m a much-published writer, but Osman makes me feel like an amateur.

Clever, sweet, and wonderfully entertaining

I love this series and these characters so much. Cooper's Chase is the community that I hope for all of us.

Outstanding, smart and touching

And Fiona Shaw! What an absolute treat. These books get better and better. I could do with an all Joyce’s diary edition.

Worth the wait!

When I realized how long I had to wait for this, I didn’t think I would make it. But I did, and listened non-stop until I finished. Our friends in Coopers Chase came back to life and brought us laughs, adventures, and tears. Another perfect story, written by Richard and narrated by Fiona. Now, how long do I need to wait for the next one???

Loved it

The narrator really brings these characters to life. Such a wonderful series…can’t wait for the next one!

The series only gets better!

The story line is terrific but the characters and their story are what make these books memorable!