READERS GUIDE
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST DEVIL TO DIEIrresistibly charming and full of heart, with a cunning mystery at its center, The Last Devil to Die is Richard Osman at his finest. Pitting the unforgettable pensioners of the Thursday Murder Club—Elizabeth, a former spy; Joyce, a retired nurse; Ibrahim, a still-practicing psychologist; and Ron, a former trades union official (and forever West Ham fan)—against an international drug smuggling ring, Osman has set the stage for another wild whodunit that is sure to entertain.
The Last Devil to Die opens on Boxing Day. The Thursday Murder Club has just enjoyed a lovely holiday together at the Coopers Chase Retirement Village when a single shot in the dark brings an abrupt end to their merrymaking. Kuldesh Sharma, a local antiques dealer and close friend of the amateur detectives, is found dead. And a box containing £100,000 worth of heroin is missing. Can the Thursday Murder Club uncover how these two things are related before Kent’s latest killer strikes again?
A CONVERSATION WITH RICHARD OSMAN
1. The Last Devil to Die is the fourth mystery in the Thursday Murder Club series. What was your inspiration for this novel?
I was taking part in a UK television program called Celebrity Antiques Roadtrip and was partnered with a lovely antiques expert called Raj Bisram. Over the course of a couple of idyllic days in a classic car in the English countryside, he told me so many amazing stories about some of the dodgy dealings that go on in the supposedly genteel business of antiques, and I immediately thought this was a wonderful world to drop the Thursday Murder Club into. Every time during the writing process I’d ask Raj a question about whether something particularly outlandish might happen in the world of antiques, he would simply nod and reply “Oh yes. And much worse than that.”
I should point out that the vast majority of people in the world of antiques are perfectly well-behaved, innocent souls. But–hoo boy–the bad ones!
2. In each installment of the Thursday Murder Club, we learn a bit more about our diverse group of intrepid sleuths. How do you approach writing from different perspectives?
Every time I begin a scene, I think about whose mind I’d most like to experience the scene through. Who might provide the most insight? Who might be the most out of their comfort zone, or, often, which character’s perspective would make this scene the funniest? If ever there’s someone in the room with a gun, for example, I always think, “Well, this one’s for Joyce.”
3. In the novel, we say goodbye to one of the Thursday Murder Club’s beloved characters. How did you approach writing this loss, and how do you think the group will move forward in future installments?
As I was approaching the fourth book, I knew I wanted it to feel like the conclusion of something. I hope the first four books can always be read together and feel like one continuous story. I wanted a series of events where readers think these characters deserve a little break; a fallow year to recover and recuperate. They will be back, and soon, but I wanted The Last Devil to Die to feel like the end of their first era as a club. I also always want to tell the truth in these books. It’s all well and good to show the humor, and the mischief and the love they all share, but I have to show the pain, too.
4. Speaking of the future, Joyce’s growth across the series has been one of its many delights. Will we see Joyce take on a bigger role in the group? And might she ever land herself a bachelor of her own?
It would please me enormously for Joyce to find love, but I think she’s her own worst enemy. Her taste in men needs to change, and I genuinely don’t feel in control of that. Joyce is very much her own woman, and she won’t listen to me. She loves an emotionally unavailable man, and at some point that has to change. She loves love, she loves romance, and she loves the chase. Someday I hope someone might chase her. It will take quite a man, though.
5. You’ve shared that following The Last Devil to Die, you will take a short break from the Thursday Murder Club series to introduce us to a new crime-solving duo. Can you share anything about the new series?
I am very excited about my new series. It follows a daughter-in-law/father-in-law detective duo. The daughter in law travels the world as a bodyguard, enjoying the private jets, luxury yachts, and island retreats that come with the job. The father-in-law, a widower and an ex-cop, has a very quiet, very happy, gentle life in the English countryside, and all he wants to do is enjoy a pub quiz and a few pints with his friends. But the daughter-in-law finds herself in danger, and in need of someone she can trust, and sends for him. Much to his dismay he finds himself on a private jet, flying to the States, and lands in a world of trouble. It will keep the charm and humor of the Thursday Murder Club series, but will involve far more kicking down warehouse doors and jumping out of helicopters—a little like The Thursday Murder Club meets The Da Vinci Code.
6. The novel opens on Boxing Day, and we get a brief glimpse into how the Thursday Murder Club celebrates the holidays. Do you have a favorite tradition that you snuck into Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim’s festivities?
There is an enormous row in the book between Ron (of course) and his partner, Pauline, about when is the correct time to open Christmas presents: before lunch (Ron) or after lunch (Pauline). I am very much from a “before lunch” family. I love Christmas, and loved thinking about the presents the club might all buy for one another. That’s in a very early chapter and I think people will enjoy it.
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Elizabeth and Stephen have been together for a very long time. How did you react to the events of this novel? How do you think you would feel in similar circumstances?
2. The book introduces us to the sometimes dramatic world of antiques dealers. What other industries do you think might have surprising links to crime?
3. Where would you hide a box that everyone was desperate to find? Where do you think is the last place anyone might look?
4. Ibrahim continues his therapeutic relationship with a hardened criminal. Do you think the sessions Connie has with him are changing her? In what ways? Do you think Connie herself might have an impact on Ibrahim?
5. Joyce and Ibrahim both ruminate on their lost loves. What do you think they have learned from their previous relationships? Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
6. A few new characters are introduced in the novel. Are there any you would like to see become members of the Thursday Murder Club?
7. Why do so many people fall victim to romance fraud?
8. Joyce wishes for more weddings than murders for the coming year. Who would you like to see get married?
9. Would you rather pay ten thousand dollars for a real Picasso or a hundred dollars for an identical fake?
10. Joyce remarks, “I think we’re due a period of peace and quiet now, aren’t we? A few months without murders, and corpses, without diamonds and spies, without guns and drugs and people threatening to kill us. Some time for Elizabeth to find her new feet.” Do you think the Thursday Murder Club will stay out of trouble for long?
