For those who have come in late, the Thursday Murder Club is a group of ageing residents of Coopers Chase, a retirement home in sunny England, who meet to dissect grisly murders and try to solve them before the police. The leader, by unanimous accord, is Elizabeth, a retired spy master. Ron is an ex-union official. Ibrahim is an almost-retired psychiatrist. And Joyce is the least likely and most underrated mouse.

In this series’ fourth book, The Last Devil To Die, Elizabeth’s husband, Stephen, plays a key role. He lives with dementia and his memory is declining. His friend, Kuldesh, has an antique shop. Criminals demand to use the shop as a smuggling point for £100000 of heroin. Kuldesh is found murdered and the drugs are missing. The group must find out who killed their friend. Rival drug lords want to recover the drugs. Donna and Chris – detectives with a close bond to the group – are sidelined in a takeover by a superior from the National Crime Authority. There seems to be a disproportionate interest – from all directions – in this crime. The group is convinced there’s much more to be uncovered than the police are letting on.

The dynamic of the group also changes. Elizabeth leads, but at times must step back – she and Stephen must focus on his future. To her own surprise, Joyce assumes the lead.

Osman’s plotting is superb; his characterisations are pinpoint; his subtle humour is ever present; and the subplot of Stephen’s worsening health – and its attendant emotion – is deftly handled. Despite (or perhaps because of) the group’s ages, this series just keeps getting better. Long may they live.

Reviewed by Bob Moore

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Osman is an author, producer, and television presenter. Each of his novels, The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, and The Bullet That Missed were number one, million-copy international bestsellers as well as New York Times bestsellers. He lives in London with his wife Ingrid and Liesl the cat.