If you’ve been following the adventures of the seniors from The Thursday Murder Club, prepare yourself for tears ahead of time. Richard Osman’s The Last Devil to Die , while still a mystery with moments of humor, also has some poignant moments that are difficult to read. After all, for the elders at Cooper’s Chase, loss is a fact of life.

The Thursday Murder Club; Elizabeth, the former spy; Joyce, a retired nurse; Ron, a former trades union official, and Ibrahim, a psychiatrist who still has an occasional client, are back on the case with the death of an antiques dealer. Kuldash was a friend of Elizabeth’s husband, Stephen. Admittedly, Kuldash’s recent transaction on Boxing Day was a little shady when he agreed to buy a box, contents unknown. But, he knew there were drugs inside. When that box disappears, several local drug dealers know their lives might be in danger.

Because Elizabeth is preoccupied as Stephen’s dementia worsens, she isn’t as involved in the investigation. Joyce steps up to take a leadership role in the case, ably assisted by her friends, and the two local police officers who were yanked off the murder investigation when it was discovered heroin was involved.

Osman always knows how to alleviate the tension with some humor. This time, it often comes at the expense of a new resident at Cooper’s Chase, Mervyn, who refuses to recognize that he’s a victim of “romance fraud”. At the same time, it’s one more example of issues confronted by seniors. Osman tackles dementia, computer fraud, and the loss of a spouse in this current book.

There’s a depth to Richard Osman’s mysteries, and to his characters. His characters are all well-developed, even the minor ones. The Last Devil to Die, Osman’s last in the series for a while, is his best yet.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman. Pamela Dorman Books, 2023. ISBN 9780593299425 (hardcover), 368p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley through NetGalley so I could review this for a journal.