Richard Osman

Sympathy for the Devil

/ PAJNewman / Leave a comment

‘The Last Devil to Die’ by Richard Osman

It is a small observation but, in preparation for this review, I revisited my piece on the second book in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, ‘The Man Who Died Twice’. This did two things: it reminded me that I had not written a review of the third book in the series, ‘The Bullet that Missed’ and it made my feelings about this latest one, even stronger.

In that 2021 review I wrote: “I listened to both the original and the sequel in audiobook form read by Lesley Manville. I listened on long car rides alongside a mother who has dementia and doesn’t take that much pleasure in long form stories these days. Both Manville’s performance and Osman’s writing delighted her, amused her and kept her entertained and, for that, they were cheap at twice the price and I shall be ever grateful to them for their work.”

This little personal revelation is not especially insightful or interesting but it links to the lack of a review of the third novel in two ways.

Firstly, Manville had been replaced by Fiona Shaw as narrator in a move I’m yet to find anyone to approve of, and secondly, my Mum’s health deteriorated so far, so fast, that by 2022, listening like that was no longer an option at all.

That makes me sad. It may also account for why I reacted so strongly to ‘The Last Devil to Die’.

This third outing for our aging sleuths is a quieter novel. And, a sadder and more moving one for it.

If anything, Osman has truly established himself the Amanuensis of the Home Counties middle classes. The world of KitKats, slow traffic on the A26 and parking problems in Petworth – will be familiar to those of us raised in the area. Eat your heart out more “serious” novelist. Don’t tell me that bloke off ‘Pointless’ doesn’t do social realism!

I would say this novel is significantly better than the last, which was a much lower key book for me.

This latest caper has got lovely growth for the characters (especially Joyce and Ibrahim – surely the most crowd pleasing of characters to reward) and is both touching and much sadder than some of the previous ones.

Caveat: Steven’s dementia is a major factor in this tale and Osman has done a great job rendering the experience of dementia. It’s very well done but it made me cry. I suspect I’m not very objective on the topic.

As narrator, Shaw was a lot less jarring this time around- although in the interview which follows between her and Osman they reference the loss of Lesley Manville and what a big set of shoes it was to step into (although fail to explain why, grr).

However, she does quite literally the WORST scouse accent I’ve ever heard by a professional actor.

In conclusion, the gang remain in safe hands and it feels like Osman has grown as a writer taking his audience to darker, more moving places even while retaining his beloved milleau.

I look forward to next year’s outing…

Purchase Links:

Bookshop.org: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10526/9780241512449 (Head’s up: purchasing from this link supports both independent bookshops and this blog, hint hint 😉 )

Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/7HuJCGt

Author Bio:

Richard Osman is an author, producer and television presenter. His first three novels, The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed were multi-million-copy record-breaking bestsellers around the world. The Last Devil to Die is his fourth book. He lives in London with his wife, Ingrid, and their cat Liesl. (Biography courtesy of https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/141792/richard-osman?tab=penguin-biography)

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrRichardOsman

Twitter: @richardosman

Instagram: https://instagram.com/misterosman

Life in the Old Diamond Dogs Yet

/ PAJNewman / 2 Comments

‘The Man Who Died Twice’ by Richard Osman

It’s the following Thursday.

Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He’s made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.

As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn’t that be a bonus?

But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can the Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them? (Synopsis courtesy of http://www.Penguin.co.uk)

I’m not sure when I have enjoyed a novel more than I enjoyed Richard Osman’s debut, ‘The Thursday Murder Club’. That story was convoluted, sure, but it nipped along, the characters were charming and there was a frothy light touch like a glass of cooled Pimms on a summer’s afternoon.

What Osman has here managed to do, is navigate the difficult second album. He had left himself with some work to be done: the first book had bodies dropping like ‘The Wire’-era Baltimore, a killer revealed to be a beloved character and now the challenge becomes: do it again. But, you know, better.

Well, I’m delighted to say that he has. Here, Osman takes us inside Elizabeth’s murky past – her role with the Security Services, her rakish ex-husband and the way her history keeps peeking into her present.

There are less characters than in the whirlwind original outing but Douglas is joined by hopeless waitress Poppy, who may not be all she seems, as well local drug Queen pin, Connie Johnson and her ascendancy and a nasty little character called Ryan Baird. This wee hoodlum is, to my mind, one of the few people in Osman’s fiction who I would happily see shot in the face by Elizabeth from point blank range.

‘The Man Who Died Twice’ is a charming romp covering treasure hunts for twenty million pounds worth of diamonds, the exact way to disguise the exact identify of a body and the reason why MI:5 use a safe house in Godalming.

I am well aware that there are readers who dislike Osman’s work because he is famous to begin with. Others dislike the fact he does not write serious Dostoeveskian meditations on the nature of crime. But I find his writing charming, safe and as entertaining as an afternoon cup of tea at your nan’s house and I thank him for it.

Also, I listened to both the original and the sequel in audiobook form read by Lesley Manville. I listened on long car rides alongside a mother who has dementia and doesn’t take that much pleasure in long form stories these days. Both Manville’s performance and Osman’s writing delighted her, amused her and kept her entertained and, for that, they were cheap at twice the price and I shall be ever grateful to them for their work.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/141792/richard-osman.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrRichardOsman

Twitter: @richardosman