The Last Devil to Die

I enjoyed this one a lot more than the rest in the series. The characters have come into their own and less time is spent developing them - instead they are just given space to breathe.

I thought the mystery in this one was also better - drugs, antiques, plot armoured pensioners...

Osman's dealing with Stephen's dementia was a well handled emotional core to this book with the mystery of a certain letter being particularly potent. I enjoyed that this gave Elizabeth a bit of a back seat, allowing us to see more from other characters.

There's something sad about this series though - with its story of Coopers Chase and older people playing at dangerous games and somehow avoiding any serious repercussions. I know it's a conceit of the series and I'm not really complaining - but it does make me think of all the real people in care homes or end of life care who do not have "adventures" or constant social stimulation.

Also, it's funny how American everything that's going on is. It reads like an American TV series set in the UK for some reason.

Globalisation innit.

Come for the quirky "who-done-it" plot; stay for the existential reflection and character development.

It's true that I was looking for a light, well written mystery to escape into. The Last Devil to Die is exactly that. A drug delivery to an "antique" store leads to murder, several local dealers questioning their life choices, and more murder. The aging Scooby crew are at it again.

But the real meat of this story comes from the quiet character of Stephen -- wife of the leader of the crew (Elizabeth/Velma). As the crew is aging, the book hinges on Stephen's progressing dementia and its effects on those around him. As we are all aging, it gives a lot to reflect on.