I will admit outright that I am stretching to the limit the definition of a Christmas story. Technically, Richard Osman’s latest in the Thursday Murder Club series takes place immediately after Christmas, spanning dead week and beyond. But I love The Last Devil to Die, and I think it perfectly encapsulates what I want from a Christmas mystery. (And search on my Kindle edition shows me that the word “Christmas” is mentioned over 50 times…) So on the list it goes!

A character-driven mystery

I’ve already reviewed The Last Devil to Die once before, and that review focused mostly on the character dynamics. But there’s a decent mystery here to go along with all the character machinations. As I have come to expect with The Thursday Murder Club, the story itself is layers on layers of surprises, all perfectly set up. Mister Osman can write a mystery, that’s for sure.

That said, if The Last Devil to Die were purely about the puzzle itself, it’d be middling to good. It’s those character dynamics that make it great. Reading this book is about watching characters you love take on new roles and flex their friendship and investigative muscles. It’s character growth through crime-solving – my favorite kind.

Christmas, in word and in spirit

What about the Christmas spirit? Much of the explicit stuff comes early in the book. The gang celebrate together on Boxing Day; there’s a sweet and funny gift exchange, and Joyce invites yet another hapless man to join. Joyce recounts her own Christmas with Joanna, a retelling that’s funny and sweet all at once. In so many ways, the experience of Christmas is the recounting of the experiences for years to come, and that comes to life here,

But I also think that The Last Devil to Die is a wonderful celebration of the best themes of Christmas: of love, the beauty and value of life, and the importance of friendship. It’s a story that reminds us to be grateful for those we love and the support they give us; a story of community and how those bonds can grow. It makes me feel how I want to feel at Christmas – part of this small and loving and unconditional community.

Reader’s notes and rating: 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁🎀

Look, am I stretching the bounds of “Christmas crime”? Absolutely. But am I also looking forward excitedly to a Thursday Murder Club reread next year around the holidays? You bet. The Last Devil to Die is like reading the warmest and saddest hug – I literally cried on my first read through. It is a hot mug of cocoa and a warm blanket as you snuggle up on the couch with your family. I adore this book, and it makes me feel the most excited to spend time with my loved ones out of any book on this list. And so, to me, The Last Devil to Die is a Christmas crime novel – and one of my favorites, ever.

4.5 Presents (and 5 stars!).

We are wrapping up with one last entry from Janice Hallett, possibly my favorite modern epistolary novelist. Until tomorrow – stay cozy, and stay curious!