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What I'm Reading

 Richard Osman writes unusual "journey" stories: Something bizarre happens, and we follow the consequences, and yet, simultaneously, very "relatable" tales unfold (on the sidelines).


In "The Last Devil to Die," an antiques dealer becomes involved in a heroin operation. This seems to lead to his murder. An investigation points to a colleague named Samantha, who once pissed away her life by mourning the loss of her husband, but who discovered a second wind when she realized she loved committing crimes. (She sold a fake antique to a man who later threatened to kill her, then the two bonded over a spur-of-the-moment plan to pursue a career in art forgery.)

While the insane heroin story unfolds, Osman also tells us about dementia. A loving marriage is disrupted when the husband, Stephen, begins to lose his mind. He writes a letter to himself--detailing the facts of his case--and he receives the letter in the mail. "You are in great pain, even if you don't understand this." The intractable problem of Stephen's health is scary and emotionally draining--and it's an interesting subplot to consider (in interludes) when you're not following the outrageous murder story.

Osman has a gift for the counterintuitive. For example, he shows complete empathy for his villains. He has no trouble slipping into a crime lord's state of mind (without judgment). It's fun and transgressive to follow him down various "bad guy" paths.

Finally, Osman is just a born storyteller; I'm enjoying his new novel. I'm also happy to see that he may be "retiring" his quartet of sleuths; a little experimentation can be a good thing. I look forward to his fifth book.
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