Chapter summaries The Last Devil To Die Richard Osman

Prologue Summary – The Last Devil To Die by Richard Osman

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

On Thursday, 27th December at eleven p.m., eighty-year-old Kuldesh Sharma parks his car at the end of a dark dirt track surrounded by trees. He made up his mind that afternoon, sitting in the back room of his shop with a box in front of him. He made two phone calls and drove to this isolated spot. Kuldesh has hidden the box elsewhere, believing it will keep him safe as insurance. He reflects on his lost wife, his declining friend Stephen, and the fading roar of life. As snow begins to fall, another car arrives. Kuldesh sees a flash of gunfire and dies before he can hear the noise.

Key Events

  • Kuldesh Sharma drives alone to a remote location at night.
  • He decides to take a serious risk, aware that it could lead to his death.
  • He recalls making two phone calls earlier that afternoon.
  • A box, which he considers his insurance, is hidden safely away.
  • He thinks about his friend Stephen and how illness has changed him.
  • Snow starts falling as a second car approaches.
  • Kuldesh is shot and killed instantly.

Character Development

Kuldesh Sharma is introduced as an elderly man confronting his own mortality. He feels the loss of his wife and the erosion of his social world; his friends are “falling,” and the noise of life has become a whisper. Despite his age, he chooses to take a deliberate risk, suggesting a mix of desperation and calculated courage. His final thoughts show a man who misses the vitality of his past and is willing to gamble everything for some unknown purpose.

Stephen (mentioned only) represents the physical and mental decline that Kuldesh fears. His presence in Kuldesh’s memory underscores the theme of aging and the painful changes that come with it.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Mortality and Risk: Kuldesh openly acknowledges that being killed is a possible outcome, yet he sees his advanced age as the best time to take such a gamble.
  • The Box: An object of unknown contents and purpose, the box functions as a symbol of leverage, secrecy, and potential danger. It is both his insurance and the likely reason for his murder.
  • Isolation: The setting—a dark, snow-filled forest—mirrors Kuldesh’s emotional state: cut off, cold, and hidden.
  • Time and Nostalgia: References to “Mistletoe and Wine,” past friendship, and the “roar of life” highlight a yearning for a lost era of connection and joy.

Why This Chapter Matters

The prologue establishes the inciting incident of the entire novel: Kuldesh’s murder. It introduces the central mystery of the box and its importance, as well as the high-stakes atmosphere that will likely drive the plot. The chapter also quickly grounds the reader in the themes of aging and risk, which may resonate throughout the story. Although brief, the prologue hooks the reader by presenting a death that is both sudden and clearly connected to a deliberate choice Kuldesh made earlier that day.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Kuldesh believe that being nearly eighty makes this a good time to take a risk?
He suggests that the worst outcome—being killed—would not be so bad compared to the slow decline he sees in his friend Stephen. He feels his life has become quiet and lonely, so he is willing to gamble for something more, even at the cost of his life.

2. What is the significance of the box that Kuldesh has hidden?
The box is his insurance, the item that keeps him safe for the time being. Its contents are not revealed, but it must be valuable or incriminating enough to guarantee his temporary safety and to motivate his meeting. Its mystery drives the plot forward.

3. How does the setting (dark forest, snow, silence) contribute to the mood of the chapter?
The isolated, tree-hemmed location and the falling snow create a sense of foreboding and secrecy. The total darkness and cold silence amplify the tension, making the sudden flash of gunfire even more shocking and emphasising Kuldesh’s vulnerability.

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