Chapter summaries The Last Devil To Die Richard Osman

Chapter 22 (Chapter 21) Summary and Analysis – The Last Devil To Die

⚠️ 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

Chris is in a low mood at a dimly lit pub, joined by Joyce, Elizabeth, Patrice, and Donna. Joyce finishes an anecdote about heroin dealer Dom Holt, who vandalised a car with a golf club and a knife for the tyres. Chris, still smarting from being removed from the investigation, refuses Joyce’s suggestion to break into Dom Holt’s offices. Elizabeth asks about Samantha Barnes, an antiques dealer compared to Connie Johnson, but insists she is unconnected. She then asks Donna to check her phone records to see who she has called, hoping to identify the prime suspect. Elizabeth and Joyce leave, taking pork scratchings for Alan the dog. The chapter closes with the sense that the amateur sleuths will continue their work unofficially.

Key Events

  • Joyce recounts Dom Holt’s vandalism of a car, mixing humour and menace.
  • Chris expresses frustration that the investigation was taken from him and he is now barred from the Incident Room.
  • Elizabeth suggests breaking into Dom Holt’s offices; Chris refuses, stating he must operate within the law.
  • The group discusses SIO Regan, who asked Chris to move his car so she could use his parking space.
  • Elizabeth mentions a woman named Samantha Barnes, described as “Connie Johnson but for antiques,” but says she is likely irrelevant.
  • Elizabeth asks Donna to examine her own phone records to trace whom she called, hoping this will reveal their prime suspect.
  • Elizabeth and Joyce depart, leaving the others at the pub.

Character Development

  • Chris: Feels sidelined and useless, struggling with the loss of the official case while clinging to legal boundaries. His frustration is palpable, yet he remains unwilling to bend rules.
  • Elizabeth: Displays her trademark strategic thinking. Despite being off the case, she is already planning her next move, using Donna as an inside ally. Her request for phone records shows she suspects someone close to her.
  • Joyce: Cheerful and pragmatic, she treats even dangerous anecdotes with lightness. Her willingness to break into offices contrasts with Chris’s caution.
  • Donna: Torn between her role as a police officer and her loyalty to Elizabeth. She agrees to check the phone records without fully knowing the implications.
  • Patrice: Offers a parable about waiting out overbearing authorities, reinforcing the theme that patience and persistence outlast arrogance.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Bureaucracy vs. Justice: The official investigation has been taken from the team, symbolising institutional barriers. Elizabeth and her friends represent a more personal, rule‑bending approach to justice.
  • Secrecy and Hidden Information: Elizabeth’s phone records are a mystery even to her. The act of checking them mirrors the larger need to uncover hidden connections in the case.
  • The Absurdity of Crime: Joyce’s anecdote (golf club and knife for tyres) mixes violence with the ridiculous, a recurring tone in the series.
  • Agency of the Elderly: The characters, though older and officially sidelined, refuse to be passive. They continue to drive the plot, especially Elizabeth.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter sets up a crucial plot device: Elizabeth’s phone records. The request suggests that a suspect may have been in direct contact with her, possibly without her conscious memory. It also underscores the team’s determination to pursue the case despite being shut out by the police. The introduction of Samantha Barnes (a “Connie Johnson for antiques”) hints at a new strand in the investigation, while the pub scene reinforces the camaraderie that sustains the group’s investigation.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Chris refuse to break into Dom Holt’s offices?
    Chris is still a serving police officer and feels he must operate within the law, unlike Elizabeth, who does not have that constraint. His refusal highlights the tension between official procedure and the amateur sleuths’ flexibility.

  2. What does Elizabeth hope to achieve by having Donna check her phone records?
    Elizabeth wants to identify whom she called, believing that person is their prime suspect. She does not remember making the call, suggesting that something or someone has manipulated her memory, or that the call was made under duress.

  3. How does Joyce’s anecdote about Dom Holt contribute to the chapter’s atmosphere?
    Joyce describes vandalism with golf club and knife—violent acts rendered almost comic by her detached, polite narration. This blend of danger and levity is a hallmark of the series, reminding readers that the characters face serious threats while maintaining their everyday quirks.

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