Chapter summaries The Last Devil To Die Richard Osman

Chapter 59 (Chapter 58): Mitch’s Lock-up Search and Luca’s Stake

⚠️ 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

Mitch, having deduced Elizabeth’s secret about the lock-up, breaks in and searches cardboard boxes. He finds a vintage TAG Heuer watch but no heroin. Luca Buttaci arrives, having tracked Mitch’s car. They discuss the missing drugs and the looming threat of Hanif, who has given Mitch until the end of the month to recover the heroin. Luca pressures Mitch about his supply reliability. Mitch asks if Luca has contacted the Afghans; Luca denies it. Mitch reveals that one of the Afghans has come to England, a rare and dangerous development. They both sense the heroin’s absence will lead to trouble. As they leave, they wave to police watching from a hill.

Key Events

  • Mitch enters the lock-up and rummages through boxes, pocketing a vintage TAG Heuer watch.
  • Luca Buttaci arrives, having tracked Mitch via a car tracker, and lights a cigarette.
  • Mitch and Luca confirm the heroin is not in the lock-up; Mitch suspects Connie Johnson might be involved.
  • Luca warns Mitch that if the heroin problems persist, he will need to find another supplier.
  • Mitch presses Luca about any contact with the Afghans; Luca swears he has none and doesn’t want that trouble.
  • Mitch reveals that an Afghan representative has come to England, an unprecedented move.
  • Both men wave to police observers as they exit the garage.

Character Development

  • Mitch shows resourcefulness (tracking down the lock-up via a corrupt council clerk) and pragmatism (stealing the watch as a potential gift for Hanif). He is anxious about Hanif’s impending meeting and the missing heroin, yet tries to maintain a calm front.
  • Luca Buttaci appears as a pragmatic businessman, concerned only with reliable supply. He distances himself from the Afghans, signalling he is cautious about expanding his criminal network. His denial suggests he may be telling the truth, or at least protecting his own interests.
  • Hanif remains off-page but his presence looms large: his ultimatum and unexpected journey to England raise the stakes for Mitch and escalate the central conflict.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Search and Secrecy: The lock-up search mirrors the novel’s broader theme of hidden truths. Mitch’s physical ransacking parallels the gang’s scramble for the lost heroin and for the real story behind Kuldesh’s murder.
  • The Watch as Token: The stolen TAG Heuer watch symbolises Mitch’s belief that material goods can smooth over violent consequences. It also reflects his habit of taking what is not his, a trait that may eventually cost him.
  • Surveillance and Performance: The police watching from the hill, and the two criminals’ cheery wave, underscore the cat-and-mouse game of organised crime. The wave is a performative gesture of defiance.
  • Trust and Betrayal: Mitch’s direct questioning of Luca about the Afghans shows eroded trust within the criminal network. The scene sets up possible betrayals or hidden alliances.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter tightens the tension around the missing heroin, the primary MacGuffin of the novel’s crime plot. It confirms that the lock-up does not hold the drugs, forcing the characters to look elsewhere. The arrival of the Afghan emissary introduces a new, high-stakes threat that could rewrite alliances and accelerate the clock for Mitch and Luca. The chapter also deepens the reader’s understanding of the criminal hierarchy, showing the pressure points that will likely cause fractures later. Mitch’s theft of the watch is a small but telling detail, hinting at his opportunism and foreshadowing possible fallout.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Mitch steal the TAG Heuer watch from the lock-up?
Mitch takes the watch as a potential gift for Hanif, hoping it might soften the consequences of failing to recover the heroin. The theft also reveals Mitch’s opportunistic nature and his belief that he can buy his way out of trouble.

2. How does Luca’s denial of contact with the Afghans affect the plot?
Luca’s denial eliminates one possible explanation for the missing drugs and suggests the Afghan involvement is a separate, new development. It puts more pressure on Mitch to locate the heroin before the Afghan emissary arrives, raising the narrative stakes.

3. What does the exchanged wave with the police officers signify?
The wave is a gesture of bravado and mutual awareness between the criminals and law enforcement. It highlights the performative aspect of their conflict and the often-blurred lines of surveillance in the novel’s seaside setting.

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