The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4)

by Richard Osman

“I am beginning to think that I should start to distribute this sort of information digitally. Hard copies are very wasteful. I would like, if possible, the Thursday Murder Club to become carbon neutral by 2030.”

He knows, in his heart, that Ron is right, but he doesn’t feel able to let go of his laminating machine. This must be how America feels about coal-fired power stations.

“How is it,” says Stephen, “for Elizabeth? Living with me?” “It is very difficult,” says Viktor. “She didn’t sign up for it, eh?” says Stephen. “No, but she signed up for love,” says Viktor.

We think time travels forward, marches on in a straight line, and so we hurry alongside it to keep up. Hurry, hurry, mustn’t fall behind. But it doesn’t, you see. Time just swirls around us. Everything is always present. The things we’ve done, the people we’ve loved, the people we’ve hurt, they’re all still here.”

You understand that these people are still alive? Everyone who dies is alive. We call people ‘dead’ because we need a word for it, but ‘dead’ just means that time has stopped moving forward for that person? You understand? No one dies, not really.”

“Grief doesn’t need an answer, any more than love does,” says Elizabeth. “It isn’t a question.”