Thursday Murder Club, #2
The Man Who Died Twice
by Richard Osman
Contents
Chapter 58
Overview
Elizabeth, stumped by Douglas’s letter and the empty locket, brings the letter to Sue. The two compare notes and agree Douglas is pointing Elizabeth to the diamonds, likely via a shared past clue. Sue warns a mafia boss is en route to claim the stash or kill Lomax, raising the stakes. Elizabeth and Sue tacitly partner to find the diamonds first.
Summary
Elizabeth, having reread Douglas’s letter and rechecked the locket and the Rye cottage, admits she can’t find the intended clue. She meets Sue Reardon for an early lunch at Le Pont Noir and finally shares the letter, conceding she has reached a dead end.
Sue quickly notes Douglas’s characteristic misdirection in the opening paragraphs and confirms broader pressures: a mafia boss is flying in to seize the diamonds or kill Lomax. Together they infer Douglas wanted Elizabeth to locate the diamonds, perhaps by referencing something only the two of them would recognize, though Elizabeth’s long separation from Douglas leaves no obvious lead.
Despite Sue’s initial irritation at being kept out, mutual trust hardens into a practical alliance. Acknowledging the urgency and danger, Elizabeth and Sue agree—implicitly and with a toast—to pool minds and race to the diamonds before the mafia’s arrival forces Lomax’s fate.
Who Appears
- ElizabethProtagonist; stymied by Douglas’s letter, shares it with Sue and forms a tactical partnership.
- Sue ReardonMI5 officer; analyzes Douglas’s letter, flags an incoming mafia threat, allies with Elizabeth.
- DouglasElizabeth’s ex-husband; author of the cryptic letter seemingly pointing to the diamonds.
- LomaxCriminal under pressure; may be killed if the mafia boss cannot recover the diamonds.
- Unnamed mafia bossAntagonistic force flying in to claim the diamonds or eliminate Lomax.