We Solve Murders

Title: We Solve Murders

Author: Richard Osman

Published in: 2024

Date read: Not yet read

Score: /5

Genre:

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"We Solve Murders," published in 2024, is the first book in a new series by Richard Osman, moving away from the retirement village setting of The Thursday Murder Club to embark on a globe-trotting, high-stakes mystery driven by an unconventional detective duo.

The story centres on Amy Wheeler, a cool-headed private security officer who lives a dangerous, adrenaline-filled life protecting high-profile clients. She is currently on a remote island guarding Rosie D'Antonio, a world-famous, eccentric novelist whose latest book has earned her a death threat from a powerful Russian oligarch.

The investigation begins when an Instagram influencer, who was a client of Amy's security firm, is found gruesomely murdered on a nearby yacht. The murder is not isolated; it’s the third such death connected to Amy's company, Maximum Impact Solutions. Amy quickly realises she is being framed as the "fall guy" for a series of international murders and finds herself and Rosie on the run.

To clear her name and survive, Amy sends an SOS to the one person she completely trusts: her father-in-law, Steve Wheeler. Steve, a recently widowed former police officer, lives a quiet life in the New Forest, revolving around his cat, his pub quiz, and his rigid routines. He is the antithesis of Amy—cynical, cautious, and deeply reluctant to leave his village.

The plot transforms into a breakneck, international manhunt, contrasting Amy's modern, high-octane security skills with Steve's old-school, meticulous police instinct and observation. Aided by the delightfully over-the-top Rosie, the duo flies from South Carolina to St. Lucia, Ireland, and Dubai, attempting to unravel a global money-laundering and smuggling operation orchestrated by the shadowy criminal mastermind, François Loubet.

The murders are revealed to be connected to Loubet using unwitting social media influencers as couriers for his illicit cash, and Amy's security firm was unknowingly at the heart of the scheme. The climax sees Amy and Steve racing to unmask the true identity of Loubet, who is closer to their circle than they could have imagined.

The novel is a thrilling blend of international espionage and a heartfelt story about the power of family bonds, marked by Richard Osman's signature wit, warmth, and keen eye for the eccentricities of human nature. It establishes Amy, Steve, and Rosie as a charming and highly capable new trio in the world of crime-solving.

Comments:

Books that we've read by Richard Osman (4):
The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1) (2020), The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2) (2021), The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club, #3) (2022), The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4) (2023)