BookBrowse Reviews We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

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Bestselling author Richard Osman departs from his Thursday Murder Club series with a new thriller.

British TV personality and author Richard Osman takes a break from his Thursday Murder Club books with the thriller We Solve Murders, the first entry in a new series. The plot revolves around three main characters. Amy Wheeler works for close-protection agency Maximum Impact Security, which provides bodyguards to the rich and famous. Her current charge, Rosie D'Antonio, is a bestselling author who offended a Russian oligarch in her last novel. He's threatened to kill her, so the pair are hanging out on a private island while Amy's boss, Jeff, seeks to mediate a truce. Maximum Impact has begun to take on internet influencers as clients, but three have recently been murdered in dramatic ways (the latest was "shot in the head, tied to a rope and thrown from a yacht bobbing about in the Atlantic"). Realizing that she's been in the area when each of the crimes has been committed, Amy has a gut feeling she's being set up as the murderer. Her hunch is confirmed when she becomes a target. She turns to her father-in-law Steve, an ex-cop and the only person she trusts, for help investigating the crimes. Rosie, who's rather bored with being stuck on the island, insists on tagging along for the adventure, and the trio begin a madcap romp across the globe, searching for clues while staying one step ahead of the assassin.

Humor is perhaps one of the most challenging things to capture in writing, yet Osman's ability to convey funny conversations and situations is a real highlight. What we consider funny is individual, of course, but I found the author's dry wit hilarious. At one point a hitman has captured the trio and is about to kill Steve and Amy. Rosie tells him to go ahead: "Ah but...what would you do with me afterward? You see, you've been expressly forbidden from killing me, and yet I will know that you killed my friends, and I will, of course, hunt you down and have you tortured and then murdered. I am fabulously wealthy and I thrive on revenge." In another section, a middleman, who also happens to be a DJ, thinks, "While DJing is not a bad business, murdering people for a living is great business. Robust. Recession-proof." And still later, during an attempted break-in: "Do you know how to pick loc—" Rosie's question is interrupted by Amy taking a large rock and smashing the back window of a suspect named Scroggie. "Ah, I see you do."

I also thought the author's use of current technology to further the storyline was inspired. The whole plot revolves around social influencers and how they build a following, for example. The villain disguises his identity by using ChatGPT to rewrite his emails "as a friendly English gentleman," and doorbell cams play a significant role as well. On the other end of the spectrum, Steve adorably uses a Dictaphone to record his notes on the case.

The other aspect of the novel that makes it a stand-out is the characters. The protagonists are richly drawn, to be sure, and Rosie in particular is a hoot as a Jackie Collins clone. I especially enjoyed the fact that the two women are portrayed as largely cool-headed; it's the recently widowed Steve who is the sensitive one of the group and this character's journey through his grief adds depth to the story. Beyond the major characters, the narrative abounds with others that are equally well-rounded. An airport security officer who appears on just a few pages leaves an indelible image, and the same is true of a taxi driver, a flight attendant, a drug dealer, and a self-help guru named Barb the Gray Panther ("Why not Silver Panther? Wouldn't that be cooler?" "I'm afraid you must be known by whichever spirit calls you…and besides, it's on all my business cards, so too late.")

The author writes in short sentences, and his chapters are brief as well. At times the narrative can therefore feel a little choppy, but the technique also helps the pages fly by.

Although even the minor characters are memorable, there are a lot of them, and from time to time I had to go back to remind myself who was who. The mystery at the heart of the book is overly complex, too, and a few of the plot points are a bit outlandish when all's said and done. I must admit, though, that I honestly didn't care about these flaws. The book was just so much darn fun that it left me smiling in a way few do these days; it was the perfect escape.

I haven't read Osman's previous novels (a situation I plan to remedy shortly) but others have mentioned that We Solve Murders is much less "cozy" than his Thursday Murder Club books. It's considerably faster-paced with more violence (although nothing terribly graphic). Nevertheless, I think fans of the other series will enjoy this one every bit as much, particularly because the brilliantly quirky characters and witty banter the author is known for are so well represented. It's likely to earn Osman a legion of new fans, too, as readers discover what a delightful writer he is. This is a fun, fast read, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a book that's simply entertaining.

This review first ran in the September 18, 2024 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.