We Chase Shadows

We Solve Murders #2

by Richard Osman

#1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Osman’s globe-trotting series We Solve Murders returns with the thrilling new mystery, We Chase Shadows.

Back together.
Back on the case.
And back to solving murders . . .

At sunrise, high in the Italian hills, a body is found on the steps of a beautiful private villa. On the body is a threatening note, signed by a mystery man.

Back at We Solve Murders HQ, Amy, Rosie, and Steve leap at the chance to take on their first proper case. So what if their new client seems to have his own reasons for avoiding the police? All they need to do is uncover who left the note, and then find them. Simple.

But once they start digging, the suspects keep piling up: there’s Sweden’s most-wanted criminal, a canny ex-wife and a fierce business rival – yet the murderer keeps evading them. And as the trio chase a villain through the shadows, danger travels closer to home . . .

Between Italy and Palm Springs, via Barcelona and Steve’s village pub, can the team catch an elusive killer who knows EXACTLY where to hide?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Crime

345 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2026

About the author

Richard Osman is an author and television presenter. His novels, The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, and The Last Devil to Die, were number one, million-copy international bestsellers as well as New York Times bestsellers. He lives in London with his wife, Ingrid, and Liesl the cat.

Reviews

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo)]

As a big fan of Richard Osman’s “Thursday Murder Club” books ”, I was so excited to get a copy of the second installment to his “We Solve Murders” series that I moved it straight to the top of my toppling TBR pile! 📚 And, it’s NOW AVAILABLE!

Quick recap without spoilers for book one’s case:

When we left off, in the first story, Steve Wheeler, a former cop who was doing investigations in his spare time, had teamed up with his daughter-in-law Amy Wheeler, who had been most recently employed as a Private Security officer protecting World Famous, best-selling author Rosie D’ Antonio, to form a new investigation agency called “We Solve Murders”, bankrolled by Rosie.

Now:

The name of the agency “We Solve Murders” is a bit misleading, as they had not solved any murders in the SIX MONTHS since they opened their doors, but surely it’s just a matter of time.

Fortunately, an appearance for Rosie on Graham Norton’s TV show-to promote her latest book-will lead to their first official case.

A “soft” Criminal, Vern Blackwood, has just found the corpse of his bodyguard, Esteban on the doorstep of his Italian Villa. But the corpse isn’t the worst of it-the note in Esteban’s pocket informing Vern that he will be next is what is really concerning, but he doesn’t want to involve local Police for obvious reasons.

So he hires “We Solve Murders” after seeing Rosie on TV, to find out who killed Esteban and who wants him dead.

The case will take the team (and us) around the globe-from England to Italy, Palm Springs to Stockholm, and to Malaga (Spain).

We will be reunited with some other supporting characters from the first book, and Rosie will enlist help from a new character, a friend from Interpol-Ernesto Manuelo Santiago de Sousa de Cuellar.

We won’t get to know Steve’s son (and Amy’s husband) Adam much better but we get some insight into how their marriage survives despite the two rarely being in the same place and why Amy doesn’t let anyone get TOO close to her, including her husband Adam.

Filled with Richard Osman’s trademark HUMOR and plenty of pop culture references to our favorite TV shows, (and even a well known author) we know that these characters are living in our current World and close to Cooper’s Chase, and we are promised at least a cameo from a character in this story in the next Thursday Murder Club book, which will be released next-but to tell you WHO it is would be a spoiler! 🤐

Entertaining from start to finish, I enjoyed this COZY caper, and I look forward to getting to know these characters better in future installments, as I don’t find myself quite as attached to them as I am to the residents of our favorite Retirement Community (YET!)

Review for We Solve Murders: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thank You to Richard Osman and Penguin for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

[Darla]

All the stars for the We Solve Murders bunch. Richard Osman has given us another winner!😻

Move over Thursday Murder Club. There's a new series I like even more and it's by the same author.

Here are some things that make this read amazing:

🧳Our cast is on the case and travelling all over the world. Lucca (Tuscany), Stockholm, Malaga, Palm Springs, and multiple sites in England are all on their itinerary. Osman enjoyed writing about places he has visited and I loved the variety.

🤩Speaking of variety -- our savvy set of sleuths is of varied ages. STEVE is a retired police officer. AMY is his DIL and a formerly in the protection business. ROSIE will not disclose her exact age, but she remembers the 70's. Their personalities and skill sets are also very different. Each one makes a special contribution to the team effort.

😁The dialogue in this book put a big smile on my face. Even the supporting characters get some fabulous lines like this one from a shady con man: The way in is through the grandkids, make them fall in love with you and the kids will follow. Maybe read the bedtime stories a little less aggressively.

🐈‍⬛TROUBLES continues to shine as Steve's beloved cat. He even helps Steve make a major breakthrough and helps solve some of the murders.

⇆ Crossover character anyone? In the Acknowlegments, Richard Osman promises that we will see a character from this book in the next Thursday Murder Club book. I will be watching!

Happy Publication Day (September 15, 2026). Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Dee (in the desert)]

4 solid stars for Richard Osman's "We Solve Murders" series, second installment, "We Chase Shadows" with MC's, former bodyguard Amy Wheeler; her retired cop father-in-law, Steve Wheeler; and bestselling author Rosie D’Antonio, whose's funding their new PI agency focused solely on solving murders, of course! In this one, a rich Italian criminal hires them to find out who shot one of his bodyguards and left a threatening note. Solving the case will take them to Palm Springs, Sweden, Italy, Spain and more, all to Steve’s great frustration, as he'd much rather be in his pub with his mate! Also, I really enjoyed the author's note which had a nice shout out to my former library in Rancho Mirage, CA!!! Osman's got another fun group of sleuths with a lot of quirky charm and his trademark humor, but I did feel that there's a LOT of slowness in the middle and the plot's weaker than I expect, so while it's no "Thursday Murder Club", it's still a perfectly serviceable mystery. I'll continue to read the series and look forward to the promised next "TMC"!

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread)]

Oh this was fun! I do love reading Richard Osmans books, be it the Thursday Murder Club or this follow up We Solve Murders. I feel quite attached to all of his characters now, getting to know them better in each book.

In We Chase Shadows, Amy, Steve and Rosie finally have a murder to solve with their agency. A very rich criminal in Italy has hired them to find out who shot one of his bodyguards, and left a menacing note behind. The case takes them to Palm Springs to Sweden, to Italy to Spain and back again, much to Steve’s annoyance. There are some familiar faces from the previous book which was lovely.

You know that the body count is going to rise, it is a shady world they are working in. I loved getting more inside these characters heads and what they are thinking in this book. Amy, Rosie and Steve are an unlikely trio but somehow it works. They do have their loyalty to each other in common and I just loved it.

I do read a lot of crime fiction and I love how Richard Osman makes a dark subject somehow feel like a cozy mystery, full of loveable characters and humour, I laughed out loud so many times, wanting to read parts to my husband but couldn’t as he will want to enjoy this book for himself.

Thank you so much to Penguin Books Australia for my early copy of this delightful book to read.

[V]

i've got the arc. WE'RE SO BACKKKK

My 'We Solve Murders' review.

[Katie B]

Thank you Viking for sending me a free copy!

Steve, Amy, and Rosie are back and their We Solve Murders agency is open for business but they are in need of their first big case. Oddly enough a criminal hires them after a a body turns up on his property along with a mysterious note. He doesn’t want to go to the police so now the investigative team has a case to solve that will take them all over the world.

Even though it’s a sequel, you could read it as a standalone mystery. Keep in mind, you’d miss out on some bits of info about the characters. So basically it’s helpful to read the books in order to get the full scope but not required.

The humor was in full force and had me smiling throughout. The mystery is decent but it’s the characters that are the draw here. Their interactions, the banter, and the sweet moments that pop up every once in awhile are the heart of the series.

Worth picking up if you are looking for a fun read.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The We Solve Murders gang returns as bona fide detectives. This time around I was slightly less enchanted with everyone. Still enjoyed the writing and the great murder mysteries that I did not solve ahead of their reveals. The author continues to do a fantastic job of evoking empathy for his characters, even with the ones who were borderline annoying. If you enjoy this author's other books, you will also enjoy this one. Reading the Acknowledgements, as one should always do, learned there will be a new The Thursday Murder Club book next year, yay!

Posting this review as Marked as Read without a star rating and will add GR stars once the book is published and use my own in the meantime.

Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book through NetGalley from Pamela Dorman Books/Viking/Penguin Random House (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

[Manon (mysterymanon)]

You all know how much I love Richard Osman—WE CHASE SHADOWS brings back this cast of characters, including Rosie, whom I’ve grown quite fond of. I adore Osman’s trademark wit and humor, with a touch of emotion, and I’m happy to report that this book includes all of the above.

I hate to say it, but it was the plot that dragged for me. Usually I read his books very quickly but for some reason this one just didn’t grab me the same way. It picked up at the end and the conclusion was certainly satisfying, so that was nice.

Overall, a good opportunity to reconnect with Rosie, Amy, and Steve, and a mystery that sagged in the middle but still ended nicely.

[Kait]

Don’t let my 3 stars get’cha down! I liked Osman’s writing style and how he focuses on old people getting a second wind in their later years, gallivanting ‘round the globe and solving murders while making witty remarks and/or having a philosophical ponder. But this hit me like a sophomore slump (just not as good as the first) with the modern references (it takes me out of a story when a released within the last 6 months TV show is referenced by name), one of the characters contemplating death, and a plot that sort of meandered all over the place. I would absolutely love to see what happens next because I do like the core trio (Steve, Rosie, and Amy), but this one disappointed me just a smidge. Got an ARC from the publisher!

[Chelsea Walker]

WE CHASE SHADOWS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Release Date 9/15/26. Richard Osman continues to write in a way that leaves me laughing, crying and unable to put down the book, eagerly awaiting the next twist and turn. His books I never devour to simply finish, I just HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. Steve, Rosie and Amy are at it again. Resolve Murders agency has been, well lacking any murders to solve. But, when Rosie makes a very public appearance a longtime criminal reaches out for some assistance the police simply shouldn’t be involved with.

I absolutely loved it, did not guess the ending, and there was a connection in the end that just made me so happy. Witty, adventure, twisty, emotional all my favorite feelings in 368 pages.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Celine]

effortlessly charming and lovely, as usual. i had the best time with this one!

[Sian Isabella]

4.25 ⭐

[suspenseisthrillingme]

Packed with Richard Osman’s trademark witty banter and dry, British humor, We Chase Shadows was yet another fun murder mystery from this insanely talented author. From the warm-and-lovable feel of this tight-knit group of friends to the increasingly high stakes of the globe-hopping cat-and-mouse games, there was plenty to keep my attention firmly glued to the pages. I mean, who could resist a motley crew of amateur sleuths—and their friends—with a found-family vibe? Endearing, quirky, and truly memorable, Amy, Rosie, and Steve were one of the strongest pieces to this easy escapist read. All senior-aged but also skilled, formidable investigators, they were the kind of badass characters I love. Combined with a puzzle box of a mystery that was as twisty as it was satisfying, this book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. After all, that final revelation plastered a Cheshire Cat-like smile right on my face.

In spite of how much fun I had with this second book in the We Solve Murders series, though, I do have to say that the middle did drag for me just a bit. That being said, this cast still kept my attention from wavering as they looked for answers from Palm Springs to the countryside of England. Besides, that ending had a big, giant *mic drop* kind of twist that I didn’t see coming at all. Along with the cleverly plotted, action-packed last third, it made me easily fall head over heels for this story by the end. Taking tongue-in-cheek charm and somehow pairing it with emotional depth, this cozy-ish mystery-slash-lighthearted crime thriller was perfect for a one-sitting read. You see, not only was there intrigue, murder, and mayhem, but I couldn’t help but think of it as The Thursday Murder Club with just a dash of Jack Reacher energy, thanks to the grittier crime element. So go on. Order it now. It was a truly good time. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Read if you’re a fan of:
- Globe-hopping manhunts
- Dry, British humor
- A found-family vibe
- Witty banter
- Cat-and-mouse games
- Murder mysteries
- Eccentric characters
- Multiple POVs
- A lighthearted feel
- Amateur sleuthing
- Short chapters
- Unguessable twists

SYNOPSIS:

At sunrise, high in the Italian hills, a body is found on the steps of a beautiful private villa. On the body is a threatening note, signed by a mystery man.

Back at We Solve Murders HQ, Amy, Rosie, and Steve leap at the chance to take on their first proper case. So what if their new client seems to have his own reasons for avoiding the police? All they need to do is uncover who left the note, and then find them. Simple.

But once they start digging, the suspects keep piling up: there’s Sweden’s most-wanted criminal, a canny ex-wife and a fierce business rival—yet the murderer keeps evading them. And as the trio chase a villain through the shadows, danger travels closer to home…

Between Italy and Palm Springs, via Barcelona and Steve’s village pub, can the team catch an elusive killer who knows EXACTLY where to hide?

Thank you Richard Osman and Pamela Dorman Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: September 15, 2026

Content warning: murder, violence, gun violence, mention of: death of a spouse

[Alisha]

Richard Osman brings an irresistible comic sensibility to what would otherwise be somewhat rough-and-tough crime plots. I normally err on the side of cozy when it comes to choosing a mystery novel, and his books are far from stereotypically cozy, but they have a heart and they manage to make you care, as well as chuckle quite a lot.
Osman pulls this off again in the second installment of the We Solve Murders series, where the unlikely trio of Steve (retired policeman who loves his cat and hates hot places), Amy (his daughter-in-law who'd easily choose chasing down an armed crime boss over talking about her feelings), and Rosie (a best-selling crime novelist whose real age is anyone's guess and who has her calculating eye on every man she meets) takes on the case of a murdered bodyguard.

Short chapters and lots of zany juxtaposition between the mundane and the atrocious make the pages fly by. I really enjoy Osman's style.

Thanks to Viking Penguin & Pamela Dorman Books for this advance review copy via Netgalley! All opinions are my own.

[Robin (Bridge Four)]

Thursday Murder Club you better watch out because We Solve Murders is stealing your top spot.

“Murders are a bit like selling Rolls-Royces. You don’t have to solve many of them to make a living.”<

I didn't think that Richard Osman could build a crew I liked better than the Thursday Murder Club but with Rosie, Amy and Steve...well he might have done it. What a different crew who ultimately fit together in fun and exciting ways. Rosie is the life of the party, always up for a good time and living like she is in her twenties, when she is probably somewhere in her sixties or older. Really she isn't telling and even her detective partners can't seem to lock it down. Amy is a force of nature in the security game. I love how her mind works in dangerous situations. Amy is broken but has found the best husband that really seems to get her. I adore that they don't really have a conventional marriage and it is something that works for them. Steve breaks my heart a little. As a widower still talking to his wife after her death and jumping in with Amy and Rosie to start this new venture in his retirement he brings the true heart to the team. I love that he and Amy, his daughter in law have this great bond, it adds so much to the story.

“I know it’s murder that’s brought us all together,” says Amy, as more laughs drift through to the kitchen. “But I was just thinking this must be what family feels like.”
Steve puts his arm around her. This wonderful woman who has known such trouble and keeps it all locked up inside. “Ames, this isn’t what family feels like,” he says. “This is family.”

It is just fun hanging out with the team and they try and solve their first murder case since creating this venture. There are so many deep thoughts and funny lines as we dig into the characters and travel with them while they uncover this mystery step by step. Orsman's writing flows and I feel like I'm in the story with the characters getting ready to go to the local pub for quiz night.

And Steve was driving because Rosie is insufficiently respectful toward the Highway Code, believing it to be voluntary and very much “for other people.”

This story isn't just about the murders. Sure that part was solid plot with some clues and then the big reveal at the end. But it is about the three people solving the murder and a few of the other people in their lives. There is just some magic the the quirky, absolutely bonkers and funny characters and shenanigans.

“Revenge is more fun in the mind than in reality,” says Steve. “Thinking of ways of killing someone is like looking at houses on those websites. Actually killing someone is like buying a house. Money, lawyers, stress.”

If you enjoyed the cast of characters over at Coopers Chase I think you are also going to love hanging out this this crew...and dare I hope there might be a little crossover story someday??? Well I do dare to dream, but that might be too much fun for even me.

[Christine]

4.5 stars
I enjoyed the first book in this series, but I really loved this one. It could be because now I'm familiar with the three main characters, Amy, Steve, and Rosie but things just clicked for me when reading this sequel. The premise of the book is that retired police officer Steve Wheeler, his security officer daughter-in-law Amy, and best-selling author Rosie D'Antonio, have joined forces to form a detective agency. Their personalities and working styles are so different, but together they are a formidable team when it comes to solving suspicious deaths and will travel the world to do so, even if Steve would rather stay in England for his weekly pub quiz and his cat. In this book, they're hired by someone who finds a body in his Italian villa, but doesn't want the police involved even though his life could be in danger.

The chase for a killer leads our detectives across Europe and to Palm Springs in the U.S. This suspenseful book has equal parts action and humor and a clever plot with a few different twists and turns. I enjoyed this book so much and love spending time with these characters. I was laughing throughout the story and closed the book with a smile on my face. If you're also a fan of Osman's Thursday Murd3r Club series, don't miss the author's note at the end.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from Viking Books, Pamela Dorman Books, and NetGalley. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Spad53]

I think there is some hesitation for lovers of The Thursday Murder Club to take this series to their hearts, and to them (my wife included), I say, have no fear.
This series is just as good; the main characters are actually more believable, well until you look closer.
An ex-policeman, a bodyguard, and a novelist, make sense in a detective agency, except they’re stranger, than they are in the Thursday Murder Club. I can understand how Steve (ex-policeman) works, but Amy (bodyguard) is beyond me, yet she's still my favorite . Rosie the novellist is great too.
The story is way too complicated of course, but I guess thats what we're here for, I did appreciate the clarification chapters at the end, it actually all made sense.
On the detective scale of frivolousness, this is definitely on the Midsomer Murders side, but so much better.  
Well written, funny and impossible to put down, an easy five for me.

PS. The author threatens some overlap between the two series in the next Thursday Murder Club book, coming next year, which is a good reason to read We Solve Murders.

[Sage]

Thanks for the review copy, PRH!

So delighted to be back in the We Solve Murders world!! Amy, Rosie, and Steve are so great. I won’t lie, I barely remember the first book and I didn’t write a review because my brother was in the hospital and it was a bad time! BUT I don’t think it really mattered, this book recapped enough of the first one where I just dove back into this world and these characters.

I loved getting to learn a bit more of Amy’s background (her childhood!!! 😭), and her relationship with Adam. Steve’s friendship with Tony was so heartwarming, and Rosie’s publishing side quest was so interesting as she grappled with how the industry has changed in 25 years.

The gang once again flew all over the world (we love a private jet, wow!!) to Italy and Palm Springs and Sweden and Malaga and back to the UK. I found the core mystery to be a little convoluted but I mostly managed to follow.

Parts that resonated with me (non-spoiler quotes!) are here:

✨ “So you solve murders," says Graham. "And what's the agency called?"

“We Solve Murders."

“Fairly on the nose, then?" says Graham. Rosie smiles.

"Says the man hosting the Graham Norton Show." (Chapter 5) LOL

✨ "I just think what's the harm? No one ever died from having too much money, and millions die from not having enough." "Have you ever thought," says Steve, "that the reason so many people die from not having enough money is that some people have too much?" (Chapter 26)

✨ "I know it's murder that's brought us all together," says Amy, as more laughs drift through to the kitchen.
"But I was just thinking this must be what family feels like." Steve puts his arm around her. This wonderful woman who has known such trouble and keeps it all locked up inside. "Ames, this isn't what family feels like," he says. "This is family." (Chapter 26) 🥹🥹🥹

✨ “What he'd like to do most of all is go home, have a glass of whisky, curl up on the bed with Trouble and never wake up. That's the dream. He could never tell anyone that of course. No one would understand, and no one would forgive him. Debbie understands it, but she would also never forgive it. And that's why Steve wakes up day after day. Living is impossible, dying is frowned upon, and those are his only two options.”
….
“Is it just for Debbie that he wakes up every day? It's for Amy too, he guesses. She'd be furious if he died. Adam would be too, no one wants to be an orphan, but Amy would be worse. Actually, as would Rosie. If there was ever anyone who held life dear, it's Rosie. Perhaps he's staying alive for her too? They couldn't really run We Solve Murders without him, could they? If any one of them died, the thing would fall apart. People need him for now, and perhaps that's enough? Life itself isn't enough to hold you captive, but love is.” (Chapter 44) THIS IS SO RELATABLE!!!!!!!

✨ “That's what makes them a great team. Rosie will sleep with you, Amy will hit you, Steve will tell you a fact about public transport. They've got all angles covered.” (Chapter 64)

✨ "There's a place I fancy. It's got allotments, and you get to keep the gardens nice. That would suit me…Just across the border, in Kent. A retirement village. They say it's good fun." (epilogue) 👀👀👀 will [redacted] have a cameo in the next Thursday Murder Club book?! Yay!

[Hannah]

The latest instalment of The We Solve Murders team in We Chase Shadows. It's brilliant to catch up with the trio again. Steve possibly the most likeable of the three. The one almost everyone can relate to. He's an incredible part of the team. That and his cat Trouble.
While my favourite is Amy still very much with the fire in her belly as last time. Still loving the relationship between her and Adam. The copper incident is one of the best parts of the story.
Then Rosie being Rosie even when she could meet a tragic end. The twist in that part to who ends up still speaking to who is a story in itself.
Fantastic read once again. Still have the joy of the audio to come and the Graham Norton impression.

[Dayle (the literary llama)]

I binged this one in a single day on the beach and it was a brilliant way to relax and be entertained. Richard Osman delivers another great adventure and mystery for these characters, solidifying the series.

It doesn’t take off quite as quickly as book one, takes a second to get back in the swing, but the style and short chapters, the mix of POVs, keep everything flowing really well. The individual emotional struggles of Amy, Steve, and Rosie neatly balance the murder, mayhem, and globetrotting. It’s humorous and dangerous for everyone involved. Absolutely entertaining.

I can’t wait for more!

* I received a free early copy from the publisher

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

On the positive side, I enjoyed this more than the first book in the series. But I don't think I will ever warm to this series as much as the Thursday Murder Club books. The characters are not as engaging to me. When I read that this was a father-in-law and daughter-in-law book, I was hoping for more of a family feel. It's hard to remember that these two are more than colleagues. Is this the stiff upper lip? Tony and Felicity were a bright spot, though. More of them, please!

I also wish we'd get one book in either of these series that didn't have smugglers, drug kingpins, hit men, Swedish criminal masterminds, etc. How about a granny who makes poisoned jam?

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

[Mande]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I ended up DNF this title. Too many characters for me to keep track of, and while I appreciate the witty dialogue, it was just also too much for me. I'm a mood reader, so not necessarily faulting the book here. I enjoyed the first installment in this series, but frankly I didn't care what happened to the characters this time around. Hopefully fans of Richard Osman will like this one, but it wasn't for me!

[Anna]

Sorry to this man but I’m just bored of these books. I lose track of who the characters are because they’re so dull and two dimensional, to be honest I didn’t really care with this one how the murders would be resolved. However it still gets 3 stars from me because I like short chapters and it was a relatively quick read. I was telling myself whilst reading it that maybe this was the end of me and Richard’s books but unfortunately I think that’s not true and I’ll be back again next year

[Andie Wilkinson]

Richard Osman can do no wrong in my eyes, his murder mysteries are so much fun, and unexpectedly heartwarming. I’m so attached to all the characters it’s ridiculous. I also genuinely laughed out loud at some parts so the man has jokes fr

[MrsHarvieReads]

Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books for an advanced reader copy of We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

We Chase Shadows is the second book in the We Solve Murders series. I had such fun catching up with the We Solve Murders crew: Steve, Amy, and Rosie, as well as their adorable sidekicks, and following along with the latest series of murders to solve. In this latest novel, the team travels between Italy, Sweden, Barcelona, Palm Springs, and Steve’s hometown to catch an elusive killer and drug dealer.

I’ve now read all seven of Mr. Osman’s novels, and am blown away by his ability to consistently deliver smart and entertaining stories. I adore his combination of suspense, dry British humor, and endearingly odd friendships. As with his previous novels, it’s best read them in order, as the characters are given more layered backstories and become even more charming. This book was a fantastic reminder of how talented this author is and how truly enjoyable reading can be. 4.5/5⭐️

[Jacob Stelling]

I really enjoyed this book, which was the second in the We Solve Murders series. It is trademark Osman, just more jet setting and bloody than we’re used to! I love the subtle humour, and the way the main characters reflect British society in a very understated way.

I struggled to settle on a rating for this one. I did really enjoy it, but as a thriller, is it really a 5 star read? Maybe not. I just don’t feel the same connection to the characters as the usual Coopers Chase gang, as likeable as Steve, Rosie and Amy are.

That being said, this is definitely a fantastic book, and I look forward to the next one.

[Charlotte Maidment]

Genuinely one of my favourite Osman books yet. I just love how he writes his characters. They feel so real and likeable and I want to join Steve at a pub quiz SO BADLY!

The writing, the twists just everything was incredible! How am I meant to read another book now?

[Tanja Elín Sigurgrímsdóttir]

Fyndin, skemmtileg og spennandi! Ennþá skemmtilegri en fyrri!

[Me, My Shelf, & I]

This was... fine. Just fine.

Idk, I really, really loved The Thursday Murder Club series and have recommended it to loads of people. I always let folks know that the first book is decent, but the series really doesn't find its footing until book 2. So I figured when I didn't immediately love We Solve Murders that it's okay, it'll get better in the next book and I just have to be patient.

Well, I can't say that patience paid off. I re-read the first book and think I'd lower my rating to a 2.5-3/5, and this sequel held my attention even less, I reckon. Don't get me wrong, it still has all the characteristics of Osman's writing style; I just think maybe I'm over it? I don't love these characters and I think the mystery elements are as strong as they ever were (which is to say not all that interesting and really just part of the formula of writing a mystery novel).

I also noticed a lot more little pro-copaganda throwaway lines, and I feel like AI is mentioned way too often in both of these WSM books. It's not a huge amount, just kinda exhausting and makes me grumpy when I'm already not feeling immersed in/enjoying the book.

TMC will always be a series that I love, but I think this might be the last Osman that I read ouside of TMC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for granting me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nat]

This was a bit disappointing, as I typically really enjoy Richard Osman's books and really liked the character dynamics in the first book of this series.

The mystery here was a bit of a dud and somewhat predictable given the few characters on the page, besides our main trio. It's pretty forgettable.

We didn't get the depth of insights into the characters as we did in the first book, and where we did, we didn't get the later payoff. For instance, a side plot for Amy is that she and her husband (Steve's son) are approaching their seven-year anniversary and she's feeling a bit of anxiety given her neglected childhood. Yet once we get to the payoff moment, we don't ever really get her insights on this again. It's like her anxiety was the set-up for a red herring in the main mystery plot, and once that was revealed to be a false alarm, we never really touched on that part of her character arc again. Steve, meanwhile, still misses his dead wife dearly (enough where he himself thinks it would be okay to no longer be alive), yet he goes on a strange non-date-but-maybe-date with a maybe suspect? It just didn't make a lot of sense. Another plot point relies on someone being incapable of serving in the military or shooting a gun anymore—yet they are also obsessed with a shoot-em-up action film that they watch repeatedly. Again, it didn't make sense, and was only there because the gunshots from the action film were a necessary plot point.

All that said, there were funny moments throughout, and some touching ones as well. That's especially true with Rosie, who's facing obsolescence in her career and the inevitable decline of age (not that she'd admit to being old). Those character vulnerabilities redeemed the story at times.

Even though this wasn't my favorite, I like this author and will continue to read this and the Thursday Murder Club series.

I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.