I am a huge, shouting, fervent fan of Richard Osman as he has fully captured his heart with the funny charming and heartwarming “Thursday Murder Club” book series. I was dismayed to learn he was taking a break from writing it, but obviously open to reading anything he wanted to put out there. As we often say to our son, I was “impressed, but not surprised” that I loved this first installment of a new series and will continue loudly telling everyone to read any and all of these books.
If you liked Thursday Murder Club, I’d be shocked if you didn’t like this too, as he has taken the same humor, sass, heart and convenient coincidences that he has put to work previously, but applied those characteristics to new characters in new situations. And if you haven’t reach Thursday Murder Club well, good news, you’ve got 4 of those to read after you read this one!
Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life in his small English village, well, as best as he can. He loves his cantankerous cat and weekly trivia at the pub, but he misses his dearly departed wife and spends his days as a retired investigator investigating the small mysteries of daily life (money missing in the till, missing pets) and recording voice memos to his wife. A bright spot in his day is Amy Wheeler, his daughter-in-law, who is a successful private security officer based in London who keeps in frequent touch. They have long conversations about everything and nothing. But when her assignment on a small island off the cost of the Carolinas to protect a world famous author becomes a globe trotting cat and mouse game to clear her name, she turns to the only person she trusts, Steve. He’s relucant to leave his quiet life, but can’t say no to Amy, so he joins her on the case which will lead them from Ireland to Dubai and more.
Let me be clear, I was VERY annoyed when Osman said he had written the last (GASP) book in the Thursday Murder Club series…though he has walked that back a little now. But if putting a pin in that gives us We Solve Murders and more of Steve and Amy? SIGN ME UP. It was a fun ride, a laugh riot even, one I am DESPERATE to talk about, so if you read it pleeeeeeease let me know.