Book overview Richard Osman

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – A Complete Study Companion

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Quick Facts

Item Detail
Publication Year 2024
Genre Cosy mystery, crime thriller
Setting South Carolina, England, Ireland, Dubai, St Lucia
Narrator Third-person omniscient

Short Summary

When a series of influencer murders is linked to her high-profile client, bodyguard Amy Wheeler finds herself framed for three deaths. She must clear her name with the help of her retired-detective father-in-law, Steve Wheeler, and famous novelist Rosie D’Antonio. Together they follow a trail of blood evidence, money-laundering, and digital deception that leads from private islands to Dubai. The trio uncovers a mastermind using ChatGPT to hide his identity and a network of unwitting couriers. In the end, they expose the real killer, prove Amy’s innocence, and launch a new detective agency called “We Solve Murders.”

Full Summary

We Solve Murders opens with a prologue establishing that the criminal François Loubet uses ChatGPT to rewrite his communications, erasing his linguistic fingerprint. The first chapter then introduces the murder of Instagram influencer Andrew Fairbanks – shot, tied to a rope, and thrown overboard a yacht off South Carolina. The only clue is a leather holdall containing nearly one million dollars.

Bodyguard Amy Wheeler is on a private island guarding novelist Rosie D’Antonio, who is being threatened by a Russian oligarch. Amy’s boss, Jeff Nolan, is CEO of Maximum Impact Solutions, a close-protection firm. Amy learns that Fairbanks was a client of Maximum Impact and that two other Platinum clients – Bella Sanchez and Mark Gooch – have also been killed. Each murder happened near Amy, making her the prime suspect.

Steve Wheeler, Amy’s father-in-law and a retired Met detective, lives a quiet life in Axley, recording messages to his late wife Debbie on his Dictaphone. He becomes worried when Amy’s messages turn cryptic. After Jeff Nolan is ambushed and goes missing, Steve agrees to help. He flies to South Carolina and meets Amy and Rosie. Together they investigate the murders, discovering that someone is planting Amy’s blood at each crime scene.

The investigation takes them from St Lucia to Ireland to Dubai. They encounter a web of suspects: François Loubet, the elusive money-launderer; Rob Kenna, a DJ-turned-murder-broker; Eddie Flood, a hitman with a hidden agenda; and Max Highfield, a celebrity actor who may be connected. Steve slowly pieces together the identity of “Joe Blow,” the inside man at Maximum Impact. Meanwhile, Amy is framed for the murders and must stay one step ahead of the police.

In the climax, Steve confronts Mickey Moody (alias François Loubet) in a Dubai pub, forcing a confession using video evidence. Back in Axley, the team reconciles. The epilogue reveals the fates of the conspirators. Susan Knox, the true inside person, is arrested. The final chapter shows Steve on his bench, talking to Debbie. She tells him to live. He agrees to go into business with Amy and Rosie, naming their agency “We Solve Murders.” Their first case is a news presenter killed in Turkmenistan.

Main Characters

  • Amy Wheeler – A highly capable bodyguard framed for three murders. She relies on her training and a six-point checklist to survive.
  • Steve Wheeler – Amy’s father-in-law, a retired police detective. He uses his investigative instincts and Dictaphone to record clues and messages to his deceased wife Debbie.
  • Rosie D’Antonio – A famous novelist who becomes Amy’s client and active partner. Her fame opens doors and her instincts often prove correct.
  • François Loubet (Mickey Moody) – The mastermind money-launderer who uses aliases and ChatGPT to avoid detection. He orchestrates the framing of Amy.
  • Rob Kenna – A Dubai-based DJ and murder broker hired by Loubet to eliminate Amy. He is eventually killed by Loubet.
  • Jeff Nolan – CEO of Maximum Impact Solutions. He fakes his own death after being targeted, then helps expose the conspiracy.
  • Henk van Veen – Jeff’s former business partner. He initially appears suspicious but later helps the team.
  • Susan Knox – Jeff’s assistant who is revealed as the inside person (“Joe Blow”) helping Loubet.
  • Eddie Flood – A hitman hired to kill Amy, but he misses on purpose because he is secretly a writer seeking Rosie’s critique.
  • Felicity Woollaston – A lonely talent agent whose agency, Vivid Viral Media, is used as a front for money laundering.

Themes

  • Grief – Steve’s ongoing mourning for Debbie shapes his emotional arc. His reluctance to leave home and his Dictaphone messages reflect his attachment to the past.
  • Trust and Betrayal – Amy must navigate a web of deception, questioning the loyalty of colleagues, clients, and even her own instincts as she is framed for murders.
  • Fame and Social Media – The story critiques influencer culture and the fleeting nature of online fame, using the murder of Instagram star Andrew Fairbanks as a central plot point.
  • Justice and Redemption – Characters seek personal justice for wrongs, from Mollie Bright’s bullying to Bonnie Gregor’s moral dilemma with stolen money.
  • Identity and Deception – François Loubet uses ChatGPT and multiple aliases to conceal his identity, while characters like Eddie Flood hide their true intentions.

Symbols

  • Dictaphone – Steve’s constant companion for recording observations and messages to his deceased wife, symbolizing his attachment to the past and his investigative method.
  • Leather holdall – The distinctive bag found at multiple crime scenes, containing money and linking the influencer murders through its identical design.
  • Trouble the cat – Steve’s pet cat that provides comfort and symbolizes home and routine, contrasting with the chaos of the investigation.
  • Krusher Energy Drink – A branded product repeatedly associated with the Vivid Viral Agency and used as a lead by Steve to connect the money-laundering scheme.

Ending Overview

The novel concludes with the unmasking of François Loubet as Mickey Moody, a quiet retired scrap dealer. Steve confronts him with video evidence of the murder of Rob Kenna. Mickey is arrested. Susan Knox is exposed as the inside person (“Joe Blow”) and confesses to stealing from Jeff’s accounts. The police warrant for Amy is dropped. In the final chapter, Steve, Amy, and Rosie decide to form a detective agency called “We Solve Murders.” Their first case is a suspicious death in Turkmenistan.

Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Chapter Summary
By the Same Author Lists Richard Osman’s earlier Thursday Murder Club novels.
Prologue François Loubet uses ChatGPT to anonymize his communications, evading identification.
Chapter 1 Andrew Fairbanks is found murdered on a yacht; a leather holdall with money is discovered.
Chapter 2 Amy Wheeler guards Rosie D’Antonio; Amy’s past trauma and loyalty to Steve are revealed.
Chapter 3 Steve takes his nightly walk, recording observations and a message to Debbie.
Chapter 4 Jeff Nolan is worried about business after three client murders; he threatens François Loubet.
Chapter 5 Steve and Amy talk by phone; Steve refuses to fly to America.
Chapter 6 Felicity Woollaston runs Vivid Viral Media as a front for money laundering.
Chapter 7 Steve investigates a bullying case and looks into Andrew Fairbanks’ murder.
Chapter 8 Loubet writes to “Joe Blow,” declaring Amy Wheeler the next target.
Chapter 9 Amy learns Andrew Fairbanks was a Maximum Impact client; she feels isolated.
Chapter 10 Steve discusses the case with his pub quiz team; he spots a lead involving Krusher Energy Drink.
Chapter 11 Amy realizes she is being framed for three murders; she decides to return to London.
Chapter 12 Loubet orders Rob Kenna to kill Amy.
Chapter 13 Steve confronts a bully’s father and researches Vivid Viral Media.
Chapter 14 Rob Kenna plans to hire a shooter to kill Amy.
Chapter 15 Kevin betrays Amy; Rosie rescues them; they escape the island.
Chapter 16 Jeff Nolan is ambushed in a restaurant but escapes.
Chapter 17 Rosie and Amy take a leaky speedboat to the mainland.
Chapter 18 Steve meets Jeff Nolan; they agree to a private meeting.
Chapter 19 Amy and Rosie find Sheriff Scroggie dead in his home.
Chapter 20 Jeff calls Amy, warns her that Loubet is using Maximum Impact to smuggle money.
Chapter 21 Loubet is annoyed that Amy escaped; he orders her tracked.
Chapter 22 Amy and Rosie use Scroggie’s corpse to unlock his computer.
Chapter 23 Steve finds Jeff’s car riddled with blood; Jeff is missing.
Chapter 24 Amy and Rosie steal a car; Amy decides to call Steve for help.
Chapter 25 Steve agrees to fly to America after Amy invokes Debbie.
Chapter 26 Loubet explains his money-laundering scheme and threatens Amy.
Chapter 27 Steve boards a private jet and reviews case documents.
Chapter 28 Bonnie Gregor aspires to be an influencer and contacts Vivid Viral.
Chapter 29 Amy assesses her situation on a six-point checklist.
Chapter 30 Rob Kenna hires Eddie Flood to kill Amy.
Chapter 31 Steve arrives in South Carolina and bonds with customs officer Carlos.
Chapter 32 Susan Knox searches Jeff’s files and decides to contact Amy.
Chapter 33 At Eternal Glade Retreat, Barb is revealed as a former drug dealer.
Chapter 34 Eddie Flood tries to bribe Carlos for information about Rosie.
Chapter 35 Steve learns that Amy’s blood was stolen from Maximum Impact to frame her.
Chapter 36 Actor Max Highfield receives a death threat.
Chapter 37 The team decides to flee to St Lucia; Steve has a misdirection plan.
Chapter 38 Eddie bribes Carlos and learns Rosie’s plane is heading to Hawaii.
Chapter 39 Felicity meets Bonnie and offers to help her through Vivid Viral.
Chapter 40 Amy, Rosie, and Steve fly to St Lucia; Eddie is tricked into going to Hawaii.
Chapter 41 Max Highfield meets Henk van Veen and discusses the death threat.
Chapter 42 The trio bonds on the flight; Amy destroys her SIM card.
Chapter 43 Max switches his security contract to Henk.
Chapter 44 The team learns that Vivid Viral is a front; a red-haired driver connects the murders.
Chapter 45 Steve records a message to Debbie; Rosie challenges him to live in the moment.
Chapter 46 Amy learns her blood samples were stolen from the office freezer.
Chapter 47 Rob Kenna hires Nelson Nunez to kill Amy.
Chapter 48 Tony Taylor infiltrates Felicity’s agency on Steve’s behalf.
Chapter 49 The team visits drug lord Nelson Nunez; Rosie hides a gun.
Chapter 50 Loubet writes that Amy must die because only she knows she is innocent.
Chapter 51 Bonnie receives a lucrative influencer offer from Vivid Viral.
Chapter 52 Steve escapes an ambush, shoots Nelson, and the team flees St Lucia.
Chapter 53 Eddie realizes the team has lied about their destination and heads to Dublin.
Chapter 54 Rob Kenna feels the thrill of pursuing more money and power.
Chapter 55 The team confirms Vivid Viral is a front; they plan to visit Dubai.
Chapter 56 Adam agrees to visit Courtney Lewis in a Dubai prison.
Chapter 57 On the flight to Dublin, Steve believes he has identified Joe Blow.
Chapter 58 Henk van Veen deduces the next murder location and heads to Ireland.
Chapter 59 Amy senses danger and stays behind at Dublin Airport.
Chapter 60 Tony and Felicity go on a date; Felicity is confused about the Dubai prisoner.
Chapter 61 Eddie ambushes Amy in the car park; she escapes into a taxi.
Chapter 62 Rosie appears on TV to flush out Eddie; the team catches a helicopter.
Chapter 63 Eddie admits he missed on purpose; he has a hidden agenda.
Chapter 64 Henk investigates Mark Gooch’s murder site.
Chapter 65 Steve learns Courtney Lewis died in prison; Felicity denies knowing her.
Chapter 66 Max Highfield broods over a death threat and his failing career.
Chapter 67 Henk ambushes the team with evidence that Jeff colluded with Loubet.
Chapter 68 Loubet gives Amy a 48-hour ultimatum before sending police evidence.
Chapter 69 Bonnie prepares for her influencer trip; her family supports her.
Chapter 70 Rob Kenna decides to kill Amy himself and plans to use social media to track her.
Chapter 71 The team gathers at Gary Gough’s estate; Lauren Gough is redeemed.
Chapter 72 Eddie checks into The Pig hotel and plans to shoot Rosie.
Chapter 73 Rosie dines with Derek Charters and learns the Vivid Viral scheme.
Chapter 74 Steve’s pub quiz begins; Jeff Nolan is revealed alive; Henk is accused of being Joe Blow.
Chapter 75 Bonnie receives a heavy holdall and a questionable payment.
Chapter 76 The quiz ends; Max Highfield is implicated through introduction fees; Felicity was his first agent.
Chapter 77 Rob Kenna rehearses killing Amy in Dubai.
Chapter 78 Police arrive with a warrant for Amy’s arrest; the team hides her and weapons.
Chapter 79 Steve realizes Max Highfield is Joe Blow; various characters cannot sleep.
Chapter 80 Loubet decides to abandon his alias and create a new identity.
Chapter 81 On the flight to Dubai, Steve and Rosie discuss mortality and the case.
Chapter 82 Bonnie waits at Heathrow with the locked holdall, anxious.
Chapter 83 Amy hides in Gary Gough’s car boot and heads to London.
Chapter 84 Steve visits his son Adam; they struggle to connect.
Chapter 85 Felicity and Tony stop Bonnie from boarding the flight.
Chapter 86 Vasiliy Karpin apologises to Rosie; Eddie’s true purpose remains a mystery.
Chapter 87 Eddie decides to act today; he plans to strike when Rosie is alone.
Chapter 88 Rosie and Steve pitch a movie to Max Highfield; they suspect he is involved.
Chapter 89 Amy, Jeff, and Susan examine files; Max Highfield’s introduction fees are discovered.
Chapter 90 Steve meets Mickey Moody in a sauna and solves the identity of Loubet.
Chapter 91 Amy shoots Jeff in the leg, cables-ties him, and forces a confrontation.
Chapter 92 Rob Kenna is executed on a golf course by Loubet.
Chapter 93 Eddie reveals he is a writer seeking Rosie’s feedback, not a hitman.
Chapter 94 Steve finds Loubet in a pub and sits down beside him.
Chapter 95 Amy exposes Susan Knox as the traitor; she confesses.
Chapter 96 Steve confronts Mickey Moody (Loubet) with video evidence.
Chapter 97 Eddie reads his manuscript to Rosie; she suggests the title A Cat Called Trouble.
Chapter 98 Bonnie, Felicity, and Tony open the holdall containing a million pounds; they decide to keep it.
Chapter 99 Jeff, Henk, and Max reconcile over dinner.
Chapter 100 Susan Knox writes from prison, accepting responsibility.
Chapter 101 Steve, Amy, and Rosie launch the detective agency “We Solve Murders.”
Read More A promotional epilogue inviting readers to subscribe to Osman’s newsletter.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Who framed Amy Wheeler for the murders?
    François Loubet, working with Susan Knox (Joe Blow), stole Amy’s blood from Maximum Impact’s drug-test samples and planted it at each crime scene. The murders were carried out by local police officers on Loubet’s payroll.

  2. Who is François Loubet?
    François Loubet is the alias used by Mickey Moody, a retired scrap dealer and money-launderer. He uses ChatGPT to conceal his identity and runs the scheme from a quiet villa in Dubai.

  3. What is the “We Solve Murders” agency?
    At the end of the novel, Steve, Amy, and Rosie form a detective agency named “We Solve Murders.” Their first case involves a news presenter killed in Turkmenistan.

  4. Why does Eddie Flood miss Amy on purpose?
    Eddie is not really a hitman; he is a writer who engineered the contract so he could get close to Rosie D’Antonio and have her read his manuscript. He misses intentionally to keep Amy alive and to appear on the news.

  5. Who is Joe Blow?
    Joe Blow is the inside person at Maximum Impact Solutions – Susan Knox. She helped Loubet by accessing Amy’s blood samples and facilitating the framing.

  6. What happens to Max Highfield?
    Max is revealed to have received introduction fees for all thirty-five influencer clients, making him an unwitting part of the scheme. He is not criminally charged but is left under suspicion. He later reconciles with Jeff and Henk.

  7. Is Jeff Nolan dead?
    No. Jeff fakes his own death by staging a shooting in his BMW. He hides in Steve’s house and later helps expose the conspiracy.

  8. What is the significance of the leather holdall?
    The holdall is used by Loubet’s couriers to transport cash. Identical bags are found with Andrew Fairbanks and Bella Sanchez, linking the murders and the money-laundering scheme.

Deeper Dives