We Solve Murders Chapter 78: Max Highfield Unmasked
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with the quiz night ending—Steve’s team finishes second by a single point despite having too many members. Jeff and Henk’s presence mostly cancels each other out, and Rosie contributes only one correct answer (about Diane Keaton). Steve, still hurting from personal matters, turns on his phone and receives a long-awaited message. The group gathers at Steve’s living room, joined by Felicity and Tony, who remain holding hands.
Jeff reads aloud an encrypted message from “François” (presumably François Loubet). The letter warns Jeff not to interfere again and claims that Amy Wheeler now faces a mountain of evidence. It also sends fond regards to “Joe Blow.” Jeff interprets the overwrought style as evidence that Henk is behind it; Henk counters that only someone with access to the client list could have known about the three murdered influencers (Bella Sanchez, Mark Gooch, Andrew Fairbanks), and that points to Jeff.
Henk argues that he could not have arranged the Navy SEAL Kevin in South Carolina, which Jeff did. Jeff admits he had Kevin released after five days in a panic room, but Kevin was killed within eight hours by a bullet to the head. Steve then reveals he took Nelson’s SIM card and has been chatting with a man named Rob Kenna in Dubai, who hired Kevin and Nelson to kill Amy. Steve has arranged a golf meeting with Rob Kenna.
Rosie suggests that Eddie might have been sent to kill her by Vasiliy Karpin, with Amy as a diversion. Jeff offers to contact Vasiliy. Amy questions whether Rob Kenna works for Loubet; Jeff confirms that, but adds that Loubet works with Henk, and Henk retorts that Loubet works with Jeff.
Steve stops the back‑and‑forth by stating that neither Jeff nor Henk is working with Loubet. He reveals that in the files from Susan Knox (Maximum Impact’s HR head), every one of the thirty‑five influencer clients generated a ten‑thousand‑pound introduction fee paid to Max Highfield. Jeff and Henk dismiss Max as incapable, but Felicity returns from making tea and announces that Max Highfield was her very first client—she got him the Hollyoaks job. The room is stunned.
Key Events
- The quiz night ends with Steve’s team losing by one point due to a mistake about Blankety Blank presenters.
- Jeff reads an encrypted letter from “François,” warning him to stay out of business.
- Henk and Jeff accuse each other of being the traitor working with Loubet.
- Steve reveals he contacted Rob Kenna, the man who hired Kevin and Nelson to kill Amy.
- Rosie raises the possibility that the assassin Eddie was targeting her, not Amy.
- Steve points to the Max Highfield connection: thirty‑five introduction fees of £10,000 for the influencer clients.
- Felicity drops the bombshell that Max was her first ever client.
Character Development
- Steve: Shows his detective instincts by retrieving Nelson’s SIM card and drawing a direct line to Dubai. He also corrects the team’s mistaken assumptions, demonstrating that he still has sharp analytical skills despite his emotional turmoil.
- Jeff and Henk: Both remain suspicious of each other, but their mutual accusations reveal their professional pride and paranoia. Jeff’s ease with Trouble (the cat) and his former‑Navy‑SEAL story show a more layered personality.
- Rosie: Her suggestion that she might be the target highlights her practicality and self‑preservation. She remains unflustered, even asking if she’s still paying Jeff.
- Felicity: Steps forward from a background role to a central one. Her proud claim that she was Max Highfield’s first agent reframes her as a key piece of the puzzle.
- Max Highfield (off‑stage): Previously a peripheral figure, he now emerges as the likely recruiter of the influencer clients, making him a prime suspect.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Misdirection: The chapter repeatedly sets up Henk or Jeff as the traitor, only to undercut that with Steve’s revelation about Max Highfield. This reinforces the theme that the truth is often hidden in plain sight.
- Loyalty and Betrayal: The encrypted letter speaks of interfering in one another’s business. The team must decide whom to trust, and Felicity’s relationship with Max adds a layer of personal betrayal.
- Everyday Competence: The quiz night provides a mundane backdrop (sports questions, TV show hosts) against which life‑and‑death secrets are unveiled, highlighting that danger can intrude into ordinary life.
- Names and Identity: The alias “Joe Blow” and François’s signature remind the reader that everyone in the story is wearing a mask of some kind. Max Highfield’s name is now linked to a hidden commission scheme.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 78 is the linchpin of the middle act. It resolves the “who is the traitor inside Maximum Impact?” subplot by redirecting suspicion to an external figure (Max Highfield) and ties the murders of the three influencers to a single recruitment pipeline. The discovery that Felicity launched Max’s career connects the two main story threads: the influencer killings and the attempt on Amy’s life. The chapter also sets up Steve’s planned meeting with Rob Kenna in Dubai, raising stakes for the next chapters.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What piece of evidence does Steve use to prove that neither Jeff nor Henk is working with Loubet?
Steve examines the financial records from Maximum Impact’s HR, Susan Knox. He finds that on all thirty‑five occasions when influencers were signed, a £10,000 introduction fee was paid to Max Highfield. This pattern indicates that Max recruited every one of those clients, making him the likely link to Loubet.
2. Why does Rosie suspect that the assassin Eddie might have been targeting her instead of Amy?
Rosie points out that Eddie shot at Amy only after she got in the way. Given that Rosie has a connection to Vasiliy Karpin—a potential rival—she suggests Eddie was meant to kill her and Amy was just collateral. Jeff agrees to check with Vasiliy, keeping the possibility open.
3. How does Felicity’s revelation change the direction of the investigation?
Felicity announces that she was Max Highfield’s first agent, landing him the Hollyoaks job. This personal link means Felicity is now entangled in the criminal network. It also explains how Max could have had access to Maximum Impact’s clients: through his former agent. The investigation shifts from internal betrayal to external recruitment through a seemingly harmless agent.