Quiz We Solve Murders Richard Osman

We Solve Murders Quiz – 20 Questions to Test Your Detective Skills

Plot & Sequence Questions

  1. Where is Andrew Fairbanks found dead? a) In a London hotel b) On a yacht in the Atlantic c) In a South Carolina pool d) At a Dubai golf course

  2. How does Steve resolve the case of the stolen money from Jenny Bright’s shop? a) By installing a hidden camera b) By using a returned lost dog and his fee to repay the cash c) By confronting the bully Lauren Gough directly d) By calling the police

  3. Who betrays Amy by handcuffing her at gunpoint on Rosie’s private island? a) Jeff Nolan b) Kevin c) Henk van Veen d) Susan Knox

  4. How do Amy and Rosie unlock Sheriff Scroggie’s computer? a) Using his fingerprint b) Guessing his passcode c) Propping open his dead eye for iris recognition d) Calling a forensic expert

  5. What does Steve find in Jeff Nolan’s abandoned BMW at the campsite? a) A suicide note b) A pool of blood and tyre tracks from a Volvo XC90 c) A bag containing one million dollars d) A Dictaphone with a recorded message

  6. Who is revealed to be the mastermind François Loubet? a) Mickey Moody b) Max Highfield c) Henk van Veen d) Rob Kenna

  7. What action does Amy take to expose Susan Knox as the traitor? a) She shoots Jeff Nolan in the thigh b) She arrests Susan on the spot c) She calls the Hampshire police d) She threatens Susan’s family

  8. What name does the detective agency adopt at the end of the book? a) Maverick Steel International Investigations b) Steve Investigates c) We Solve Murders d) Amy & Rosie Inc.

Character Motivation Questions

  1. Why does Amy choose to bring Steve into the investigation despite his reluctance? a) She needs his old police contacts b) She trusts him completely and needs someone reliable c) She requires a driver for the getaway d) She wants to keep him occupied

  2. What motivates Rosie D’Antonio to leave her peaceful island and join Amy on the run? a) Boredom and a craving for adventure b) Fear that Vasiliy Karpin will kill her c) A desire to write a novel about the experience d) Curiosity about influencer culture

  3. Why does Eddie Flood accept the contract to kill Amy Wheeler? a) He needs the £30,000 after his money runs out b) Rob Kenna is blackmailing him c) He wants to impress his former boss d) He holds a personal grudge against Amy

  4. What is Felicity Woollaston’s true role in the Vivid Viral Media scheme? a) She actively recruits influencers for the money‑smuggling ring b) She is a lonely frontwoman being used without understanding the crime c) She is secretly laundering money for Mickey Moody d) She is seeking revenge on Jeff Nolan

  5. Why does Susan Knox betray Jeff Nolan and help Loubet? a) She was blackmailed by Loubet into cooperating b) She lost money investing and needed to recover her losses c) She wanted to take over Maximum Impact Solutions d) She was in love with Max Highfield

Theme & Symbol Questions

  1. Steve’s Dictaphone recordings to his late wife Debbie mainly symbolize: a) His refusal to adopt new technology b) His detective methodology and note‑taking c) His connection to the past and his struggle with grief d) His love of routine and order

  2. The recurring figure of a red‑haired woman picking up murdered influencers from airports represents: a) A deliberate red herring to mislead the police b) The smuggling network’s consistent method of operation c) Rosie D’Antonio in disguise d) A random coincidence with no deeper meaning

  3. The fact that Vivid Viral Media Agency operates from Letchworth Garden City highlights which theme? a) The ordinary, mundane setting behind a glamorous crime b) The rise of digital marketing in small towns c) The importance of geographic location d) The foolishness of social media influencers

  4. Amy’s repeated use of her “six‑point checklist” (assess situation, assess strengths, etc.) reflects her: a) Lack of experience in the field b) Naval training from her former career c) Dependence on routine as a survival mechanism d) Inability to trust her own instincts

Synthesis Questions

  1. How does the murder of Andrew Fairbanks serve as a critique of influencer culture? Short answer: Andrew only achieved widespread fame after his death, when his selfie appeared on front pages. The book criticises how tragedy is commodified and how influencers can be forgotten as quickly as they go viral.

  2. What is the significance of Steve choosing the name “We Solve Murders” over Amy’s proposed “Maverick Steel International Investigations”? Short answer: Steve’s plain name reflects his practical, no‑nonsense approach, contrasting with Amy’s flashier branding. It also echoes the novel’s title and underscores the partnership’s focus on justice rather than image.

  3. Compare the motivations of Mickey Moody (François Loubet) and Susan Knox. Both commit serious crimes, but for different reasons. Explain. Short answer: Mickey Moody builds a vast money‑laundering empire to secure his family’s future, feeling detached from the violence he orders. Susan Knox begins by stealing small amounts and chasing investment losses, eventually agreeing to murder to cover her financial desperation and avoid exposure.

Answer Key

  1. b – Andrew Fairbanks is found shot, tied to a rope, and thrown overboard from a yacht in the Atlantic (chapter 1).
  2. b – Steve uses the fee from returning a lost dog to reimburse the stolen £300, telling the mother the money was returned anonymously (chapter 7).
  3. b – Kevin, the ex‑Navy SEAL, handcuffs Amy at gunpoint; Rosie knocks him out with an Oscar statuette (chapter 15).
  4. c – After the fingerprint fails, Amy and Rosie prop open Scroggie’s dead eye and swivel his chair to unlock the computer with iris recognition (chapter 22).
  5. b – Steve finds Jeff’s BMW with a smashed window, a pool of wet blood on the driver’s seat, and tyre tracks he identifies as a Volvo XC90 (chapters 23 & 25).
  6. a – Steve confronts Mickey Moody in a pub, deducing he is Loubet from the tattoos of his grandmothers and obtaining video evidence of the murder of Rob Kenna (chapter 96).
  7. a – Amy shoots Jeff in the leg to force Susan to reveal her guilt; Susan then advises Amy to kill Jeff, confirming her betrayal (chapter 91).
  8. c – Steve insists on “We Solve Murders”; Amy agrees, and the name becomes the agency’s official title (chapter 101).
  9. b – In chapter 25 Amy tells Steve she needs someone she can trust completely, and he is the only person who fits that description.
  10. a – Rosie confesses in chapter 17 that boredom drove her to expose Karpin; she values adventure and sees every door as an opportunity.
  11. a – Eddie reflects in chapter 87 that his money is nearly gone and financial pressure drives him to accept the £30,000 contract.
  12. b – Felicity lives a lonely, isolated life and never meets the new clients; she forwards emails and receives monthly payments without understanding the scheme (chapters 6 & 41).
  13. b – In her prison letter (chapter 100), Susan explains she stole small amounts, lost money in investments, and then turned to Loubet for help.
  14. c – Steve records messages to Debbie every night, unable to let go of his grief; the Dictaphone is his way of maintaining a connection to her (chapters 3 & 101).
  15. b – The same red‑haired woman collects both Andrew Fairbanks and Bella Sanchez at airports, carrying identical leather holdalls, establishing a pattern (chapters 33 & 55).
  16. a – Letchworth Garden City is an ordinary, unglamorous setting, contrasting with the high‑tech, globe‑trotting crime and highlighting that the front is mundane.
  17. c – Amy relies on the checklist to impose order and survive; it is a trained habit she follows even under extreme pressure (chapters 29 & 91).
  18. Answer: Andrew’s fame spikes only after his death, as the book shows how social media commodifies tragedy and how quickly names fade when the next scandal appears.
  19. Answer: Steve’s choice “We Solve Murders” is straightforward and mission‑focused, rejecting Amy’s ego‑driven name and reflecting the duo’s genuine purpose.
  20. Answer: Mickey acts out of devotion to his family, viewing violence as a business cost; Susan acts out of personal greed and desperation, expressing full remorse later and accepting responsibility.