The Best Books Club: "We Solve Murders"

The hardest part of writing “The Best Books Club” column is choosing the next book.

Over-thinker that I am when it comes to language, I question what is meant by “Best Books” to begin with. Does it mean the No. 1 criteria for selection should be that I think it’s a fantastic book? Or should the primary consideration for selection be that it features individuals in their best years?

I’m always overjoyed when I find a book that fits both criteria, as does this month’s selection.

First, “We Solve Murders” by Richard Osman is an outstanding mystery novel. The dialogue — both internal and external — is sharp (often dryly so) and extremely witty. A variety of interesting individuals make up the large cast of characters, many of whom often turn out to be quite different from what they seem. Toss in numerous plot twists and various narrative points of view, and the result is an action-packed mystery that is complex enough to keep the reader’s attention but not so convoluted as to be too difficult to follow.

What’s more, two of the novel’s three main characters are 60+ years of age. Steve, a somewhat-retiring police-officer-turned-private-investigator, and the bold, even sassy bestselling romance novelist Rosie are joined by the much younger Amy (Steve’s daughter-in-law and bodyguard to the rich and famous).

Interestingly, all three remind me of characters in Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. Steve is similar in many ways to both Ibrahim and the club’s ringleader Elizabeth. While Rosie is definitely a bold, even sassy, woman, she is also reminiscent of the more prim and proper Joyce. And cool-headed, resourceful Amy puts me in mind of a younger version of Elizabeth.

As a side note, some careful readers have suggested that The Thursday Murder Club’s Elizabeth makes a cameo appearance in “We Solve Murders,” and I think they may be right. No spoilers here, but watch for the phrase, “She clocked him as he came in.”

Of course, the main focus of the novel is the mystery. The three main characters race around the world in an effort to identify both the murderer and a mysterious mastermind who uses AI to mask his identity. At the same time, though, other themes are woven throughout the story.

For example, Osman explores how the intense grief over the loss of a loved one can cause a person to cling to what “was” and be reluctant — unable even — to move forward. At the outset of the novel, Steve is grieving the loss of his wife. He finds comfort in precise routines and his familiar surroundings to the extent that even when his beloved daughter-in-law’s life is in danger, he finds it extremely difficult to leave both behind to help her.

But it was the theme of living life to its fullest while dealing with the less-than-positive changes aging brings that resonated most with me. Steve and Rosie responded each in their own way to issues such as the loneliness that often results as spouses and peers pass away and offspring live far away or are busy with their own lives, declining physicality, and finding purpose and life passion post-retirement.

In short, “We Solve Murders” definitely fits my two-fold criteria for a Best Book, and then some.

What do you think? Share your thoughts with me via email (pattimiinch@gmail.com) or social media (Patti Miinch on Facebook & Instagram).

Questions for reflection

1. At the outset of the novel, Steve is struggling with grief over the loss of his beloved wife. How does this grief impact his life? Is this a realistic portrayal?

2. What motivates each of the three protagonists as they try to discover who is behind the murders?

3. At what point did you know the true identities of Joe Blow and Francois Loubet?

4. There has been speculation in online discussions that one of the team members from “The Thursday Murder Club” makes a cameo appearance in “We Solve Murders.” What do you think?

5. Osman says there will be more books in both The Thursday Murder Club series and this new series. Which one do you most look forward to?

Up Next

For our next selection, I’ve chosen a novel that’s been on my “To Be Read” list for a while. I read the first chapter of “The Authenticity Project” (Clare Pooley, 2020) and was hooked!

I hope you’ll enjoy it, too.

Patti Miinch, a resident of Cape Girardeau, is an author, mother and mother-in-law of two, grandmother of five and retired educator; while she has many loves, spending time with her family, sports, travel and reading top the list.