We Solve Murders

“Amy Wheeler is sitting, bolt upright, on a garden chair at the poolside, the sun in her eyes and her gun within easy reach.”

In this first description of Amy Wheeler, Osman succinctly conveys information about her character. Her “bolt upright” posture and the presence of her gun close at hand are at odds with the sense of relaxation one would usually associate with a poolside in sunny South Carolina. The contrast illustrates Amy’s profession as a bodyguard while also hinting that she is permanently combat-ready, never entirely letting down her guard.

“Amy remembers watching Rosie on the communal TV when she was growing up. Those shoulder pads, that attitude. It had meant a lot to Amy, seeing how strong a woman could be, while she slept each night curled up in a ball under her bed and dreamt of better days.”

Amy’s memory hints at her traumatic childhood. The reference to the “communal TV” suggests that she may have been raised in the foster care system. Meanwhile, the description of Amy “curled up in a ball under her bed” implies fear and vulnerability. The passage conveys how Amy has consciously transformed herself from a frightened little girl to a strong, formidable woman, with Rosie D’Antonio serving as an early inspiration. The revelation that Amy was an early fan of Rosie’s also helps to cement her admiration for and commitment to the person she is guarding, suggesting that Amy’s devotion to Rosie goes beyond a guard-client relationship. This is an important establishing detail in a novel so full on deceit and false loyalties.

“Steve hadn’t been hoodwinked by the hollyhocks and the cupcakes and the cheery ‘Good morning’ greetings. Steve had seen secrets behind every pastel front door, seen corpses in every back alley, and every time the church bells rang in the hour, Steve had heard the chimes of death.”

Here, the narrative subverts the murder mystery trope of the outwardly picturesque village that becomes an epicenter for murder. The author’s juxtaposition of the wholesome and the sinister, such as “church bells” and the “chimes of death,” gently pokes fun at Steve’s initial suspicions of Axley. Osman’s novel ultimately depicts the English village as just as charming as first impressions suggest.

“Steve doesn’t want to stray too far from Axley. He’ll drive up to Brockenhurst if you need him to, couple of nice pubs up there. At a push he’ll head over towards Ringwood or down towards Lymington, but ask him to go to Southampton, or Portsmouth, and Steve will politely decline.”

Describing Steve’s small geographical comfort zone, this passage also illustrates how Osman uses a third-person narrator while conveying the interior lives of his characters. Although referring to Steve in the third person, the author captures the character’s thought patterns and use of idiomatic language, such as “at a push.” This detail also foreshadows Steve’s trip to South Carolina and beyond, establishing that such a journey is not one he takes lightly.

“You can’t have the thrills of life without the pain of life, so Steve has decided to go without the thrills. He chooses to watch the TV, to do his pub quizzes, to help people when he can, but always to return to his armchair with a cat called Trouble.”

The impact of loss and grief on Steve is illustrated as he is shown to equate joy and excitement with psychological pain. His deeply ingrained routine since his wife’s death is presented as a response to his fear of experiencing intense emotion. However, the presence of a cat named Trouble as an integral part of Steve’s routine suggests that he is not as averse to excitement as he believes.

“Felicity wonders, briefly, if she should be asking a few more questions about it all, before turning her mind, instead to which Boots Meal Deal she is going to have for her lunch.”

As Felicity Woollaston questions the nature of her role in a company she knows nothing about, Osman explores The Corrupting Influence of Money. The author addresses degrees of complicity and culpability as Felicity is unaware of her collaboration with a master criminal but is also reluctant to challenge a situation from which she is profiting. Her swift change of focus to choosing lunch illustrates how individuals often take the easiest route when confronting such moral dilemmas.

“Steve Wheeler still reads about murder, of course he does. Just as a retired centre-forward still looks at the football scores on a Saturday afternoon. Takes a professional interest, with his feet up. Likes to imagine he could still do the job, if called upon, but is glad no one is ever going to call on him.”

This passage reveals Steve’s internal monologue as he justifies his continued interest in homicide cases to himself. His insistence that his curiosity is theoretical and that he no longer wishes to actively solve murders is unconvincing, reflecting a lack of fulfillment in his current lifestyle. Steve’s assertion that he “is glad no one is ever going to call on him” humorously foreshadows his imminent involvement in several murder cases.

“Steve worries that Amy will be killed; Amy worries that Steve doesn’t eat properly. Steve worries that Amy and Adam don’t see enough of each other; Amy worries that Steve is lonely. There is a healthy equivalence of concern, and, also, they make each other laugh.”

Exploring The Importance of Friendship, Osman presents Amy and Steve as a model relationship. The repetitive sentence structure, alternating “Amy worries” with “Steve worries,” emphasizes the vital role of mutual compassion in a true friendship. The brief, concluding observation that they share a sense of humor suggests that while fun is also important, it is less crucial than “a healthy equivalence of concern.”

“Things used to happen to Rosie all the time. So many things. Parties, affairs, book launches, premieres, new deals, new lovers, tiffs, spats, beefs, kisses in swimming pools, photographers in bushes. Lawsuits, rehabs, husbands, cocaine on yachts, cocaine at the White House. Mustique, London, Capri, Aspen. Trouble and fun, fun and trouble.”

Rosie’s nostalgic reflection on her past underlines how her character thrives on drama and excitement. The piling of events and locations in a long list conveys a life lived in a hedonistic whirl. Osman’s use of antimetabole (inverting the words in the first half of a sentence in the second half) in the phrase “Trouble and fun, fun and trouble” emphasizes that, for Rosie, the two are inextricably linked.

“Let me tell you a little about myself, so I can explain all!”

Here, François Loubet breaks the fourth wall by directly addressing the reader. Loubet’s narrative perspective fulfills the thriller trope of the villain monologue as he delights in revealing his master plan. This technique gives readers valuable insight into the antagonist’s psyche and motivations.

“If she can’t kick it or hit it, it’s not particularly in Amy’s area of speciality.”

This observation highlights Amy’s strengths as a character and also her limitations. Although her athleticism and physical power make her fearless in combat, she actively avoids introspection. Osman implies that while Steve’s tendency toward overthinking is often paralyzing, Amy would occasionally benefit from a greater engagement with her thoughts and emotions.

“He probably shouldn’t be wearing a denim jacket and a sweatshirt. But that’s what he always wears, and America will have to change before Steve does.”

Struck by the intense heat when he arrives in the United States, Steve realizes that his usual attire is unsuitable for the climate. However, instead of removing a layer of clothing, he continues to sweat uncomfortably, refusing to concede to his surroundings. Here, Osman uses clothing to symbolize his protagonist’s resistance to change. Steve’s stubborn assertion that “America will have to change before [he] does” is clearly farcical, foreshadowing his later transformation.

“The sky is the blue of a dream. He is no longer in England, and that thought makes him want to turn back immediately […] On the horizon he sees a freeway, speeding cars glinting and metallic in a way familiar from films but alien to Hampshire. Also the freeway signs are the wrong colour. And why does he have the word ‘freeway’ in his head? It’s a ‘motorway’, Steve, don’t get sucked in.”

Steve’s reaction to his first glimpse of South Carolina emphasizes the Personal Growth that Arises from Challenging Experiences. Osman conveys Steve’s fear of the unfamiliar in his instinct to return home and his use of the adjective “alien.” However, these anxieties are intermingled with a sense of awe as he lyrically describes “glinting” cars and the sky as “the blue of a dream.” Steve’s inadvertent use of the Americanism “freeway” implies that he is already changing due to his travels.

“Max is allowed everywhere. Wearing anything. This is the man who went to a royal wedding barefoot and in a sarong.”

Here, the author uses the symbolism of clothing to highlight Max Highfield’s arrogance and sense of entitlement. The satirical reference to the famous actor attending a royal wedding barefoot demonstrates his conviction that regulations and tradition do not apply to him. However, he is forced to reassess this assumption when he is refused entry to a private members club while wearing trainers.

“Steve has never been anywhere like it. There is a swimming pool actually inside his room, brilliant sapphire blue, marbled with dancing veins of sunlight in gold and silver. Tiny birds are cheeping and chirruping on the wide, high terrace, and three bottles of beer sit sweating with frost in an ice bucket. In the far distance twin volcanos jut out into the sea, two perfect triangles dipping their toes into the Caribbean.”

The use of poetic language in this passage, notably diverging from Steve’s usual, down-to-earth vocabulary, underlines the transformative effect of new locations. The whimsical personification of volcanoes “dipping their toes” in the ocean emphasizes the magical quality of the St. Lucian setting. Colors associated with precious metals and jewels—sapphire blue, gold, and silver—also pervade the description. Meanwhile, onomatopoeias such as “chirruping” and “cheeping” aurally immerse the reader in the scene.

“Big Mick steps on to the beautifully manicured surface, a nice gentle putt in front of him, while Rob just keeps on walking towards the deep trouble.”

Osman uses golf as a metaphor to hint at the true power dynamic between Rob Kenna and Mickey Moody. Kenna perceives himself as Mickey’s superior, not knowing he is playing against the criminal mastermind François Loubet. The contrast between the easy shot Mickey has lined up and the awkward positioning of Rob’s echoes Mickey’s effortless manipulation of his murder broker. The description of Rob “walking towards the deep trouble” foreshadows Mickey’s later assassination of him on the golf course.

“How safe that all makes him feel, but how small his world had become without him noticing. Up here, with the world stretched below him, looking at the names on the flight map of the world, he sees it now. He spins the globe on the screen. Will he ever visit Dar-es-Salaam? Jeddah?”

The extent of Steve’s personal growth is emphasized in this passage as he reflects on his life while on a private jet. The view of the earth below him, where everything appears miniaturized, is a metaphor for how small the scope of his life had become. Now, Steve no longer views the world beyond Axley as a frightening place. Instead, the map represents the promise of new, exciting experiences.

“It occurs to him now […] that he is one of Loubet’s expendable layers.”

In exploring The Corrupting Influence of Money, Osman highlights how the novel’s criminal characters value wealth over the sanctity of human life. François Loubet and Rob Kenna’s casual approach to having people killed extends to hitmen like Kevin, who are easily disposed of once they have served their purpose. Rob Kenna’s realization that Loubet may also consider him an “expendable layer” underlines the lack of loyalty and trust in such mercenary criminal circles.

“She has ruled Steve out now. She sees his vulnerabilities and, while ordinarily she would be happy to take advantage of them, she feels it would be inappropriate. Her therapist often accuses her of having no boundaries, so it shows what he knows.”

Rosie’s character progression is illustrated as she prohibits herself from attempting to seduce Steve. Breaking the habit of a lifetime, Rosie prioritizes friendship over a potential sexual liaison. The decision demonstrates the value Rosie places on The Importance of Friendship with Steve, as well as a concern for his emotional vulnerability.

“Steve kicks off his shoes and peels off his socks. Feet as naked as the day he was born. Let no one say he doesn’t know how to celebrate.”

Steve’s first experience of a sauna, fully clothed, is an example of the novel’s recurrent humor. The incident also illustrates the narrative’s clothing symbolism, indicating Steve’s reluctance to risk new experiences. While he retains most of his clothes, the eventual removal of his footwear is a significant act of exposure for him. The phrase “naked as the day he was born” echoes the sense of liberation conveyed when Steve “kicks off his shoes,” highlighting the progression of his character.

“It is not Axley that Steve wants to go back to; it is Debbie. But it is interesting to Steve that, wherever he’s travelled, she has been right there with him. It’s been nice to show her a bit of the world.”

Steve realizes his reluctance to leave Axley is connected to his association of the village with his late wife. However, during his global adventures, he continued to feel Debbie’s presence, indicating that he always carries her in his heart. The epiphany marks a major breakthrough in Steve’s journey of personal growth.

“I’m banged up, as you’ll know, and fair enough too. I was stupid, and some other geezer was cleverer. That’s the game, innit, Susan?”

Osman exploits the humor of Mickey Moody’s dramatic change in register as he writes to Susan Knox from prison. Mickey’s Cockney slang starkly contrasts with the formal, civilized tone of his emails—ChatGPT’s take on the diction of an English gentleman.

“Money does the funniest things to people, doesn’t it? I know your job is to wash it clean, but, Mickey, how on earth do you wash yourself clean afterwards?”

Susan Knox’s reply to Mickey Moody’s letter highlights The Corrupting Influence of Money. Susan draws on the metaphor of washing to underline that, as a result of aiding in money laundering, she became an accomplice to murder and feels permanently tainted. Her rhetorical question, “How on earth do you wash yourself clean afterwards?” evokes the imagery of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Susan’s guilt echoes Lady Macbeth’s distress as she unsuccessfully attempts to wash the invisible blood of murder from her hands.