Quick Take
- Narration: No narrator has been announced for this forthcoming title as of this writing.
- Themes: International mystery, mismatched detective partnerships, secrets behind picturesque facades
- Mood: Globe-trotting and witty, with the leisurely confidence of a series that has found its audience
- Verdict: The second We Solve Murders novel arrives with the same ensemble and a new Italian setting, but interested listeners should confirm release date and narrator before committing.
Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders series began as a companion piece to the enormous Thursday Murder Club franchise, and it arrived with the pressure of a high-profile creator stretching into new territory. The first book established Amy, Rose, and Steve as a detective trio defined less by conventional competence than by the comedic friction between three people who would not have chosen each other as partners and cannot seem to work without each other. We Chase Shadows is the second entry, announced for September 2026 under Penguin Audio.
Full disclosure: at the time of writing, We Chase Shadows has not yet been released. There is no narrator announced, no listener reviews, and no runtime confirmed. What we have is Osman’s track record, the premise, and the publisher’s teaser, and I’ll work with all three.
What the Italian Hills Promise
The setup involves a body found on the steps of a private villa in the Italian hills at sunrise. From there, Osman takes Amy, Rose, and Steve from Italy to Palm Springs and back via Barcelona and Steve’s unnamed English village pub. This is a globe-trotting structure, which is a deliberate shift from the first book’s more contained geography. The tease that “everyone is hiding something” is standard mystery-series marketing, but in Osman’s hands the social comedy of secrets tends to be more interesting than the procedural revelation of them. His killers are rarely more compelling than his supporting cast, which is both a limitation and a genuine charm.
The “impossible case” framing in the synopsis suggests Osman is interested in the classic impossible-crime subgenre, which would represent a structural evolution from the first book’s more conventional setup. Whether he commits to that ambition or treats it as a loose hook for character comedy will determine how the book lands for mystery purists versus Osman fans who are primarily there for the ensemble.
The We Solve Murders Audience
Osman’s core readership arrived via Thursday Murder Club, and many of them are specifically invested in his tone: warm, funny, occasionally wistful, never brutal. We Chase Shadows will presumably continue in that register. The international locations are also a significant departure from the domestic English cosiness of Thursday Murder Club, and the first We Solve Murders book suggested Osman is genuinely interested in what his ensemble looks like against different landscapes rather than simply repeating the formula with new scenery.
Listeners who found the first We Solve Murders less satisfying than Thursday Murder Club should know that the issues they identified, primarily relating to pacing and the balance between comedy and investigation, are unlikely to be resolved by a change of geography. The series has a sensibility, and Osman is not inclined to abandon it. But listeners who loved the first book for its character chemistry will find a continuation that appears designed to deepen those relationships under more extreme circumstances.
Before You Pre-Order the Audio Edition
Given the absence of narrator information and confirmed runtime, waiting for that data before committing to the audio is worth doing. Osman’s books depend heavily on narration for their tonal delivery, and the wrong narrator for this kind of material can flatten the comedy and the warmth simultaneously. The first We Solve Murders book’s narrator set a register for Amy, Rose, and Steve that the second will need to either match or improve upon. That information will be the deciding factor for audio-first listeners, and it should be available well before the September 2026 release date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is We Chase Shadows available to listen to now, or is it still forthcoming?
As of this writing, the book is forthcoming, scheduled for September 2026. No narrator or final runtime has been confirmed. Listeners should check current availability before purchasing.
Do I need to have listened to the first We Solve Murders novel before this one?
The series follows recurring characters and an established ensemble dynamic. Starting with the first book would give you the character context that makes the relationships work. We Chase Shadows appears designed as a sequel rather than a standalone.
How does the We Solve Murders series compare in tone to the Thursday Murder Club books?
Osman carries over his characteristic warmth and comedic approach, but the We Solve Murders series is more internationally mobile and faster-paced. The detective trio operates differently from the Thursday Murder Club ensemble, with more professional-mode procedural elements alongside the character comedy.
What should I listen to while waiting for We Chase Shadows to release?
The first We Solve Murders novel is the obvious choice for series continuity. Alternatively, the Thursday Murder Club series covers similar tonal territory with a more established cast and extensive back catalogue.
