Reviews with content warning for Blood - We Solve Murders

This is a tough one to review. I was expecting Thursday Murder Club, and this obviously isn't that. The pace was almost frenetic; 100 short chapters, a LOT of characters throwing the story back and forth, setting constantly changing. Frankly, it was a bit hard to keep up. And because of the pace it lacked depth, it didn't have the character development I was anticipating. It had some, and it was good, but it wasn't deep. It almost felt like something written for TV or movie rather than a book. It does tie things up quickly and without a lot of tedious details which I liked. And then the very end got me and I thought, man, I might have to read the next one. Mind you, that was after saying to myself not 30 pages prior, I guess I'll just give this a miss and wait for more Thursday Murder. Once you reach the end the entire book turns into a very long prequel. I think the best and most developed character is Rosie. Mixed feelings..... But give it a try.

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turrean's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Delightful thriller / mystery. Reminded me of some of Donald Westlake’s best (that’s high praise from me.) I’m a fan of Osman’s other books, especially his inclusion of older characters.

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hakins259's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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m_a_j's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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jazzy_t's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

What a page turner!! Loved it, kept me guessing till the end, which we love.

Richard Osmen's characters as always leap off the page. He just has a way with writing character that make them feel so real, and you connect to them so quickly and easily. Rosie was fab, a great laugh and Steve was just the sweetest!

Can't wait for more in the series!

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oxfordcommas91's review

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adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I can't get enough of the characters - and the tangled murder mystery plots - that Richard Osman creates. I was so excited to pick up his newest to hold me over while I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment of the Thursday Murder Club. A small part of me was worried that I may not enjoy this one as much as I do the TMC since I'm so attached to that world and those characters, but We Solve Murders did not disappoint. Osman creates such a palpable sense of tension without giving way to sheer anxiety in his novels, striking (in my opinion) the perfect balance for the cozy mystery genre! I had a hard time tearing myself away from this book once I'd started. It's the perfect snack - satisfying, sweet without being overly so, and you always wish you had more in the end! Sometimes there are so many characters that it can be easy to get a bit lost in the thick of the plot, but I always enjoy the way Osman writes his reveals - slowly peeling back one layer of the onion at a time into a deeply satisfying conclusion. This book was no exception - there were a lot of people and places to keep track of but it culminated in a fantastic ending that kept me hooked until the last few pages. I don't think I'll ever get sick of his books and look forward to reading many more!

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