At last, the We Solve Murders detective agency lands its first case involving an actual murder.

For this one, Amy, Rosie and Steve travel to a posh villa in Italy to meet their client, a somewhat shady character named Vern. When they think about it, they come to the conclusion that most of their clients will probably be like this. Otherwise, why not involve the police? Anyway, one of Vern’s bodyguards has been shot. Left behind is a note warning Vern that he’s next. Shockingly --- or stupidly, depending on how you look at it --- it is signed “Jakob Eriksson.”
 
Rosie, an author and the agency’s bankroller, recently released her latest crime novel, so she’s a bit distracted by publicity numbers. However, her appearance on “The Graham Norton Show” is what led to Vern hiring them, so that’s a plus. Now she wants book sales to go up along with We Solve Murders business.

"[R]eaders of Richard Osman’s highly entertaining WE CHASE SHADOWS...tumble into a twisty case full of absurd fun and even some touching moments."

As for Amy, she is excited by the prospect of real action. Would it be too much to hope for a bit of danger thrown in? It’s what she lives for. Left to idle, she falls to thinking about her upcoming anniversary. Her husband, Adam, is off in foreign lands, as is usual for him. They speak often but rarely see each other. However, if they manage to pull off celebrating this anniversary together, Amy will need to find a gift. Copper. That could be tricky.
 
Steve, a retired policeman and Amy’s father-in-law, likes nothing more than to settle into his chair at home with Trouble, a rather difficult cat who lives with him and occasionally sits on his lap. To be honest, the detective agency isn’t Steve’s first love. He left police work and would like to stay out of it, but he’s actually quite good at it. Plus, he enjoys spending time with Amy and Rosie, so here he is.
 
Naturally, all three agree that “Jakob Eriksson” is a clue but also might be a red herring. So could Vern suggest anyone else who might want to kill him? Yes, as a matter of fact, he has several names to toss out, including his ex-wife, Georgie, and a rival in his “trade.” 
 
When another of Vern’s bodyguards is murdered, it sends the whole investigation off in another direction. After interviewing Georgie, Steve is convinced that she didn’t off the two men. What would be her reason for wanting her ex dead? She and Vern actually have a pretty good relationship. But the “business” rival? Now he bears another look. 
 
At some point, Rosie brings in Spanish Interpol detective Ernesto Manuelo Santiago de Sousa de Cuellar, who apparently is quite accomplished in love and law despite his ridiculously long name. Sometimes one has to wonder what Rosie bases friendships on. To connect with Ernesto (for brevity), she and Steve take a trip to Málaga. Naturally, Steve would prefer to be in England with Trouble. But he can’t go home for a while yet because they have to interview the most dangerous woman in Sweden (a blessedly cool place), followed by another suspect in Palm Springs (a preposterously hot one). 
 
After running down all of the leads and chasing each suspect, the We Solve Murders gang ends up solving more than the one murder they were hired to crack. At the final tally, the numbers --- even for Rosie’s book --- jump dramatically. As for readers of Richard Osman’s highly entertaining WE CHASE SHADOWS, they all tumble into a twisty case full of absurd fun and even some touching moments.