- ItalyA villa in the hills
- Palm SpringsCalifornia sunshine
- BarcelonaCity streets
- Steve’s village pubA familiar place to return to
The attraction: familiar company, a wider journey
The strongest reason to choose We Chase Shadows is the returning trio. If the first novel made you enjoy the contrast between Amy’s professional alertness, Rosie’s confidence and Steve’s quieter habits, a second case offers more time in that company. Our recommendation is to read We Solve Murders first. A new investigation can be introduced in a few lines, but the pleasure of recognising how three people respond to one another depends on having met them. This is a sequel to a separate series, so you do not need to finish the Thursday Murder Club novels before beginning.
A premise that moves between worlds
The publisher’s starting point is a body outside an Italian villa. The investigation’s stated route includes Palm Springs, Barcelona and Steve’s village pub. That combination suggests the contrast that makes the newer series distinctive: international movement remains connected to somebody’s idea of home. For readers choosing between Osman’s series, the practical difference is useful. Coopers Chase offers the rhythms of a retirement community and a larger established circle. The Wheelers and Rosie provide a smaller team and a travelling mystery. Neither setting is automatically better; choose the kind of company and movement you enjoy.
Who should read it next?
Make this your next choice if you liked the first We Solve Murders and want the team back together. If you have only watched the Netflix Thursday Murder Club film, start with either series opener instead. The film introduces another quartet and another setting; it does not supply the relationships that underpin this sequel. Readers who prefer to settle into one community for a whole run of books may find the club novels the more natural route. Those who enjoy a brisk premise and changes of location have a good reason to explore this newer series.
Humour, danger and expectations
Expect murder, international travel and the clash of three very different personalities. Amy’s security experience, Steve’s patient detective work and Rosie’s exuberance give the team its shape. The quieter village scenes keep the adventure connected to friendship and family, while the changing locations give this series a different rhythm from Coopers Chase. Readers who enjoy the older club members being underestimated may particularly warm to Steve. The mystery still involves violent threats and criminal deception, so consult the book guide’s content notes if those subjects affect your choice. Detailed plot recaps are best saved until after the final chapter.
Published reception and the bestseller milestone
Mushens Entertainment reported on 25 September 2026 that the novel reached No. 7 on the New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Fiction list and No. 8 on Hardcover Fiction. That is a welcome milestone for the second adventure. It describes the positions reported on that date, rather than a permanent ranking or a verdict on the book’s quality. Readers can use reception alongside their own preferences: a successful release may still be the wrong starting point if you have not met the characters. Our book page keeps the milestone beside the UK publication and edition details.
Print or Nicola Walker’s audiobook?
Nicola Walker narrates the UK English recording, with an appended conversation featuring Walker and Richard Osman. If you enjoyed her interpretation of the first novel, this is the straightforward continuation to sample. Check the edition card for the exact retailer link and running time. The German recording is Wir jagen Schatten, with a different cast; it is not the English recording under a translated label. Print readers should also check the format they want. The UK hardback was published on 10 September 2026, while later-format listings belong to their own edition schedules.
Our spoiler-free recommendation
Read the opener, then return here for the second adventure. That order gives Amy, Steve and Rosie’s differences room to become part of the enjoyment rather than a set of names to learn while the case is already moving. For a book club, ask which contrast interests the group most: home and travel, professional caution and enthusiasm, or family obligations and investigative judgement. Discuss the answer after reading without requiring everybody to agree on a rating. If you want another Coopers Chase novel instead, The Impossible Fortune is the fifth club book, and the book 6 tracker covers what comes next.
What reviewers said
Criminal Element
Webb praises the blend of comedy, emotional warmth and observation. Her review particularly enjoys the expanding friendships, the publishing-world satire and the travel, finding the company of Steve, Amy and Rosie as appealing as the mystery itself.
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus finds the opening slow, but enjoys the deadpan humour once the investigation gathers momentum. It highlights the amusing contrast between Rosie’s glamorous lifestyle and the Wheelers, along with an increasingly intricate case.
EVOKE
Costigan enjoys the pace, travel and distinctive personalities. Her reservations are that the shifts in the plot can take time to settle into, and that she feels less attached to this newer trio than to the Thursday Murder Club. Even so, she recommends the adventure as an entertaining read.
These summaries leave out plot revelations; the linked full reviews may discuss more of the story.