Richard Osman: I’m terrible at playing detective

In just four years, Richard Osman has transformed himself from a TV presenter and producer into a best-selling author.

But despite having a knack for writing cosy crime, he admits to the BBC he is “terrible at playing detective”.

“My grandfather solved crimes for a living and my mum would watch any Sunday night crime drama, and within five minutes know who done it.

“I think I’m brilliant but I’m always wrong. My wife and I think we know who did it and then at the end we both don’t get it right,” Osman says.

His hugely popular Thursday Murder Club mystery novels follow a group of elderly amateur sleuths living in a peaceful retirement village. The first book has already been snapped up by director Steven Spielberg, who is adapting it for Netflix.

Osman has now turned his attention to a new crime series.

We Solve Murders, sees Steve and Amy, a retired ex-cop and his bodyguard daughter-in-law, jet set across the world to solve a string of murders.

But the crime-busting duo couldn’t be more different.

“Steve’s an ex-cop who just wants a quiet life, but he’s reluctantly dragged into this adventure by Amy, who’s got this energy and drive that pulls him along,” explains Osman.

While most people’s relationship with their in-laws is civil at best, Osman wanted to turn the stereotype on its head and explore the idea of found families.

“I find the idea very moving,” Osman says. “I wanted to bring together two people who wouldn’t naturally cross paths like Steve and Amy. They’re an unlikely pair, but their relationship is filled with love and respect.”

Although the backdrops of private jets and luxurious destinations is a marked difference from the quaint Kent village setting of his first crime series, Osman says the book has the same “warmth and type of characters”.