We Solve Murders

Osman uses clothes throughout the novel to symbolize the character’s dispositions, revealing telling details about their personality traits. Rosie’s “dress to impress” philosophy reflects her vivaciousness and desire to stand out from the crowd (102). Her extravagant sartorial taste is humorously illustrated in the rhinestone jumpsuit she wears as everyday attire. This refusal to blend into the background emphasizes her confidence as a strong female role model. However, the narrative suggests that Rosie’s eye-catching attire may also be potentially dangerous. When hitman Eddie Flood is pursuing the bestselling author, he spots her from a distance by the “glint off a ruby-and-emerald brooch of a crouching tiger” (326). The bejeweled tiger draws attention to Rosie, while the animal’s crouching pose hints at her latent power.

Amy’s dress sense starkly contrasts with Rosie’s, emphasizing their differing temperaments. The practicality of Amy’s “combat fatigues and [a] faded Under Armour T-shirt” causes Rosie to ask if it is her work uniform (13). Plain to the point of austerity, Amy’s clothes reflect the physical demands of her profession but also imply that, in taking care of others, she is inclined to neglect her own needs.

Steve’s standard outfit of a sweatshirt, denim jacket, and combat boots is also practical, reflecting his honest, straightforward nature. His talent for making friends is also underlined by clothing when he and Carlos Moss bond over his Van Halen T-shirt. However, when Steve arrives in South Carolina, his apparel also symbolizes his resistance to change. Despite sweating in the searing heat, he refuses to remove his denim jacket and asserts that he does not wear sunglasses as he is “not a male model” (149). His decision to tolerate discomfort rather than adapt to the conditions signifies how Steve’s aversion to risk impedes his enjoyment of life. A similar point is made when Steve later enters a sauna fully clothed. His eventual decision to take his shoes and socks off indicates Steve’s growing appreciation of the rewards of a more adventurous life. Significantly, this moment is triggered by seeing Mickey Moody naked. While Mickey’s clothes are deliberately unremarkable, allowing him to fade into the background, his tattoos give his identity as Loubet away.

In the case of Max Highfield, Osman uses the motif of footwear to highlight the famous actor’s egotism and sense of entitlement. When Max takes his shoes off and puts his feet on Jeff Nolan’s boardroom table, he signals his arrogance and belief that his fame gives him license to do whatever he wants. This attitude is underlined by Max’s incredulity when he is barred from entering a private club while wearing trainers. Forced to borrow a pair of shoes, he also demonstrates his insecurities as he claims to need a size significantly larger than his own. The humorous description of Max in the too-large shoes, “feet slip-slapping like a police frogman on a steep canal bank” (196), underlines how the actor’s self-aggrandizing gestures only make him appear ridiculous.