0:00
So this is just someone else's..
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Oh my god! What the... Oh my god! What was... I need a moment of your attention, if you don't mind
0:07
but Harold Haas has been discovered murdered in the green room. There's been a murder
0:15
It's Richard Osman month. Ah. Because... Am I right in saying that the Thursday Murder Club comes out in September
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Always comes out in September. Always in September, yeah. Absolutely. Because you do work on a very tight 12-month schedule
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Well, yeah, if a 12-month schedule is tight. I mean, it's not like 24 hours
0:31
It's a whole year, Jamie. Do you have to go into a little room or go into the countryside to get inspiration
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I go into a little room, certainly, because that's where my computer is. But it's just me and the cats
0:43
How many have you got? Well, we've got two cats, one of whom used to be very well-behaved and would just sit there
0:46
and we've got a new cat, Lottie, who is an absolute hot mess. She's got real main character energy
0:52
And the second you start writing, you go, oh, we're writing? Oh, we're writing, are we? I think you're what
0:55
I'm just going to jump on your shoulder just for one second. I'm just going to jump on your shoulder and see what you're doing
0:59
You're on the keyboard, you're pressing the keyboard. What if I, this is, I'm just spitballing
1:03
what if I jump on the keyboard? She deleted a whole paragraph from a scene of the last book
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I was reading through this scene, I was thinking, this is a bit missing. Tell us what's been happening
1:14
Are you going to put her down as a co-author? Lottie? No, oh my God, no
1:18
She's costing me money, if anything. She at least needs a dedication at the front of the book. She has got a dedication at the back, very much so
1:24
Tell us briefly what's been happening on Cooper's Chase the last 12 months
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fill us in with about the new book. I had a year out to write the new series, We Solved Murders
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And at the end of the previous book, Elizabeth is in dire straits, not the band
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And I needed to give them a year off and this time I wanted something to happen that got her spark back
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So the book starts with she's sitting on a bench and a man comes up to her and says
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somebody is trying to kill me, can you help? And she's like, yeah, do you know what
1:54
This is what I'm good at. And that's how we start our new adventure
1:59
Here he is, and there's buried money, and there are codes, there's all sorts of stuff, plenty of murder
2:04
plenty of laughs and tears as well. But yeah, they've had a year off, so they are now back and firing on all cylinders
2:09
Fantastic. When you started, did you ever think there would be five in this series? No, and I guess they'll end up being more than that
2:17
Well, I'm thinking... It feels like a lot. Have you got... Is Netflix going to make five
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I don't know. Well, they're making the other series, Resolve Murders, as well
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because it takes forever to make a TV show so actually writing one a year
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they're like, this is great, I'm stockpiling them but then Netflix will take three years to make something
2:34
Oh my gosh, so good You mentioned Netflix The Thursday Murder Club is on Netflix as we speak
2:39
What kind of changes happen from page to screen? Do you find that some of the more subtler points are lost
2:47
Some of them, yeah I mean, the book is long if you were to literally do the book on screen
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it would be like nine hours long and a film is two hours So I handed that over completely to Chris Columbus and his amazing team
2:59
to do their version of the story. I've got my version of the story. That's the book
3:03
It's available in shops. It'll be available in 100 years' time. And that's the one that comes from my heart
3:07
Right. So this is just someone else's... Oh, God. What? What? What the..
3:12
Oh, my gosh. What was that? I need a moment of your attention, if you don't mind. I regret to inform that Harold Haas has been discovered murdered in the green room
3:20
There's been a murder? We have a case to solve, and I thought, considering we have Richard in the studio with your expertise
3:30
I've got four suspects that could be behind the crime, but maybe you can assist in solving the case
3:34
That's timely. Aren't you a police officer, though? Well, private investigator. Listen, whatever you need
3:41
That amazing It looks like we have Harold Hart is dead He the CEO of Hart We have a murder that needs solving
3:53
Sir, obviously this is very recent, so we don't have much information, but I do have some initial facts for you
3:58
Right, let me just wear my little notepad out. I'm also wearing a Sherlock Holmes hat
4:03
and I have a micro... No, is it a microscope? No. A microphone
4:07
You have a microphone. It's all right, a microphone. Do you know what it is? You don't need to know what it is. We've been talking about things that make you look old
4:12
You've been talking into that magnifying glass for months. If I was the murderer, I'd be thinking
4:16
I think I'm going to get away with this. Well, you'll be pleased to know
4:20
he was not killed with a magnifying glass. So that's when we can roll out
4:25
But we know that he died between 7.45 and 8 a.m. this morning
4:29
in the green room, so not too long ago. We're still working on what exactly caused it
4:35
but we know it was some form of poison. Oh, man. Yes, I know
4:39
and there is a sort of faint smell of bitter almonds around the body
4:43
But that's all we have so far. Okay. I think the best approach is that we move on to questioning our suspects
4:50
We have suspects, do we? We have the first two in the studio with us. Okay. We have Dean Hart, who is the son of our deceased
4:57
Okay. And then we have Stacey Starr, who is married to Dean and the daughter-in-law of our deceased
5:03
Okay, Dean, thank you for coming on this morning. We appreciate your time. Thank you, Brad
5:07
He looks a bit shifty, doesn't he? He really does. He does. Sorry, can we just stop it now
5:11
Dean did it. You've got it for Dean. Any questions for Dean
5:15
Dean and Stacey, go on, you go first. Dean, where were you between 7.45 and 8 this morning
5:20
Well, at 7.35 I got to the studio, so I was at the studio and we were there with my father and yes, I mean..
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Your late father? My late father, thank you, yes. You don't look that cut up about it
5:33
Well, you know, these things happen and there's a lot of money coming my way
5:38
so we've got things to look forward to. I heard that you've actually been cut out of the will
5:44
Oh, who did you hear that from? A very good source. Well, who is that good source
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A lawyer. Hang on, who's questioning who here? Well, I want to know if I'm cut out of the will
5:54
We're trying to solve a murder, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Stacey, I've got a question for you
5:59
Oh, you're right. So, Stacey, first of all, you are Harold's daughter-in-law, is that correct
6:04
Yeah, he was my papa. I feel like we go to the same hairdresser, Stacey
6:07
I know, beautiful silent babes. Is it true that you're a singer
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and the deceased refused to put your music on air? No, no, no
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The thing is with Harold, he was great, but he really needed to get his ears checked
6:20
because he told me he was a bad singer. And I was like, no, babes
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you just need to go and get your ears checked a few times. But no, I'm a star. That's why my name is Star, Stacey Star
6:29
I got you. Did you see Harold eat or drink anything this morning? Yeah, I gave him a croissant from the bakery next door
6:35
Sorry, the correct pronunciation is croissant. It's actually... A lot of people don't know this, but it's actually called a croissant
6:43
And if you understand it properly, then you look confused, but I'm educating you here with this correct..
6:49
And was this croissant? Well, croissant. Croissant, I think we've established. Was this a plain croissant
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Yes, it was. Yes, yes, yes. It was plain. Yes, and father had some, and then he put it down
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and then, well, I took it and I ate all of it, because it's mine now
7:02
And you didn't have any breakfast, did you? No, no, exactly. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary, Dean, this morning
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Well, my father died. That was quite out of the ordinary. Was it? Yes, yes. He looked very unwell, so I got a runner to get him a glass of water
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and then they handed the water to me so I could give it to my father. OK, well, listen, Detective, anything else we should know
7:23
So one thing which might be of interest is we actually found some evidence on our victim which reads beware of the one who knew me the best Okay well look we got a lot of information to work with We still have two more suspects to interrogate Feels like we need a tiny bit more
7:38
More? We've not got much to go on. No, I mean, I would ask the victim for more
7:43
but it's a bit difficult at the moment, you know, because he's dead. Wow, I'm getting sass from the detective
7:47
We're all trying to help me. We're all on the same side here. Just a little clarifying in case you got lost, Richard, on that one
7:53
More suspects, detective. Indeed. so we have your second pair of suspects we have the wife of our deceased we have davina heart
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and then we have elliot ives who is the assistant to harold heart so i'll hand it back over to di
8:07
davina should we chat to davina yeah davina sorry for your loss yes thank you again where were you
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this morning between 7 45 and 8 i'm not accusing you of anything just that just out of interest no
8:19
i appreciate that thank you mr osmond um so uh i was in the green room with harold i was i was
8:25
there when he collapsed. Okay. Did you give him anything to eat this morning
8:31
No, actually, I didn't. We had coffee together that he made, and then we had breakfast separately because he likes
8:37
to go and sit in his study and listen to the heart radio
8:41
Can I ask a question? Did he have any enemies? No, I think he was well-liked
8:46
Apparently not by you, but... You know what? I had a time
8:50
I thought his wife is here, mate. It was a bit suspicious. I wonder if Jamie could have done it
8:54
I mean, I'm looking at you, Jamie. That's not motive. What do you think of Harold's lovely assistant
9:02
who you're standing next to? He's perfectly fine. Yeah, I like the man, obviously
9:09
Yes. He didn't bring me a coffee this morning, but I just assumed he wasn't..
9:14
So he didn't bring you a coffee, but Harold made his own coffee. Well, so Elliot came to pick us up at the house
9:20
and I assumed that he didn't know that I was coming because he just bought a coffee for Harold
9:25
Okay. So earlier you said that Harold made his own coffee, but now you're saying that his assistant made coffee
9:31
Well, yes, at six o'clock when we had breakfast. Oh, so he had two coffees. Yeah, yes
9:35
Interesting. Suddenly he made two coffees. How long have you been married? Oh, well, only two years
9:40
Really? I'm actually his fourth wife. Interesting. Yes. Okay, where did you meet
9:45
The Global Awards. Oh, fantastic. Yeah. Good place to meet people. Okay, so we've got Elliot
9:51
we've got a couple of questions for you if we may before we wrap things up I can do to help
9:56
I mean you were Harold's assistant but were you close? Very close
10:00
I mean I started working with him when I was a teenager doing work experience I've been with him for 20 years
10:04
and worked my way up and became his right hand man for everything So you've seen him through all those marriages
10:10
Oh yes Which was your favourite wife? The current until today wife was my favourite
10:17
Did Harold ever express a favourite when it came to the Heart Breakfast presenters
10:21
well we we know that you had your troubles with him jamie had been said many a time um
10:27
he said he was a big fan of of amanda's though obviously always did thank you and in fact we
10:32
were talking about this morning on the drive over here i i bought him his coffee his uh almond latte
10:36
and uh we we were chatting about it you you were in a bit of a discussion though in the back of the
10:40
car you're having an argument you said uh you'll live to regret it i remember hearing that being
10:44
shouted quite loudly in the car but is that is that true did you no no that's that's not true
10:51
We were having a mild disagreement about wallpaper in the bathroom. It's really not
10:57
He would live to regret that William Morris he'd chosen. That was all. Okay, well, listen, we've heard now from our suspects
11:04
Was it the victim's son, Dean? Was it the victim's daughter-in-law, Stacey
11:08
Maybe it was the victim's wife, Davina, or possibly the assistant, Elliot
11:12
I have one other question. Be quick Are we sure it isn Jamie I feel like I built my part in there I apologise for that That would be a huge twist If I was writing it it would be you Would it Especially with this bit where you saying
11:24
don't forget it's not me. It's quite self-incriminating. It's definitely not me
11:29
Our last detective, just remind us where we are and who's under suspicion
11:34
Of course. So we have four suspects who potentially killed Harold. We know he died around about half an hour or so ago
11:41
with poison and the smell of bitter almonds. But it's time now for you to make your accusations as to who you believe is our murderer
11:49
starting with D.I. Osman. Okay. D.I., is it? Okay. You've got great
11:56
I think that almonds are the surest sign of cyanide poisoning. Smell of almonds is the smell of cyanide
12:05
Is it? Yeah. So I suspect that he was poisoned in his car
12:13
which is a Mazda just seeing if I get another gasp thank you XR5
12:22
I think so for me it is either our lovely assistant Elliot or it is Davina
12:29
I am going to accuse before Amanda accuses someone I'm going to accuse Davina
12:35
we have one for Davina D.I. Holden I've gone up as well
12:42
I feel like Juliet Bravo I I'm going by the that's very interesting that you said it's cyanide
12:51
because obviously I've been asking for almond hints all morning I know he had an almond
12:55
latte that was given to him by Elliot there was also a note saying
12:59
don't trust the person you know best which I'm also thinking is Elliot
13:03
he's been there through the whole thing but if it was cyanide
13:07
then I do remember that Stacey handed somebody some water this morning
13:13
Okay. And I'm wondering whether there could have been cyanide in the water
13:17
and that the almond croissants and lattes are all just a bit of a red herring
13:22
Detective, over to you. So, I can reveal that our murderer of Harold Hart is..
13:31
Elliot Ives. Oh, what? Yes, okay, I did it. He was going to fire me
13:37
for overstepping my bounds, all right? Me, after decades of service. He was going to replace you, Jamie, with a Pomeranian
13:42
What? It was happening next week. I did it for you and for me. We need to make Hart a better place
13:47
I think we should show Elliot some leniency. I love Pomeranians. Okay, that plan might happen now, by the sounds of it
13:52
It was Elliot, so Elliot, that's it. Take him down. Take him away
13:57
Take him away. There is some handcuffs there. Jamie had them from Christmas last year
14:02
That's another story for another time. I mean, that feels like something we should investigate
14:06
It's not really my specialty on that one. But I can confirm it was Elliot Ives
14:11
If you look at the timeline, we know that he shared a coffee with Davina this morning
14:16
so it couldn't have been in there. We also know with the water, he already complained of feeling unwell at that point
14:23
Plus the croissant that was given to him by Stacey. Dean then ate it afterwards, so that had been touched
14:28
The only thing that only our victim consumed, whilst he felt fine, was the almond latte
14:34
And that's why Elliot did it, to protect the radio station. and he knew him better than anyone else
14:40
Well, listen, we can all rest easy now knowing we've caught the murderer. Richard's book, The Thursday Murder Club
14:45
The Impossible Fortune, is out tomorrow. You can pre-order it now. Thank you so much to Richard Osman
14:50
and thank you to all of our cast this morning. I feel like this whole thing could have been a podcast