The Word is Murder: A Novel

By Anthony Horowitz

**A Guardian 'Best Thriller of the Year!'**

The New York Times bestselling author of Magpie Murders and Moriarty brilliantly reinvents the classic crime novel once again with this clever and inventive mystery starring a fictional version of the author himself as the Watson to a modern-day Holmes, investigating a case involving buried secrets, murder, and a trail of bloody clues.

A woman crosses a London street.

It is just after 11am on a bright spring morning, and she is going into a funeral parlor to plan her own service.

Six hours later the woman is dead, strangled with a crimson curtain cord in her own home.

Enter disgraced police detective Daniel Hawthorne, a brilliant, eccentric man as quick with an insult as he is to crack a case. And Hawthorne has a partner, the celebrated novelist Anthony Horowitz, curious about the case and looking for new material.

As brusque, impatient, and annoying as Hawthorne can be, Horowitz—a seasoned hand when it comes to crime stories—suspects the detective may be on to something, and is irresistibly drawn into the mystery. But as the case unfolds, Horowitz realizes he’s at the center of a story he can’t control . . . and that his brilliant partner may be hiding dark and mysterious secrets of his own.

A masterful and tricky mystery which plays games at many levels, The Word Is Murder is Anthony Horowitz at his very best.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jun 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781443455497

Anthony Horowitz

ANTHONY HOROWITZ is the author of the US bestselling Magpie Murders and The Word is Murder, and one of the most prolific and successful writers in the English language; he may have committed more (fictional) murders than any other living author. His novel Trigger Mortis features original material from Ian Fleming. His most recent Sherlock Holmes novel, Moriarty, is a reader favorite; and his bestselling Alex Rider series for young adults has sold more than 19 million copies worldwide. As a TV screenwriter, he created both Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA-winning Foyle’s War on PBS. Horowitz regularly contributes to a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines, and in January 2014 was awarded an OBE.

Reviews for The Word is Murder

[rodraglin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you like clever, well-written murder mysteries you’ll enjoy The Word is Murder. An author is recruited by a discredited detective who in turn has been hired as a consultant by his former employer to solve a puzzling murder.The sleuth wants the writer to tell the story about how he solves the murder and in turn, share the rewards of what he’s sure will a bestseller. The author is not so sure–about the detective or the project. Author Anthony Horowitz mixes fact with fiction and real people with imaginary characters to weave a story that has plenty of twists and turns.The plot becomes a bit convoluted near the end but not so much as to dismiss it as contrived.

[ddelmoni_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Literally fiction and/or non-fiction. My 4th Horowitz novel this year and I'm starting to think Horowitz is a genius. His Sherlock Holmes books are written like you're reading Arthur Conan Doyle, Magpie Murder had an Agatha Christie vibe. The Word Is Murder "sounds" like none of the above. Now I have to give his James Bond book a go.

[alanteder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hawthorne/Horowitz subbing for Holmes/Watson redeems itselfReview of the Audible Audio edition narrated by Rory KinnearAnthony Horowitz has made excellent pastiches of Ian Fleming in his James Bond continuation/ fill-in series and of Arthur Conan Doyle in his Sherlock Holmes reboot series. The start of The Word is Murder is perhaps a bit too meta, as Horowitz writes himself into the book as a modern day Watson who is enlisted by a modern day Sherlock Holmes named Hawthorne to act as his partner scribe when he consults on a murder investigation. In the audio book this seemed very tedious for a long time as we hear about Horowitz's real and/or imagined writing problems with both his books and his TV/movie scripts. But then at the actual funeral scene around the 4 hour mark the plot really does kick off and the game is afoot! I couldn't wait to hear what happened next in the 5 hours that followed. All is forgiven, so don't give up if it seems like it is going nowhere at first and especially when at the Steven Spielberg/Peter Jackson cameo appearance you begin to worry that there is no investigating going on here.The narration by actor Rory Kinnear (probably best known as Bill Tanner aka M's Chief of Staff in the Daniel Craig/James Bond movies) was excellent throughout.

[brenzi_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was head over heels for Horowitz’s Magpie Murders so when I saw he had published another mystery book I knew I would read it at some point. Actually I ended up going with the audio version which was very well done and narrated by Rory Kinnear. This book isn’t quite as intricate a mystery as Magpie was but it still was a very well done, intelligent mystery.A woman enters a funeral home to plan her own funeral. Hours later, she is found dead in her own home, strangled. From there we move on to meet Daniel Hawthorne, a disgraced former detective who now serves as a consultant to the police because he is a brilliant case solver. He puts clues together with remarkable ease and comes up with the killer’s identification in case after case with incredible ease. He works on the case with Anthony Horowitz (the author) who is commissioned by Hawthorne to write a book about the case. The case takes many intricate turns before Hawthorne finally solves the mystery. Highly recommended.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this clever murder mystery. It’s written from the point of view of the author trying to write a book about the case. A woman plans her own funeral and is murdered in her home later that day. A cranky, rude detective is hired to consult with the police on the case. There were fun random scenes, like those with Peter Jackson & Spielberg, and the whole thing was entertaining start to finish. I cared more about the characters than the mystery.

[beckyhaase · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

THE WORD IS MURDER by Anthony HorowitzA woman plans her funeral in great detail, leaves the funeral home and six hours later is murdered – or maybe it was suicide. The writing form used for this book (the actual author is a pretend/actual author telling the tale) is a bit off putting, but once you get beyond that the mystery is engrossing. Perhaps I read too many of Horowitz’s Alex Ryder books to be interested in his ruminations as the pretend/actual author. I wanted him to just get on with the murder/suicide and tell his tale. Well drawn characters, several possible murderers, a convincing possibility for suicide – so which is it? Get beyond his conceit and the mystery is a good one.3 of 5 stars

[gingermama-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love Horowitz's other work, but I found this one difficult to get into and a struggle to finish. It didn't help that the detective character was so abrasive and unlikable. And having the author participate as a character in the story? Just...no.

[writemoves · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am generally not a fan of mystery novels. I am a huge fan of the author, Anthony Horowitz. I have read and enjoyed previous books that he has written and looked forward to reading this one. The story reads like a modern Sherlock Holmes – Dr. Watson mystery adventure. The author steps into the story and accompanies Hawthorne, a detective/consultant who is attempting to solve a murder of the mother of a famed Hollywood actor. The book starts off interestingly with a description of the woman planning her own funeral the day that she is murdered. There are the usual twists and turns – – characters and suspects who may hold clues to the woman's murder. Hawthorne is a mysterious character. Slowly throughout the book, you begin to learn about his past and his motivations. This is an excellent book for those who love mysteries and a great story.

I will continue to look forward to more books from Horowitz.

[invisiblelizard · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

So after reading Magpie Murders, I quickly sought out whatever else Anthony Horowitz has written and came across this (his next book) and jumped right in. And I was terribly disappointed. First of all, what I thought was going to be a nice postmodern exercise (inserting himself into the narrative) turned out to be more biography than anything else. He seemed to spend an undue amount of time showing off his previous successes. The lengthy scene where he meets with Stephen Spielberg and Peter Jackson may have been pulled directly from his real life, but it didn't add anything at all to this story. Second of all, he comes across as somewhat unlikable. He whines most of the way through this story about how he doesn't want to write it. Almost made me not want to finish reading it. Third of all, the other "main" character in this book, the fictitious detective Daniel Hawthorne who the somewhat fictitious Anthony Horowitz teams up with, is absolutely unlikable: gruff, brash, homophobic, and many other negative adjectives as well. Horowitz (the real one) doesn't give him a single likable character trait. The only good thing about him is his Holmesian deductive abilities. The pastiche of "genius afflicted with poor social skills" is popular these days, probably attributed to Sir A.C.D himself, but usually, even in the worst examples, the afflicted genius has some cracks in his crusty veneer that shows something/anything relatable and human underneath. The only relatable or human characteristic we get from Hawthorne is the fact that he builds model airplanes. (Seriously. And this isn't a spoiler because it has absolutely zero bearing on anything at all related to the story.) And also he saves the Horowitz (the character) from near-certain death because Horowitz (the character) is an absolute idiot. And having read Magpie Murders I know for a fact that Horowitz (the real writer) is not an idiot. He also created some of my parents' favorite BBC TV mysteries, so he must know a thing or two about crafting a whodunit. This one, however, left me flat, bored, and sad.

[gwendydd · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In a lot of ways, this is just a typical murder mystery and could easily be an episode of Midsomer Murders or some other mystery series. It's a good mystery, full of red herrings and obvious-in-retrospect clues with a clever solution. But what makes this book really fun is that the author writes himself into the book.The book is in the first person from Anthony Horowitz's point of view. A detective who was a consultant for one of his TV shows contacts him to say, "I'm solving a murder, and I want you to follow me around and write a book about it." Horowitz is torn, because the detective is a jerk and is very uncooperative when it comes to sharing details that would help write the book, but the mystery is really intriguing. Peppered throughout are details about Anthony Horowitz's life and career ("We had just gotten to the end of WWII in Foyle's War and I was trying to decide if I should write another series....") There's just enough real-life detail to make you wonder how much of the book is really true. It also lets the author comment a lot on the processes of solving a mystery and writing about it. This was fun, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

[ladyoflorien_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved the mystery and plot but I was not a fan of the writing style. It's written from the perspective of a character in the book who is an author following detective Hawthorne. I liked the Hawthorne character but found myself annoyed at the author character and his suppositions.

[a4gables · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I see that Horowitz was trying a Watson-Sherlock schtick, but the 'Sherlock' figure lacks all the charm and intelligence of the original. I also found the use of real people like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in scenes rather jarring and not very credible. I wonder what they thought. In fact, all the passages referring to Horowitz's real career as a television and children's writer started to feel like intrusive padding in what was a pretty boring murder mystery. A lot of jealous ex-RADA graduates scratching over their careers are hardly the stuff that sets the heart racing. I mean, it's not like someone murdered Richard Burton.

[featherbear · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Horowitz was a writer for Midsomer Murders TV series and a Sherlock Holmes pastiche. When not doing posthumous Doyle or Ian Fleming. To pep up his brand as a novelist, he has started to write “meta” mysteries. Magpie Murders was a (temporarily) unfinished mystery novel within a murder mystery involving the publisher of the novel. The Word is Murder has a Holmes-Watson relationship with Horowitz as the Watson and Daniel Hawthorne, an ex-homicide detective taking the Holmes role. The mystery itself is less Holmesian than a story with something of the eccentric flavor of Midsomer Murders (including an echo of the frequent theater-world excursions of Midsomer) by way of Agatha Christie. I like the TV series but the story has too much of a contrived 50 minute TV plot which makes the TV series soothing but isn’t quite as satisfying in novel form. But soothing nonetheless. One side bit has Horowitz trying to make Hawthorne more of a character than a mystery-solving cipher, but Hawthorne’s homophobia doesn’t seem to go anywhere, and his model-making hobby seems to be tacked on at the end in desperation.Thanks New Haven Public Library!

[eyejaybee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Anthony Horowitz has been celebrated for the diversity as well as the quality of his output. In addition to television series such as Foyle’s War and Misdsomer Murders, he has written a highly successful sequence of novels aimed at teenagers featuring adolescent hero Alex Rider. He has branched out more recently into fiction for adults (rather a clumsy way of putting it, I know, though I am conscious that the phrase ‘adult fiction’ might have conjured the wrong image), and continues to demonstrate an innovative approach. The first of his novels that I encountered was The House of Silk which he was commissioned to write by the Estate of Arthur Conan Doyle, and which recounted a ‘lost’ Sherlock Holmes adventure which, for reasons which become evident as the story progresses, Dr Watson had undertaken to defer from publication until all the protagonists were dead. Horowitz captured the feel of Conan Doyle’s original stories admirably, and the book represented a valuable addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon.Following that success, he was commissioned by the Estate of Ian Fleming to write a new James Bond book, which came to fruition as ‘Trigger Mortis. Once again, he captured the feel and style of the original books – far more capably than Sebastian Faulks, and to my mind almost on a par with William Boyd’s excellent Solo. Indeed, I suspect that writers as accomplished as Boyd and Horowitz probably found it painful to have to lacerate their own laudable style to match the mediocrity of Ian Fleming’s prose.He followed this with another venture into Holmes’s territory with his excellent Moriarty, which recounted the exploits of that arch criminal and featured a major twist that I certainly didn’t see coming, and then addressed the traditional whodunit with a homage to Agatha Christie in The Magpie Murders, one of the finest example of meta-fiction that I have read recently.In his latest novel, Horowitz has returned to meta-fiction but with a different twist. He himself is one of the leading characters, which allows him to offer an insight into the modus operandi of a busy professional writer. The novel opens with a description of an apparently healthy middle-aged woman visiting an undertaker to make the arrangements for her own funeral. Six hours later she is murdered in her own flat.We are then taken across London to encounter Horowitz himself, and from that point on the novel is narrated in the first person by him. Horowitz is approached by Hawthorne, a former Detective Inspector in the Metropolitan Police, who had previously assisted some of the television programmes on which Horowitz had worked, offering advice about procedural issues. Hawthorne describes the woman’s death and explains that he has been retained by the police in the capacity as a consultant to assist the investigation. In the meantime, he wishes to strike a deal with Horowitz. Basically, he wants Horowitz to write a book about his investigation, and demands fifty per cent of the takings.The relationship between Horowitz and Hawthorne is prickly to begin with, and generally deteriorates from there. They do, however, start to make progress, though Hawthorne is definitely taking the lead. There is always a danger when novelists start to play with the format, mixing fact and fiction and incorporating themselves as character, that the intricacies of the format might predominate, leaving the development of the story to stumble along behind the gimmickry. Horowitz fights clear of that, and delivers a perfectly balanced novel. He states at one point that he is an admirer of Agatha Christie, and he seems keen to copy her spirit of experimentation. It has certainly worked here.

[jbd1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very meta, very meta indeed. Not, alas, terribly good, although it did hold my attention well enough to make me want to keep reading.

[mamzel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Horowitz is most familiar to me for his Alex Rider, teen spy, series for middle and high school, and his Foyle's War series seen in the U.S. on PBS. This is the first novel of his that I have read and I really enjoyed it.I love the twist of the presentation. He, as himself, is approached by a retired detective inspector to write his story and follow him as he solves the murder of one Diana Cowper. Mrs. Cowper had walked into a funeral home to arrange her own funeral and was found dead the very same day. Hawthorne, the ex-cop feels he can solve the case even though he is not part of the force any more.Intrigued, Horowitz decides to give it a go and. What is so fun about the story is how he drops names like Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, and others along with all of the projects he has worked on. The mystery had me guessing and the ending was surprisingly suspenseful.We received this book in our high school library and I would recommend it for teens as well as adults.

[janerawoof · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A double murder--mother and son--the mother surprised in her home the same day she has made funeral arrangements, the son killed in his home the day of her funeral after it. An author is called upon to ghostwrite a "true crime" book by a disgraced ex-detective who does consulting work for the police department. They have a very uneasy partnership in finding the killer or killers. I figured it out early on and enjoyed reading motivations and gradual elimination of characters from the suspect list. The story did keep my interest all through but I did think the denouement a bit fantastic and a bit deus ex machina. A bit of a let-down after his one previous, [Magpie murders].

[swibells · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had high hopes for this book. I was so excited when my review request got approved on Edelweiss! And then I read the book. 


It wasn't bad, story wise. The storyline was pretty good, but I couldn't get into it. Unlike the Sherlock Holmes books by Anthony—that I absolutely loved, by the way—this one didn't have much thrill at all. It was very tedious. 


The lead character, Hawthorne, is kinda like Sherlock, but worse in all the bad qualities Sherlock had. I did not like Hawthorne one bit, and maybe that also affected my take on the book. 


I loved the way the author included himself in the story as a sidekick, and how he mixed facts with fiction. He's really good at that, to be honest. 


But overall, the book had just too much description and not enough action for my taste. I really wish I'd had liked it better, but I guess I'll have to wait for the author to write another Sherlock Holmes novel. 

[twink_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've enjoyed Anthony Horowitz's previous adult mysteries and happily picked up his latest, The Word is Murder.Oh my gosh, it is so very, very clever! I absolutely adored it!The murder? A woman walks into a funeral home, plans her funeral and is found murdered six hours later. Ex police detective Daniel Hawthorne is called in to help with the investigation. Hawthorne is also looking for someone to ghost write his memoirs and approaches Anthony Horowitz. Yes, you read that right - Horowitz himself is a character in the book! I must admit to being unsure if this was a fiction book in the first few chapters. (it is) And if this concept would work.(it really does) Horowitz is soon drawn into the case as he follows Hawthorne around on his investigation.Hawthorne is such a great character - a brilliant detective, but somewhat lacking in personal interactive skills. I quite liked him. He reminded me a bit of Cormoran Strike. The publisher describes Horowitz as a Watson to Hawthorne's Holmes and its a spot on description. I had so much fun reading Horowitz's description of himself, his thoughts and reactions. Can you imagine the writing process? The interactions between the two are wonderfully depicted.And just as well done is the actual mystery. Hawthorne picks up on the smallest clues and discrepancies. Horowitz also tries to investigate, but doesn't have the skill set of Hawthorne. It's not clear who is the culprit and I was kept guessing alongside of our protagonists.Clever, clever, clever. The Word of Murder is excellent reading. And....there is a sequel coming called Another Word for Murder. Can't wait!

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved Anthony Horowitz's book, The Magpie Murders and frankly couldn't see how he could top that one! But, he certainly did...by...not telling, that was the thing I loved best about this book! A woman walks into a funeral home and plans her funeral and then is found murdered six hours later. Ex-police detective, Daniel Hawthorne is called in to help with the investigation. Hawthorne is a great character, brilliant but kind of lacking in personal interactive skills. An excellent murder mystery with a quirky narrative style. Definitely recommended!

[brangwinn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Horowitz always writes a good mystery, and placing himself front and center in this book makes it even more interesting, His sidekick, a dour former British police detective adds to the story.

[patsymurray · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am giving this one star less than the Stephanie Plum novel I just read because it doesn't succeed at its goal nearly as well. Inserting himself into the book is a clever idea, but he doesn't come off as a realistic character. I found the mystery rather ordinary and the ending, with the disclosure about Hawthorne, anticlimactic. Happy it read quickly so I didn't have to take too long with it.

[arielfl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love an Anthony Horowitz novel and this one is no exception. In this novel he inserts himself into the story. Diana Cowper is a woman unknown to Hororwitz who is found murdered. The catch is that she planned her own funeral hours before she died. Ex cop Hawthorne contacts Horowitz because he wants him to write a book about how he is going to solve the case. I am an Agatha Christie fan and clearly Horowitz is too. I love how he takes the classic mystery formula and turns it on it's head. Clues unravel as we closer and closer to the truth of what happened. If there is one misstep in the book it is how Horowitz deals with homosexuality. It is revealed that Hawthorne is homophobic and Horowitz is repulsed by this but no explanation is ever given for why Hawthorne feels that way and it is never really resolved or addressed. Aside from that I did enjoy the mystery and am still a fan.

[pamkaye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The death of an elderly lady is the start of this great adventurous whodunit. Did Diana Cowper know she was about to get murdered or was it coincidence?When Ex-Detective Daniel Hawthorne asks writer Anthony Horowitz to follow him on an investigation and write about it, little did either of them know where it was gonna take them. The characters are all written with full clarity of who they are, what they look like, and fthe kind of people they are.The scenes are describe in detail, so you can see them clearly in your head. The dialog ring true. It's sdhard to tell that this is fiction. The ending is not what I expected and I love when an author can surprise me like that.I truly enjoyed this book. I plan on reading more Horowitz in the near future, or watching some of his tv series. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because sometimes the details were a little to much or too repetative. Although some details were important to the conclusion and needed to be repeated and ground into the brain, so the reader wasn't confused by the outcome.

[booklover915 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Anthony Horowitz displays his versatility, cleverness, and whimsy in "The Word is Murder," in which Horowitz inserts himself into the plot of his whodunit. Well-known as the author of popular books for young adults and as a screenwriter for successful television shows, Horowitz hooks us immediately and holds our attention until the final surprise is sprung. The action opens with Diana Cowper, a woman in her sixties, visiting an undertaker. For some reason, she goes about arranging the details of her funeral service and burial. This intriguing chapter is followed by a murder, and subsequently, a deal is struck between former Detective Inspector Daniel Hawthorne and Horowitz. The two will collaborate on a book about Hawthorne's investigative prowess. Although Horowitz is not fond of Hawthorne, who is arrogant and condescending, Horowitz decides to swallow his pride and work with him on the project.

Why does the author put up with the Hawthorne's supercilious manner? In spite of his misgivings, Horowitz is motivated by a desire to try his hand at true crime. The proposed manuscript involves a tragic automobile accident that took a child's life and seriously injured his twin brother; an egotistical young actor whose mother dotes on him; and a second killing that is even more brutal than the first. Horowitz and Hawthorne interview quite a few individuals who were acquainted with the victims--for Hawthorne, a ruthless interrogator, "politeness was a surgical mask, something he slipped on before he took out his scalpel"--but for quite a while, it is unclear how the pieces of this extremely complicated inquiry fit together.

Horowtiz's narration is engrossing and entertaining, but when he tries to match wits with Hawthorne, he realizes that he is out of his depth. An abundance of red herrings leave him more confused than enlightened, and he wonders, "How could I tell what was relevant and what wasn't?" The clues are laid out for those astute enough to interpret them, but not everyone is as sharp and insightful as, say, Hercules Poirot or Sherlock Holmes. What makes this novel such fun is Horowitz's engaging style; colorful depiction of character and setting; sly humor; use of literary and cultural allusions; and brilliant misdirection. Its improbable elements notwithstanding, "The Word is Murder" is a witty, diverting, and refreshingly original mystery that will delight fans of classic detective stories.

[infjsarah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Listened to this as an audiobook and enjoyed it a lot. A different take on a murder mystery.

[librarian1204 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really liked Magpie Murders. I liked it so much that I could not wait to get my hands on this book. But I did not like this one nearly as much as Magpie Murders.The plot is interesting. A former police officer, Hawthorne, who still consults for the police, is asked to investigate the murder of a woman who died on the day she arranged her own funeral. The policeman hires the book’s narrator, Tony , a published author, to tell his story. There are twists and turns and red herrings leading to a dramatic conclusion.But I did not like either Hawthorne or Tony very much. The book sagged in part because of the prickly relationship between these two men. I kept waiting for more and that comes very slowly.

[bogopea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book is fiction, written in the first person by Anthony Horowitz, the author, who is also a main character. It is very similar to his previous murder mystery "The Magpie Murders"; however, I did not enjoy this nearly as much. A woman plans her own funeral and then is murdered the same day. Who did it? Strange sort of set up in that the police have asked a former (as in left under a cloud) detective to see what he could come up with and he (Hawthorne) convinces Horowitz to tag along and then write a book about his exploits in solving the case. For me there were a lot of things that didn't seem realistic or plausible. But, all in all, it was a good yarn.

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Anthony Horowitz's latest mystery features a new character ... himself! He is Anthony Horowitz, the author we all love, who is approached by a police consultant, who wants Horowitz to write a police procedural featuring the detective and a real case. The idea is that Horowitz gets material for a mystery and ex DI Hawthorne gets a cut from the sales of the book. And so, Horowitz plays Watson to Hawthorne's Sherlock Holmes. And just like the classic Holmes mysteries, DI Hawthorne is astute, clever and super-obnoxious. The mystery was excellent, but I loved the personality clash and reluctant friendship that develops between Horowitz and Hawthorne.The audiobook is narrated by Rory Kinnear and his performance is excellent and would make a very fun title for a family road trip. Thanks to the good folks at Libro.fm for offering booksellers a free copy of this audiobook.

[auntmarge64 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Just awful. I so liked "The Magpie Murders" and looked forward to this, but it's largely an ad for all of Horowitz's activities (movies, adult books, children's books) with name dropping and imaginary conversations with people like Steven Spielberg. The mystery might have been interesting but it's hard to tell, it's so buried in author's own details. I rarely finish a book I find so bad, but other reviews talked about how great the end was so I kept going, but - the ending was just silly.Here Horowitz places himself in the position of being offered a job writing about a difficult but admired ex-detective working as a consultant to the police on the murder of a woman who had pre-purchased her own funeral only hours earlier. Over and over the plot is disrupted by descriptions of Horowitz' own plans, projects, personal concerns. Just way too distracting, and even if the character was based on a fictional author it would have been a poor choice. I guess I just didn't get the joke.