Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile (recovering from an arm injury; on a short review-writing break)'s Reviews > The Word is Murder

4.5⭐️

Plot: 4/5; Audio Narration: 5/5

Six hours after Diana Cowper, mother of famous actor Damien Cowper visits a funeral parlor to discuss plans for her own funeral, she is killed in her own home. Coincidence, or not? Was she aware of a threat to her life or was it something else entirely?

Daniel Hawthorne, a former inspector with Metropolitan Police Force, is engaged as a private consultant on the case. Hawthorne convinces author Anthony Horowitz to write a book about him and his case, a fifty-fifty agreement that has Hawthorne tagging along with the seasoned detective while he investigates. Horowitz is a bit out of his depth (understandably so) when it comes to studying murder scenes, but is determined to hold his own. Hawthorne has his own inimitable style – he is smart, perceptive but secretive, not quite people-friendly and more than a bit curt with Horowitz who is often at his wit’s end trying to get Hawthorne to share his thoughts on the case, let alone himself. Writing a book about him isn’t going to be an easy task!

We follow the duo as they work their way through a series of leads and red herrings as they investigate multiple suspects - people from Diana’s past and present who appear to have a motive. But as the narrative progresses, a shocking turn of events changes the trajectory of the investigation.

Cleverly plotted, evenly paced, and reminiscent of classic detective stories with an ending that is almost impossible to predict, The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz is an absorbing read. I was a bit wary of the fact that the author writes himself as one of the main characters in the plot, but I must say he does so quite effectively and the dynamic between Horowitz and Hawthorne makes for some truly entertaining moments. The mystery was well-crafted and held my interest as the plot progressed. The final reveal truly surprised me, which is always a good thing. I did feel, however, that the segments leading up to the collaboration between the duo, could have been a tad shorter, but this in no way detracted from my overall reading experience. I paired my reading with the incredible audio narration by Rory Kinnear. Immersion reading at its best!

With its fluid narrative, interesting characters and a solid mystery at its core, The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz is a thoroughly enjoyable read. This is my first time reading this author but definitely not my last. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.