The Word Is Murder (A Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery)

Product Information

Six hours after widowed London socialite Diana Cowper calls on mortician Robert Cornwallis to make arrangements for her own funeral, she’s suddenly in need of them after getting strangled in her home. The Met calls on murder specialist Daniel Hawthorne, an ex-DI bounced off the force for reasons he’d rather not talk about, and he calls on the narrator (“nobody ever calls me Tony”), a writer in between projects whose agent expects him to be working on The House of Silk, a Holmes-ian pastiche which Horowitz happens to have published in real life. Anthony’s agreement with Hawthorne to collaborate on a true-crime account of the case is guaranteed to blindside his agent (in a bad way) and most readers (in entrancingly good ways). Diana Cowper, it turns out, is not only the mother of movie star Damian Cowper, but someone who had her own brush with fame 10 years ago when she accidentally ran over a pair of 8-year-old twins, killing Timothy Godwin and leaving Jeremy Godwin forever brain-damaged. A text message Diana sent Damian moments before her death—“I have seen the boy who was lacerated and I’m afraid”—implicates both Jeremy, who couldn’t possibly have killed her, and the twins’ estranged parents, Alan and Judith Godwin, who certainly could have. But which of them, or which other imaginable suspect, would have sneaked a totally unpredictable surprise into her coffin and then rushed out to commit another murder? This is, in many ways, a classic whodunit Agatha Christie style murder mystery, which happens to be a favorite genre of mine. What makes this book different and unique is the author is a character in his own book and the narrative is a fun blend of fact and fiction. In the story, the novelist Horowitz is presented with the opportunity to follow along with Hawthorne as he works the case and write a book about it. In the end the crime is solved and Horowitz and Hawthorne warm up to each other a tad; in fact Hawthorne pays the writer a small compliment, to Horowitz's immense pleasure. As the novel opens, wealthy middle-aged Londoner Diana Cowper goes to an undertaker to plan her funeral, so - when the time comes - it will go off exactly as she wants.....with her chosen hymns and music. The funeral will occur much sooner than expected, though, because Diana is strangled in her apartment a few hours later.

Hawthorne allows Horowitz to accompany him to the murder scene. It's here that Horowitz reveals the ease of writing about murder, but viewing it first hand sends him into a near faint. Careful steps are taken around the body as Hawthorne eyes misplaced objects and the last movements of the ill-fated Diana. As the investigation broadens, Hawthorne muzzles the curious writer from asking any questions. Frustration sets in and Horowitz feels compelled to walk away from the deal. But can he or will he? Funny, addictive and clever, and the crime fighting duo of Hawthorne and Horowitz are as entertaining as ever. Brilliant. I can't wait for more.' Adam Handy Told from Horowitz’s first -person perspective, the reader is schooled about the life of an author, while he takes every available opportunity to promote himself and his work along the way. 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!In fact, Horowitz had his first success as the author of several thriller and spy series for young readers, including “Alex Rider” and “The Diamond Brothers.” Yet he seems to have an instinctive sense of how and why people commit murder, and how they are caught. Or at least a version that resonates with crime fiction consumers. This is an ingenious whodunit, which is perfect, all on its own, but Horowitz’s narrative and unabashed owning of his healthy ego gives the story a certain charm amid the darker themes. SIMON: And, if I may, there was kind of a family scandal that hit you when you were a young man, wasn't there?

And it’s a seamless blend between the actual facts of his career and the events in this novel. Horowitz has skillfully created a near-seamless blend of the his own creation and recognizable television shows and novels. For example, while he writes this book, he is supposed to be working on a follow-up to THE HOUSE OF SILK. And what they know is this !!!. A woman walks into a funeral parlour, in South Kensington, and arranges her own funeral, right down to the last detail. And on the same day, six hours later, she is found strangled in her own home. A woman who did not have an enemy in the world and liked by everyone. What I understand is that this is the first of a series of crime novels starring these two gentlemen. And I'm already looking forward to the next. In addition, Diana is the mother of the famous actor Damian Cowper - who's currently a big sensation in America.

Select a format:

My writing has saved me,” he says. “Simple as that.” He looks sheepish, before breaking into a smile. “When I was 10, and inadequate in many ways, writing was a lifeline. Now I have my life pretty much sorted out. In a world where everything seems to be uncertain, writing is the only certainty I have.” New York Times bestselling author of Magpie Murders and Moriarty, Anthony Horowitz has yet again brilliantly reinvented the classic crime novel, this time writing a fictional version of himself as the Watson to a modern-day Holmes. Café Mortel, an opportunity to discuss one’s mortality over tea and cake. ― Anthony Horowitz, The Word Is Murder Clash of Reality and Fiction in The Word is Murder A woman has already planned her own funeral, but when she is found dead six hours after she finalizes the arrangements, it has the police wondering if she planned her own death, too? Sometimes a book shows up on my radar and its premise is so unusual and so intriguing, there is just no way I can pass it up. That's what happened with The Word is Murder.