Book Review: The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz (Hawthorne and Horowitz Investigate #1)

My Rating :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, ( 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.