Book Review: The Sentence Is Death by Anthony Horowitz (Hawthorne and Horowitz Investigate #2)

My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

The second book in the Hawthorne and Horowitz Investigate series, The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz is an intricately plotted whodunit that kept me guessing till the very end.

The story revolves around the brutal murder of high-profile divorce lawyer Richard Pryce who was found bludgeoned to death in his home. The murder weapon found with his body was an expensive bottle of wine which was rather strange as the deceased was a teetotaler. The number "182" painted in green was discovered on a wall near his body. Once again, former Detective Inspector turned consultant to Scotland Yard, Daniel Hawthorne has been brought in to assist in the police investigation. He approaches author Anthony Horowitz, abruptly turning up at the location of Foyles War (a British drama series written by author Anthony Horowitz) to follow the case with him, proposing the case be subject matter for his next book (referring to the three book collaboration they had previously agreed upon). Horowitz is aware of his limitations as far as investigative work is concerned and his determination to prove his worth this time, even if it means pursuing his own line of investigation often withholding his suspicions from the more seasoned and competent Hawthorne results in more than a few interesting moments.

As the narrative progresses we follow the duo as they try to put the pieces of the puzzle together, delving deep into Pryce’s personal and professional lives looking for anyone who could have had a motive for wanting him dead and/or those who stood to benefit from his death. With multiple suspects, plenty of red herrings on the way, and the immensely unlikable DI Cara Grunshaw who does not hesitate to express her dislike and disregard for Hawthorne or Horowitz, solving this case won’t be easy. Written in the veins of classic murder mysteries, this is a medium-paced but immensely engaging read. I enjoyed the segments on Horowitz’s (the character) life as a writer, both on- and off-set. The author does a praiseworthy job of writing himself into the story as one of the main characters. The dynamic between the two characters makes for interesting reading and the author injects a healthy dose of humor into the same. Overall, this is a smartly crafted mystery that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy reading classic detective stories.

Though I had started this book pairing it with the audiobook, I soon switched to reading as I wasn't happy with how the narrator voiced the female characters.