Interviews

The Penguin Podcast: series 2 episode 6 – Summer reads

Greece_Destination-Reads_Article-header

Reading lists

9 holiday reads set in Greece

Where_to_start_reading_Anthony-Horowitz_hero-thumbnail_Penguin

Where to start reading Anthony Horowitz’s books

The-Art-Of-Anthony-Horowitz_Desktop-Inline_Penguin

How to write the perfect plot twist: Anthony Horowitz’s 5 top tips

Vintage-14.11.221534

Powerful stories that make great gifts

Bond-Horowitz_Hero-Desktop_Penguin.jpg

Features

‘The right car, the right cocktail’: Anthony Horowitz on the challenge of writing James Bond

Moonflower Murders

*The follow-on from Magpie Murders, soon to be a major BBC series starring Lesley Manville* 
 
'The Lord of television mystery' LA Times 
'Easily the greatest of our crime writers' Sunday Times 
'Absolutely loved it. So clever, just masterful stuff.' Richard Osman 
'Fiendishly clever and hugely entertaining. A masterpiece.' Lucy Foley 
‘Anthony Horowitz is an absolutely exceptional writer’ Daniel Mays 
'You have to hand it to Horowitz: the guy never fails to deliver a total page-turner. We LOVED it.' Richard & Judy 
____________ 
 
Retired publisher Susan Ryeland is running a small hotel on a Greek island with her long-term boyfriend. But life isn't as idyllic as it should be: exhausted by the responsibility of making everything work on an island where nothing ever does, Susan is beginning to miss her literary life in London - even though her publishing career once entangled her in a lethal literary murder plot. 
 
So when an English couple come to visit with tales of a murder that took place in a hotel the same day their daughter Cecily was married there, Susan can't help but find herself fascinated. 
 
And when they tell her that Cecily has gone missing a few short hours after reading Atticus Pund Takes The Case, a crime novel Susan edited some years previously, Susan knows she must return to London to find out what has happened. 
 
The clues to the murder and to Cecily's disappearance must lie within the pages of this novel. 
 
But to save Cecily, Susan must place her own life in mortal danger... 
____________ 
 
'I'm blown away. He's managed to come up with something even more amazing than the last one!' Hideo Kojima 
'Horowitz is a master of the cunning plot device, and brings zest and originality to the traditional murder mystery novel.' Sophie Hannah 
'A wonderfully enjoyable read' Ragnar Jonasson 
'So clever, a story within a story within a story. A triumph.' Kate Mosse 
____________ 
 
Readers can't get enough of Magpie Murders . . . 
 
***** 'Six hundred and eight pages? Really? Well they flew past.' 
***** ' Highly recommended to all crime fiction and thriller readers.' 
***** 'Even better than the first one - just very much my kind of mystery.' 
***** 'One of my top 10 books of the year.' 
***** 'This is one of the smartest and most entertaining whodunnits I’ve ever read.' 
 
 
Sunday Times bestseller, September 2024

I absolutely love this series of fiendishly clever literary mysteries[...] and I wolfed this new one down

MOONFLOWER MURDERS showcases Horowitz's full battalion of strengths: the whiplash plotting, the leather-smooth prose, the bold energy and, above all, the bright spark of joy that ignites the best fiction. Sophisticated, literate novels aren't supposed to be so much fun

It is amongst the most ambitious formats I've ever read, as, essentially, Horowitz writes not one but two fully-fledged, distinct stories. There is the 300-plus page present-day Susan Ryeland story mystery, and the 200-plus page Golden Age style Alan Conway murder mystery, and both of them are brilliantly executed as exemplars in their respective genres and fields

A clever, engaging book that keeps you hooked until the end

A devilishly clever, multi-layered total joy of a novel

The prolific novelist's latest work is a mind-bending murder mystery to tie readers in knots

It's a complex plot, a novel within a novel, where the reader gets to grapple with the whodunnit both in the main narrative and through an entirely separate detective story [...] They are both gripping reads, a clever conceit by Horowitz, who pulls off the tricky structure beautifully.

Moonflower Murders, is a superbly intricate608-page murder mystery [...] An intellectual challenge with a smile attached ispretty much the Horowitz oeuvre in a nutshell. The gleeful boy seems to shine through even the darkest tale

A genius mystery within a mystery which is perfect for any book lovers and murder mystery fans

If you're looking for some holiday reading, I'd really recommend this very enjoyable crime novel

Tony Parsons excels at presenting his narratives in the clearest possible prosewhile revealing the toughest of human emotions.

Enthralling murder mystery...Laced with humanity and the shadow of guilt, it is Parsons at his very best

Funny, profound and at times frightening, this is Horowitz at his very best. And the perfect jumping-on point for newcomers.

So clever, a story within a story. A triumph, and the best way to spend a weekend reading

Elegantly written, brilliantly structured, deceptively accessible, a masterpeice by an author at the top of his game.

Anthony Horowitz is responsible for creating and writing some of the UK’s most loved and successful TV series, including Midsomer Murders and Foyle’s War. He is the author of the teen spy series, Alex Rider, which has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide. 
 
He has been widely praised for his murder mysteries which began with two highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes novels and continued with the bestselling Hawthorne series in which he appears as the former detective’s hapless sidekick. In January 2022 he was awarded a CBE for his services to literature. 
 
His novel, Magpie Murders, was made into a BBC drama starring Lesley Manville as editor Susan Ryeland. The sequel, Moonflower Murders, also starring Lesley Manville, was a BBC drama in 2024. Marble Hall Murders continues the story…

'A beautiful puzzle: fiendishly clever and hugely entertaining. A masterpiece.' Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party 
_____________________________________________ 
Retired publisher Susan Ryeland is running a small hotel on a Greek island with her long-term boyfriend. But life isn't as idyllic as it should be: exhausted by the responsibility of making everything work on an island where nothing ever does, Susan is beginning to miss her literary life in London - even though her publishing career once entangled her in a lethal literary murder plot. 
 
So when an English couple come to visit with tales of a murder that took place in a hotel the same day their daughter Cecily was married there, Susan can't help but find herself fascinated. 
 
And when they tell her that Cecily has gone missing a few short hours after reading Atticus Pund Takes The Case, a crime novel Susan edited some years previously, Susan knows she must return to London to find out what has happened. 
 
The clues to the murder and to Cecily's disappearance must lie within the pages of this novel. 
 
But to save Cecily, Susan must place her own life in mortal danger...

How do you solve a murder … when everyone has the same motive? (Hawthorne, 5)

Close to Death

How do you solve a murder... when everyone has the same motive? From global bestselling Anthony Horowitz, a brilliantly entertaining new mystery in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series. 
 
'The Lord of television mystery' LA Times 
‘Easily the greatest of our crime writers’ Sunday Times 
‘[Horowitz is] a master puppeteer’ The Times 
‘Anthony Horowitz is an absolutely exceptional writer’ Daniel Mays 
‘Incredible plotting, richly layered and wonderfully intricate. I inhaled it' Liz Nugent 
'A clever murder mystery…playful and twisty. Nobody does this crime fiction better than Anthony Horowitz’ Crime Time FM 
‘Spectacularly good fun, wickedly clever, with a pinch of the macabre, this is everything you could wish for from one of our top crime writers.’ The Sun 
'Another delightful outing with Hawthorne and Horowitz. Each one is more inventive than the last. Keep them coming!' Shari Lapena 
'Anthony Horowitz is a national treasure. Close to Death is his best book yet, a perfect combination of Agatha Christie and P.D. James’ Ragnar Jónasson 
_____________ 
 
Richmond Upon Thames is one of the most desirable areas to live in London. And Riverview Close - a quiet, gated community – seems to offer its inhabitants the perfect life. 
 
At least it does until Giles Kenworthy moves in with his wife and noisy children, his four gas-guzzling cars, his loud parties and his plans for a new swimming pool in his garden. 
 
His neighbours all have a reason to hate him and are soon up in arms. 
 
When Kenworthy is shot dead with a crossbow bolt through his neck, all of them come under suspicion and his murder opens the door to lies, deception and further death. 
 
The police are baffled. Reluctantly, they call in former Detective Daniel Hawthorne. But even he is faced with a seemingly impossible puzzle. 
 
How do you solve a murder when everyone has the same motive? 
_____________ 
 
Readers cannot get enough of Close to Death . . . 
 
***** 'All said and done, this book was yet another hole in one thanks to the virtuoso-like skill of Mr. Horowitz himself.' 
***** 'Wow, this has got to be my favourite detective series ever! It’s Agatha Christie on steroids!' 
***** 'I had so much fun reading this book.' 
***** 'Horowitz switches up the format, keeping this series fresh, and delivers yet another outstanding tale. I loved it.' 
***** 'Honestly, the best crime read in a long time.' 
_____________ 
 
More love for Close to Death . . . 
 
'Just when you thought Horowitz couldn’t further stretch his boundary-bending Daniel Hawthorne detective series, he concocts yet another way to involve readers in his story' The Washington Post 
'The mystery is inventive, elegant and smart' The Telegraph 
‘Sheer genius … A joy from start to finish’ Independent 
‘Whodunnit heaven’ Financial Times 
'An absolutely engrossing tale ... Kudos to anyone who can figure this one out!’ Starred Booklist 
‘An exceedingly entertaining and inventive mixture of humour and suspense.’ Wall Street Journal 
'Gloriously artificial, improbable, and ingenious. Fans of both versions of Horowitz will rejoice.’ Kirkus Reviews 
'Turns the closed-circle mystery inside out’ New York Journal of Books 
'The master of the mystery' Style 
'The king of the clever whodunnit' Good Housekeeping 
'A delirious concoction that transplants a Christie-style mystery into the present' Crime Time 
‘An excellent entertaining thriller’ The Afterword 
 
 
Sunday Times bestseller, April 2024 
 
One of the Wall Street Journal’s best mysteries of 2024

(CLOSE TO DEATH is one of) the five best murder mystery novels of all time

'A clever murder mystery…playful and twisty. Nobody does this crime fiction better than Anthony Horowitz

Spectacularly good fun, wickedly clever, with a pinch of the macabre, this is everything you could wish for from one of our top crime writers

Turns the closed-circle mystery inside out

Gloriously artificial, improbable, and ingenious. Fans of both versions of Horowitz will rejoice

An absolutely engrossing tale ... Kudos to anyone who can figure this one out!

I loved this ... for its depiction of badly behaved (and very nosy) neighbours

The quiet, gated community of Riverview Close offers its inhabitants the perfect life within one of the most desirable areas of London. 
 
That is, until Giles Kenworthy moves in with his wife and noisy children, his gas-guzzling cars, loud parties and outrageous plans for a new swimming pool. 
 
His neighbours all have a reason to hate him. 
 
So when Kenworthy is shot dead with a crossbow bolt through his neck, they all come under suspicion. 
 
Only former Detective Daniel Hawthorne has a chance at solving the case, but he’s stuck on one part of the puzzle: 
 
How do you solve a murder when everyone has the same motive?

The Word Is Murder

She planned her own funeral. But did she arrange her own murder? Buried secrets, murder and a trail of bloody clues lie at the heart of Anthony Horowitz's page-turning detective series. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
_________________ 
 
A woman is strangled six hours after organising her own funeral. 
 
Did she know she was going to die? Did she recognise her killer? 
 
Enter Daniel Hawthorne, a detective with a genius for solving crimes and an ability to hold secrets very close. 
 
With him is his writing partner, Anthony Horowitz. Together they will set out to solve his most puzzling of mysteries. 
 
What neither of them know is that they are about to embark on a dark and dangerous journey whether the twists and turns are as unexpected as they are bloody. 
_________________ 
 
'Raises the game-playing to Olympic level' Guardian Books of the Year 
'A real page-turner. I loved it!' Aled Jones 
'Horowitz blurs the line between fact and fiction' Financial Times 
'Splendidly entertaining, absorbing and difficult to put down. Hawthorne is an intriguing character' Daily Express 
'Sharp-witted readers who think they've solved the puzzle early on can rest assured that they've opened only one of many dazzling Christmas packages Horowitz has left beautifully wrapped under the tree' Kirkus Reviews 
'Deduction and wit are well-balanced, and fans of Peter Lovesey and other modern channelers of the spirit of the golden age of detection will clamor for more' Publishers Weekly

A woman is strangled six hours after organising her own funeral. 
 
Did she know she was going to die? Did she recognise her killer? 
 
Enter Daniel Hawthorne, a detective with a genius for solving crimes and an ability to hold secrets very close. 
 
With him is his writing partner, Anthony Horowitz. Together they will set out to solve his most puzzling of mysteries. 
 
What neither of them know is that they are about to embark on a dark and dangerous journey whether the twists and turns are as unexpected as they are bloody. 
_________________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
 
'Raises the game-playing to Olympic level' Guardian Books of the Year 
 
'A real page-turner. I loved it!' Aled Jones 
 
'Horowitz blurs the line between fact and fiction' Financial Times 
 
'Splendidly entertaining, absorbing and difficult to put down. Hawthorne is an intriguing character' Daily Express 
 
'Sharp-witted readers who think they've solved the puzzle early on can rest assured that they've opened only one of many dazzling Christmas packages Horowitz has left beautifully wrapped under the tree' Kirkus Reviews 
 
'Deduction and wit are well-balanced, and fans of Peter Lovesey and other modern channelers of the spirit of the golden age of detection will clamor for more' Publishers Weekly

A mind-bending murder mystery from the bestselling author of THE WORD IS MURDER

The Sentence is Death

Passion, deception, an unexplained death and a detective with quite a lot to hide lie at the heart of Anthony Horowitz's brilliant murder mystery, the second in the bestselling series starring Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' Shari Lapena 
'Sheer genius ... A joy from start to finish' INDEPENDENT 
_____________________ 
 
Secrets can kill. 
 
Smooth-tongued divorce lawyer Richard Price is bludgeoned to death at his London home. 
 
Scrawled on the wall beside the body: the number 182. 
 
What does it mean? And who was at his front door just minutes before he died and while he was still talking on the phone? 
 
Confronted with this most baffling of mysteries, the police are forced to turn to private investigator Daniel Hawthorne. 
_____________________ 
 
'Pure pleasure for readers ... A must-read delight' WALL STREET JOURNAL 
'Anthony Horowitz gets away with murder in all sorts of ways and emerges triumphant' The Times 
'This is crime fiction as dazzling entertainment, sustained by writing as skilfully light-footed as Fred Astaire' Sunday Times Crime Club 
'A crime story that keeps you up into the small hours... a page-turning mystery' Metro 
'Sheer genius ... A joy from start to finish' Independent 
'Fans of traditional puzzle mysteries will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly 
'Huge fun... It's hard to know why anyone who loves a good mystery wouldn't thoroughly enjoy the ride' Irish Independent 
'Succeeds on all levels ... Horowitz has the Midas touch' Booklist 
'No one currently working the field has anywhere near this much ingenuity to burn' KIRKUS

Secrets can kill. 
 
Smooth-tongued divorce lawyer Richard Price is bludgeoned to death at his London home. 
 
Scrawled on the wall beside the body: the number 182. 
 
What does it mean? And who was at his front door just minutes before he died and while he was still talking on the phone? 
 
Confronted with this most baffling of mysteries, the police are forced to turn to private investigator Daniel Hawthorne. 
_____________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS'Sunday Times 
 
'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' Shari Lapena 
 
'Pure pleasure for readers ... A must-read delight.' WALL STREET JOURNAL 
 
'Sheer genius ... A joy from start to finish' INDEPENDENT

a locked room mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling author

A Line to Kill

By the global bestselling author, Anthony Horowitz, the third novel in his acclaimed Hawthorne and Horowitz series. The Russian mafia, a strange religious order and not one but two murders - stand by for a hugely enjoyable, twisty turny read. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
'A homage to the Golden Age of mystery - it is pure delight' New York Times 
'Witty, wry, clever, a fabulous detective story and perfect summer reading' Kate Mosse 
'Funny, intriguing, thrilling and thought-provoking: a marvellous mystery' Adam Hamdy 
'A golden-age whodunnit on steroids' Kirkus Reviews 
______________ 
 
Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and the writer Anthony Horowitz have been invited to a literary festival on the island of Alderney to talk about their new book . . . 
 
Very soon they discover that dark forces are at work. 
 
Alderney is in turmoil over a planned power line that will cut through it, desecrating a war cemetery and turning neighbour against neighbour. 
 
And the visiting authors seem to be harbouring any number of unpleasant secrets. 
 
When the festival's wealthy sponsor is found brutally murdered, Alderney goes into lockdown and Hawthorne knows he doesn't have to look too far for suspects. There's no escape. The killer is still on the island. 
 
And there's about to be a second death . . . 
______________ 
 
Readers can't get enough of Hawthorne and Horowitz ... 
 
***** 'I loved this smartly written whodunit, but it's the characters of Hawthorne and Horowitz that have completely won me over.' 
 
***** 'A Line to Kill was a very clever, suspenseful and compelling murder mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed ' 
 
***** 'This is a worthy addition to this highly addictive series, and I can't wait to begin the next installment.' 
 
***** 'Engaging, fun banter between Horowitz and Hawthorne, double deception, locked room mystery, multiple suspects that all have a motive, and someone with murder in their eyes.'

On a small island, everyone's a suspect ... 
 
Private Investigator, Daniel Hawthorne, and Anthony Horowitz have been invited to a literary festival on Alderney to talk about their new book. 
 
They find the island in turmoil over a planned power line that is turning neighbour against neighbour. And the visiting authors seem to be harbouring any number of personal secrets. 
 
When the festival's wealthy sponsor is brutally murdered, Alderney goes into lock-down. 
 
With no one allowed on or off the island, Hawthorne knows he doesn't have to look too far for suspects. 
 
But the killer is still on the island. And there's about to be a second death ... 
___________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
 
'Witty, wry, clever, a fabulous detective story and perfect summer reading' KATE MOSSE 
 
'Funny, intriguing, thrilling and thought-provoking: a marvellous mystery' ADAM HAMDY 
 
'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' SHARI LAPENA

A gripping locked-room mystery from the bestselling crime writer

The Twist of a Knife

By global bestselling Anthony Horowitz, a brilliantly entertaining new locked-room mystery with a key that only Hawthorne can find. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
'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 
'There's a lovely Hitchcockian feel to TWIST. The clock is ticking. It's a lot of fun.' Ian Rankin 
'The Twist of a Knife is a beautifully turned locked-room whodunit' The Sunday Telegraph 
'A total joy. Anthony is a master entertainer, the genius twists and turns of his writing and plot keep me on the edge of my seat.' Rory Kinnear 
_____________ 
 
'Our deal is over.' 
 
This is what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward encounter. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. 
 
His new play 'Mindgame' is about to open at London's Vaudeville theatre, and on opening night, Sunday Times critic Harriet Throsby gives the play a savage review. 
 
The next morning she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger that has only one set of finger prints on it. Anthony's. 
 
Anthony is arrested, charged with Throsby's murder, and thrown into prison. 
 
Alone and increasingly desperate, he realises only one man can help him. 
 
But will Hawthorne take his call? 
_____________ 
 
More love for The Twist of a Knife . . . 
 
'An immensely enjoyable read, funny, so clever and utterly original' Ragnar Jonasson 
'One of the country's most recognisable writers' ITV News 
'I love this self-reflexive mystery series' Vulture 
'A mystery so slick, clever and fun to read that it's a genuine shame when you hit the end.' The Globe and Mail 
'The Twist of a Knife is consistently, delightfully entertaining, with Horowitz's own theatrical experience providing just the right amount of bittersweet bite' Airmail 
'An adventure that will enchant mystery lovers, Anglophiles and theater buffs' The Washington Post 
'A delicious mystery [that] is bonkers and brilliant and a triumph' The Sun 
'Horowitz blurs the lines between fiction and reality to hilarious effect' The Express 
'A gripping tour de force' Woman's Own 
_____________ 
 
Readers can't get enough of The Twist of a Knife . . . 
 
***** 'This is another thoroughly enjoyable and well-constructed mystery from Anthony Horowitz.' 
***** 'Thoroughly enjoyed it and devoured it in a little over 2 days!' 
***** 'This novel is hugely entertaining.' 
***** 'Fabulous. More please, and soon!' 
***** 'This is the very best in 'cosy-crime.''

'Our deal is over.' 
 
This is what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward encounter. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. 
 
His new play 'Mindgame' is about to open at London's Vaudeville theatre, and on opening night, Sunday Times critic Harriet Throsby gives the play a savage review. 
 
The next morning she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger that has only one set of finger prints on it. Anthony's. 
 
Anthony is arrested, charged with Throsby's murder, and thrown into prison. 
 
Alone and increasingly desperate, he realises only one man can help him. 
 
But will Hawthorne take his call? 
_____________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' SUNDAY TIMES 
 
'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 
 
''There's a lovely Hitchcockian feel to TWIST. The clock is ticking. It's a lot of fun.' IAN RANKIN 
 
'The Twist of a Knife is a beautifully turned locked-room whodunit' THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 
 
'A total joy. Anthony is a master entertainer, the genius twists and turns of his writing and plot keep me on the edge of my seat.' RORY KINNEAR

Anthony Horowitz

Horowitz pushes back the boundaries of ‘plot structure’ – he creates a book within a book where the narrative and the characters of each one are cleverly mirrored. He’s a genius

Anthony Horowitz is one of my all-time favourite authors. Marble Hall Murders is a beautiful read and we are all in for a real treat

Diabolically clever . . . . Horowitz’s multilevel romp . . . serves up an elegant plot while lampooning writers, publishers, murderers, rich people and golden-age mystery stories. It’s a cliché to describe prolific authors as being at the top of their game (and often seems to suggest the opposite), but it’s true here. Marble Hall Murders is as cunning a mystery as you’ll read all year.

Anthony Horowitz is one of the great masters of the contemporary page turner

Plenty of puzzles, red herrings and juicy murders

Horowitz offers readers another page-turner of a puzzle, once again cleverly told as a story within a story

The dividing lines between reality and fiction (a Horowitz trademark) are deliciously intertwined.

A deliciously witty, clever, and hefty mystery

Horowitz is at the top of his game here, linking past and present in a virtuoso finale worthy of Agatha Christie. Fans will clamor for the sequel

Dazzling . . . Readers looking for a cozy that gives them something to really chew on will enjoy this lengthy mystery, and fans of Susan Ryeland will find this a satisfying installment in the series

Horowitz's most extended and intricately plotted [whodunit] yet

If traditional golden age style mystery is your jam, these books are absolute perfection . . . with this strong installment, Horowitz proves once again that these smart, gorgeously written and compelling books remain some of the very best crime novels being written

A smooth, rich mystery that will entertain on every one of its 580 pages. Settle in for a cleverly constructed plot.

The novel-within-a-novel format works superbly

Novels within novels are an Anthony Horowitz trademark . . . a gifted mimic, [Horowitz] switches effortlessly between Susan's cynical voice and a convincing Agatha Christie-style pastiche

A multilayered metafictional mystery filled with twists, anagrams, and clever clues . . . thoroughly entertaining

The prolific and multi-talented Anthony Horowitz is back with a very readable third novel featuring the full-time professional editor and part-time amateur sleuth Susan Ryeland and the legendary fictional detective Atticus Pünd . . . A talented fellow, our Anthony Horowitz. A name for fans of intelligent mystery fiction on page or screen to be on the lookout for. His work doesn’t disappoint’

Marble Hall Murders is metafiction with a vengeance. It is a contemporary murder mystery in the style of the best of Agatha Christie. In the hands of a writer with the sly genius of Anthony Horowitz — who is capable of winking at us even as he scares us mightily — Marble Hall Murders is, quite simply, as good as it gets

If you've read Horowitz's Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders - the basis for the PBS mystery series - you know how wonderful he is at creating fun, twisty mysteries with layered plots: books within books.

Marble Hall Murders is a masterpiece and more than a worthy successor to the prior installments of the series. The complex construction of Horowitz’s mysteries is so brilliant that it feels like he is channeling Agatha Christie herself, and this latest entry is a perfect example of this. This mystery within a mystery is like a fictional Russian doll that will keep readers engaged and guessing on multiple levels from start to finish

Thrilling . . . The premise is intriguing, and the plot more than delivers, with twists, turns and literary-based clues throughout

Susan Ryeland has had enough of murder. 
 
She’s edited two novels about the famous detective, Atticus Pünd, and both times she’s come close to being killed. Now she’s back in England and she’s been persuaded to work on a third. 
 
The new ‘continuation’ novel is by Eliot Crace, grandson of Miriam Crace who was the biggest selling children’s author in the world until her death exactly twenty years ago. 
 
Eliot believes that Miriam was deliberately poisoned. And when he tells Susan that he has hidden the identity of Miriam’s killer inside his book, Susan knows she’s in trouble once again. 
 
As Susan works on Pünd’s Last Case, a story set in an exotic villa in the South of France, she finds more and more parallels between the past and the present, the fictional and the real world - until suddenly she finds that she has become a target. 
 
Someone in Eliot’s family doesn’t want the book to be written. And they will do anything to prevent it. 
______________ 
 
Praise for the Magpie Murders series . . . 
 
'A beautiful puzzle: fiendishly clever and hugely entertaining. A masterpiece.' Lucy Foley 
'Ingenious' Sunday Times 
'Thrilling and compelling with a stunning twist' Daily Mail

Marble Hall Murders

About us

About Us (Header 4)

Kate-Atkinson

James-Baldwin

Marian-Keyes

haruki-murakami-320×320-1

Richard-Osman

Malorie Blackman

Lisa-Jewell

Charlie-Mackesy

Authors (Header 3)

Children&#039;s

Company

Discover

Fiction

Non-fiction

Penguin Classics

Penguin Shop (Header 5)

Useful links

Work with us

prhuk-authors

For the latest recommendations, author updates and more

By signing up, I confirm that I'm over 16. To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy.

Discover the Penguin books that shaped us

Anthony Horowitz

Praise for Marble Hall Murders

A masterclass in mystery writing.

Horowitz pushes back the boundaries of ‘plot structure’ – he creates a book within a book where the narrative and the characters of each one are cleverly mirrored. He’s a genius

Anthony Horowitz is one of my all-time favourite authors. Marble Hall Murders is a beautiful read and we are all in for a real treat

A masterclass in mystery writing.

Horowitz pushes back the boundaries of ‘plot structure’ – he creates a book within a book where the narrative and the characters of each one are cleverly mirrored. He’s a genius

Anthony Horowitz is one of my all-time favourite authors. Marble Hall Murders is a beautiful read and we are all in for a real treat

A masterclass in mystery writing.

Horowitz pushes back the boundaries of ‘plot structure’ – he creates a book within a book where the narrative and the characters of each one are cleverly mirrored. He’s a genius

Anthony Horowitz is one of my all-time favourite authors. Marble Hall Murders is a beautiful read and we are all in for a real treat

Books by Anthony Horowitz

Series by Anthony Horowitz

Hawthorne5 Books

James Bond 0073 Books

Articles featuring Anthony Horowitz

The Penguin Podcast: series 2 episode 6 – Summer reads

9 holiday reads set in Greece

Where to start reading Anthony Horowitz’s books

How to write the perfect plot twist: Anthony Horowitz’s 5 top tips

Powerful stories that make great gifts

‘The right car, the right cocktail’: Anthony Horowitz on the challenge of writing James Bond

Sign up to Anthony Horowitz's newsletter

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter