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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
I’m enjoying this series of detective stories. They are full of very tongue-in-cheek British humour, following the classic murder mystery traditions, with one one of the partnership fully in control of the investigation while revealing very little, and the other whose inner dialogue we get to follow and jump to all the same erroneous conclusions while we try to work out what’s actually going on.
There's something wonderfully enticing about this series by Horowitz. Whether it's the meta aspects or the compelling Hawthorne, the deceptively simple set ups or the pacing, it just reads easily, it's intriguing enough to keep you enthralled and the ending feels both obvious and just out of reach (in a good way, rather than the frustration some whodunnits can leave you feeling).
Rory Kinnear is an excellent narrator, particular his voice work with the two main characters and this version has an interesting interview with the witty, erudite and inciteful Horowitz (Anthony, not Tony).
He says he's going to write 11 of these and I'm happy to keep along for the ride.
Rory Kinnear is an excellent narrator, particular his voice work with the two main characters and this version has an interesting interview with the witty, erudite and inciteful Horowitz (Anthony, not Tony).
He says he's going to write 11 of these and I'm happy to keep along for the ride.
I have made a grave error in finishing this book too quickly and there's too much time until the next book comes out. I know August will be here in a blink of an eye, but, damn, it feels like forever away.
I have a confession as well. I think I finally like the series. It took me three books, but I think I do. The setting helped in this book - a literary festival on an island is fantastic - and we learned more about Hawthrone. Even if it might be a bit more lies. I don't care. I'm counting it as a win that we learned a small bit more. Also, I liked that Anthony basically came out and told Hawthrone the problems he was having. But I do hope that, next book, the two work together better. If they can, considering the premise of book 4 (oof, that one's a doozy). But, back to this one.
I will say that I did see the killer coming from a mile away. I also figure out Elizabeth's secret, but only because of my own life experience (). I like the outcome of what happened to the guilty parties. It felt right, but, in the end, nobody comes out smelling good. In the words of the internet, ESH (everyone sucks here - save for Anthony and Hawthrone).
I have a confession as well. I think I finally like the series. It took me three books, but I think I do. The setting helped in this book - a literary festival on an island is fantastic - and we learned more about Hawthrone. Even if it might be a bit more lies. I don't care. I'm counting it as a win that we learned a small bit more. Also, I liked that Anthony basically came out and told Hawthrone the problems he was having. But I do hope that, next book, the two work together better. If they can, considering the premise of book 4 (oof, that one's a doozy). But, back to this one.
I will say that I did see the killer coming from a mile away. I also figure out Elizabeth's secret, but only because of my own life experience (
Spoiler
I'm legally blind, so her giving the hand and sitting down without Sid giving instruction was something I did not need pointed out.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the peeks of some hint of a personal life for Hawthorne in this one. Also loved the location, it played such an active tole in the plot. Characters were fun to read and I love the petty drama of a bunch of writers in close proximity.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was lucky enough to snag an ARC of this from another bookstagrammer and much like his others, Horowitz has written yet another great mystery! Eccentric characters, an intricate plot, and a plausible murder. With a cliffhanger ending about Hawthorne, I’m hoping this means there are many more Horowitz and Hawthorne mysteries to come!
I really enjoyed this, as I have the whole series. It's clever, very meta (with Horowitz writing as if it's an autobiography), I didn't work it out in advance at all.
My only complaint is the choice of a big reveal that Elizabeth Lovell wasn't blind. Blindness isn't a binary thing and I know various blind people on social media have to deal with ignorance and abuse where people accuse them of being fakes when they show they have some sight. Obviously the character was unpleasant and had been deliberately deceiving people, but writing it as a "gotcha" I think just feeds that nastiness unfortunately.
But that is only a small complaint, I really enjoyed the whole book and the set-up for future installments.
My only complaint is the choice of a big reveal that Elizabeth Lovell wasn't blind. Blindness isn't a binary thing and I know various blind people on social media have to deal with ignorance and abuse where people accuse them of being fakes when they show they have some sight. Obviously the character was unpleasant and had been deliberately deceiving people, but writing it as a "gotcha" I think just feeds that nastiness unfortunately.
But that is only a small complaint, I really enjoyed the whole book and the set-up for future installments.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes