Reviews

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

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book_concierge's review against another edition

4.0

Two books in one! A very interesting concept. Susan Ryeland is a retired publisher/editor who is approached by the Treherns, parents of a missing woman, for help in finding out where their daughter Cecily is and what has happened to her. Why? Because before she disappeared, Cecily mentioned that she had read a book by an author Susan used to represent, and that book gave her the solution to a real-life murder at the hotel her family owns and operates.

This is book two in a series featuring this literary detective, Susan Ryeland. And like the first novel, the secret to this one lies in a book Susan edited which featured the master German detective, Atticus Pünd (think Hercule Poirot). So, of course, Susan must re-read the book in question, and the mystery of what has happened to Cecily is interrupted after 227 pages, to allow the reader to experience the Atticus Pünd novel in its entirety, before returning to Cecily’s disappearance (and to the murder she felt she had solved using the Pünd book).

Sound confusing? Well, that’s because I am nowhere near the talented writer that Anthony Horowitz is. I was completely mesmerized by this book (these books?). I enjoyed the difference in style between the two storylines and was equally immersed in each mystery (or really three mysteries … the one that Pünd is solving; the murder that Cecily believed she had solved by reading the Pünd novel; the disappearance of Cecily).

I like Susan as a character, and I like Atticus Pünd. Both are meticulous and thorough and deliberate in analyzing the evidence they uncover. And I love the way that Horowitz plays with words

I haven’t read the first in the series - Magpie Murders - yet, but I definitely will, and I look forward to future installments as well.

charsiew21's review against another edition

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4.0

Good fun

siobhanmcb's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny informative lighthearted mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

jaee_s's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

rmr172's review

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

anovelobsession's review against another edition

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4.0

I am amazed at how Anthony Horowitz writes essentially two murder mysteries in one! Susan Ryeland, Alan Conway's editor from Magpie Murders is back and this time she has been asked to look into the disappearance of a woman which is connected to an 8 year old murder and both seem to be linked to an Atticus Pund novel. This is basically a story within a story and it is incredible how the author is able to come up with two very detailed mysteries and all those characters and keep everything straight. Like his previous novel, this is intricately plotted and has lots of twists and turns. If you like murder mysteries you need to pick this one up. You get two for the price of one!