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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
A murder mystery inside a murder mystery? Sign me anytime!
The story follows Susan, an editor, who reads through famous crime writer Alan Conway's next book, only to find the last few pages missing. And then the writer himself turns out to have died. As Susan is trying to find the missing pages of the murder mystery, she finds that the author's death is quite similar to the one he wrote in the book. Looking for answers leads to Susan opening a can of worms that may not be good for her own self.
This book is absolutely in line with an Agatha Christie work, so yes I did enjoy this book. Aptly paced, with mystery written on every page therefore keeping me engaged was a plus for. Plus I liked the idea of reading two mysteries in one book. That is definitely a bonus. Where this book does fall a little for me is too many characters to follow with some of the sub-plots left just like that. Not all I's were dotted and not all T's were crossed. Other than that, the book was a fun read.
The story follows Susan, an editor, who reads through famous crime writer Alan Conway's next book, only to find the last few pages missing. And then the writer himself turns out to have died. As Susan is trying to find the missing pages of the murder mystery, she finds that the author's death is quite similar to the one he wrote in the book. Looking for answers leads to Susan opening a can of worms that may not be good for her own self.
This book is absolutely in line with an Agatha Christie work, so yes I did enjoy this book. Aptly paced, with mystery written on every page therefore keeping me engaged was a plus for. Plus I liked the idea of reading two mysteries in one book. That is definitely a bonus. Where this book does fall a little for me is too many characters to follow with some of the sub-plots left just like that. Not all I's were dotted and not all T's were crossed. Other than that, the book was a fun read.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book within a book; fun reading
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. My favorite aspect was its unique structure, providing two "whodunit" mysteries in one. We follow the editor's perspective as she reads a murder mystery manuscript, only to discover the last two chapters are missing because the author was murdered, staged as a suicide. This clever narrative allows us to solve both the mystery within the manuscript and the author's own murder. The plot came together seamlessly, with an unexpected resolution. However, I am giving it four stars instead of five due to the occasional slow pace and overly descriptive writing, which may cause some readers to lose interest.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Murder
4.5 stars - Very enjoyable. Good characters and very entertaining. I liked the story within a story angle. Witty and a great read for anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really liked this book and look forward to reading more mysteries by Anthony Horowitz. He writes very much in the style of a classic mystery writer like Doyle or Christie, but with an updated lens of modern life and sensibilities. This book is extremely witty and the plot is a fun ride - I loved the mystery within a mystery set up. One drawback of this scheme is that the Atticus Pund mystery ends right before the big reveal and then the modern day mystery begins in earnest. By the time we finally get back to the Atticus mystery, it’s hard to get back into it - we’ve lost momentum. However, I have to say the author really brought out the feels (anger/frustration) when the Atticus mystery ended abruptly before the murderer was named. There are times the reader must suspend belief (I mean, the editor/detective falls right into the murders’ hands in a very unbelievable way). Also, the romance between the editor and her SO did not feel believable - her feelings throughout the book belied the ending. I also did not believe the modern day killer had a believable motive. I will note that I correctly figured out the modern day killer VERY early.