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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
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.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After reading this I felt bad that this was my book pitch for my book club, but then at least half of our readers liked it, so I didn't feel as bad. I've read The House of Silk (loved) and Moriarty (liked) by Anthony so I was excited to read this book, but was just annoyed & disappointed from the very start.
We have a book within a book here, so it makes it hard discuss. It's starts with the editors (Susan) story and then jumps into the book she's editing (what we called the Atticus book) and back and forth. I didn't immediately dislike the characters in Susan's story, but I really didn't like anyone in the Atticus story except for the doctor. It was all too much. Too many characters. Too much detail that wasn't needed. Too much about other books. Towards the end, I just got to the point that I didn't care who did it, I just wanted it to be over.
In the Susan book, things moved faster, so I wasn't as slogged down while reading it, but it still didn't really do anything for me. I didn't expect the killer to be who it was nor what they did to Susan at the end, so he did a good job with that, but it just wasn't that great.
I've been reading a lot of detective/mystery books lately and maybe I'm burnt out or maybe this just wasn't as good as the others, but I didn't like it. It definitely wasn't as good as the other 2 of his books that I've read.
We have a book within a book here, so it makes it hard discuss. It's starts with the editors (Susan) story and then jumps into the book she's editing (what we called the Atticus book) and back and forth. I didn't immediately dislike the characters in Susan's story, but I really didn't like anyone in the Atticus story except for the doctor. It was all too much. Too many characters. Too much detail that wasn't needed. Too much about other books. Towards the end, I just got to the point that I didn't care who did it, I just wanted it to be over.
In the Susan book, things moved faster, so I wasn't as slogged down while reading it, but it still didn't really do anything for me. I didn't expect the killer to be who it was nor what they did to Susan at the end, so he did a good job with that, but it just wasn't that great.
I've been reading a lot of detective/mystery books lately and maybe I'm burnt out or maybe this just wasn't as good as the others, but I didn't like it. It definitely wasn't as good as the other 2 of his books that I've read.
This was my second time reading Magpie Murders. While I thoroughly enjoyed it when I first read it five (5) years ago, I found it even more delightful and adroitly written the second time around.
This felt long. There were several editing errors (#s in the middle of sentences). Many times the dialogue was eye roll worthy (and weirdly repeated several pages later, again the editing!). The relationship btwn Susan and Andreas was wildly flat and oddly described. I liked reading the Atticus novel part but didn’t enjoy the real world portion.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
No
I loved the golden age mystery style of this book. I was less enthralled with the mystery-within-a-mystery stuff; I should just stick to Agatha Christie, perhaps.
A book within a book is an interesting concept, made more interesting with the concept of a mystery within a mystery! I think where this book was a bit of a letdown for me was that it tried too hard to be complex. In the book, Alan Conway is pointed out to have been too clever and tried too hard with his non mystery book The Slide. I’m not sure if this was an intentional mirror that Anthony was making on himself, since I felt the book was trying too hard, it was a bit glaring.
I’m not interesting in reading any more of this series, but I am glad I finally read this book I’ve heard so much about! But overall, it just felt like I read the same book twice with only the satisfaction of a single book.
I’m not interesting in reading any more of this series, but I am glad I finally read this book I’ve heard so much about! But overall, it just felt like I read the same book twice with only the satisfaction of a single book.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes