Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

40 reviews

zlizzyv's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

It was a slow start and throughout the book it felt like Horowitz was self promoting. At first it was exciting to realize he was talking about himself, referencing books I had read before, but it soon became too much. It felt like every chapter he mentioned one of his works, and it didn’t add to the plot in any meaningful way. I didn’t get fully hooked on the storyline until halfway in, partially because of this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Blood, Car accident, Body horror, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Death, Grief, and Vomit

Minor: Drug use

shepardsolbear's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Homophobia and Child death

betholomew's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense

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

2.75

Maybe the real character development was the friends we made along the way

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Car accident, and Murder

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Homophobia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

alisonvh's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A solid homage to Holmes and Watson, especially if Holmes had been a manipulative prick.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Body horror, Misogyny, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Gore

tweesee_93's review against another edition

mysterious medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, and Car accident

Moderate: Murder, Homophobia, and Torture

Minor: Suicide

xxkatastrophe's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia

voraciousreader10's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Police brutality

caedycon's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

A good, solid mystery. I enjoyed how Horowitz made it feel autobiographical, to the point where I had to google what actually happened in real life (basically nothing). Using yourself as a main character in a fictional novel was interesting to me, especially with how he handled the moral dilemmas in the story (ie, when he discovered that Hawthorn was homophobic) - when you're the main character, I would imagine it means more, what comes out of that character's mouth and how he represents you in the story. 

I liked the mystery overall - It was cleverly done. However, I don't think I'll be continuing to read these stories, mainly because Hawthorne is pretty damn unlikeable. The homophobia is a real bummer - I feel like Horowitz could have made him difficult to deal with in a way that was...easier to deal with haha. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Suicide and Murder

idk_whatimevendoing's review

dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Blood and Body horror

Minor: Alcohol

ruthie_the_librarian's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I hadn't known anything about this before I started - had just had it recommended to me.  I really enjoyed it!  I spent the first third of the book just absolutely tickled by the premise, and wondering about how much of what I was reading was real, and how much was made up!  I was intrigued by the murder too, and wondering what was going on.
The only thing I was conscious of sometimes was a simplicity to the writing.  I didn't know if I was imagining it there, knowing of all the children's books he's written, or if it really was sometimes coming over as just a little bit basic?  But I so loved the idea of it all I just let it go and went along for the ride.
I'd like to read the next one, to see how he sustains it...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder