A review by ajnel
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

The story follows Susan Ryeland, a book editor, who receives the unfinished manuscript of a new novel by her best-selling author, Alan Conway. The embedded narrative, titled Magpie Murders, features Conway's signature detective, Atticus Pünd, investigating a death and a murder in a quaint English village. As Susan delves into the manuscript, she becomes engrossed in the captivating whodunit. However, her excitement is interrupted when she learns of Conway's self-proclaimed suicide. Determined to see the novel published, Susan sets out to uncover the missing chapters and solve the real-life mystery surrounding Conway's demise.
Horowitz masterfully blends a golden age murder mystery with a modern-day setting, creating a suspenseful and very clever read in which the external story more and more starts to mirror the embedded narrative.