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A review by theoverbookedbibliophile
Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
4.5⭐
The fifth installment of the acclaimed Hawthorne & Horowitz series follows Anthony Horowitz (the fictionalized version of the author) as he revisits one of Hawthorne’s older cases from five years ago – to be featured in his next book.
When one of the residents of Riverview Close, an affluent gated community comprising six houses, is murdered with a crossbow bolt, local law enforcement calls in former Detective Inspector Anthony Hawthorne to assist. The deceased, Giles Kenworthy, who only recently moved into the community with his family was despised by all of his neighbors and it was evident that none of them were particularly grief-stricken by the tragic turn of events. It was also clear to the lead investigator Detective Superintendent Tariq Khan, Hawthorne and his then-partner John Dudley that the residents knew more about the murder than they were letting on and finding the truth was going to be more complicated than any of them had anticipated because all of his neighbors had their own reasons for wanting Giles gone.
Unlike in the previous installments, Horowitz has to rely on case notes, recorded interviews and discussions with Hawthorne, whom Horowitz believes is withholding crucial information. Parallel to researching the closed case, Horowitz also indulges in his personal quest to find out more about Hawthorne, John Dudley and their associates. The narrative switches between past and present timelines – Hawthorne and Dudley’s investigation from five years ago and Horowitz’s pursuit of details from the case and his own investigation into Hawthorne.
With a cast of interesting characters, a fluid narrative and a solid mystery at its core Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz is a cleverly plotted whodunit that is reminiscent of classic locked-room murder mysteries. I thought that this installment was relatively more intense than the preceding books and though I did miss the element of humor that arises from Hawthorne and Horowitz’s usual dynamic, I thoroughly enjoyed following the mystery as it is gradually unraveled. The narrative does suffer from minor repetition, but this does not detract from the overall reading experience. The author skillfully weaves several sub-plots featuring the characters into the primary narrative without distracting the reader from the murder mystery. I was engrossed in the mystery from the get-go and loved the twists and red herrings along the way. Though the primary mystery does not feature Horowitz in his traditional role as Hawthorne’s (bumbling) sidekick, he does have a significant role to play in how several loose ends are tied up in the present day.
I paired my reading with the audio narration by Anthony Horowitz and Rory Kinnear, which made for a thoroughly entertaining immersion reading experience.
I feel that this book would be best enjoyed if you are familiar with the previous installments, especially to grasp the significance of the events in the present timeline and the references to past events.
I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!
The fifth installment of the acclaimed Hawthorne & Horowitz series follows Anthony Horowitz (the fictionalized version of the author) as he revisits one of Hawthorne’s older cases from five years ago – to be featured in his next book.
When one of the residents of Riverview Close, an affluent gated community comprising six houses, is murdered with a crossbow bolt, local law enforcement calls in former Detective Inspector Anthony Hawthorne to assist. The deceased, Giles Kenworthy, who only recently moved into the community with his family was despised by all of his neighbors and it was evident that none of them were particularly grief-stricken by the tragic turn of events. It was also clear to the lead investigator Detective Superintendent Tariq Khan, Hawthorne and his then-partner John Dudley that the residents knew more about the murder than they were letting on and finding the truth was going to be more complicated than any of them had anticipated because all of his neighbors had their own reasons for wanting Giles gone.
Unlike in the previous installments, Horowitz has to rely on case notes, recorded interviews and discussions with Hawthorne, whom Horowitz believes is withholding crucial information. Parallel to researching the closed case, Horowitz also indulges in his personal quest to find out more about Hawthorne, John Dudley and their associates. The narrative switches between past and present timelines – Hawthorne and Dudley’s investigation from five years ago and Horowitz’s pursuit of details from the case and his own investigation into Hawthorne.
With a cast of interesting characters, a fluid narrative and a solid mystery at its core Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz is a cleverly plotted whodunit that is reminiscent of classic locked-room murder mysteries. I thought that this installment was relatively more intense than the preceding books and though I did miss the element of humor that arises from Hawthorne and Horowitz’s usual dynamic, I thoroughly enjoyed following the mystery as it is gradually unraveled. The narrative does suffer from minor repetition, but this does not detract from the overall reading experience. The author skillfully weaves several sub-plots featuring the characters into the primary narrative without distracting the reader from the murder mystery. I was engrossed in the mystery from the get-go and loved the twists and red herrings along the way. Though the primary mystery does not feature Horowitz in his traditional role as Hawthorne’s (bumbling) sidekick, he does have a significant role to play in how several loose ends are tied up in the present day.
I paired my reading with the audio narration by Anthony Horowitz and Rory Kinnear, which made for a thoroughly entertaining immersion reading experience.
I feel that this book would be best enjoyed if you are familiar with the previous installments, especially to grasp the significance of the events in the present timeline and the references to past events.
I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!