Anthony Horowitz is undoubtedly a very competent writer and I did enjoy this book very much. I have really enjoyed his Poirot adaptations and others. This book has really made me want to go to Alderney too. not as padded as Moonflower Murders which is a good thing. Excellent plot (although do suspend belief at a Police Chief asking for amateur help and a community psychiatric nurse as his helper). A few other minor quibbles but that didn't really spoil the enjoyment. Not sure why but I was very sad the second person got murdered. I liked them. Would have preferred to know the full story with Hawthorne and Abbott.

Beware - plot spoiler in this review

Horowitz has created great characters for this book - including himsel.f. As I've written in previous reviews, AH isn't afraid of poking a little fun at himself and his apparent character weaknesses! For some reason Hawthorne is quite likeable - well, everyone seems to like him except AH...

The plot in this book is spot on - when I read there would be two deaths, I immediately thought that one murder would be followed by AH bemoaning, as usual, that he couldn't work out who the murderer was, then the second murder would be of Hawthorne, and AH would finally come into his own and for the first time ever, solve the crime himself, as a kind of homage to Hawthorne

Thank goodness I was wrong - that would have been just naff!

The plot's great - AH has created plenty of twists and turns with lots of fun sub plots - the best sub plot for me [personal prejudice here] is what happens to the so called medium - sorry, that's another plot spoiler!

I like the setting for this book, its a kind of cheap litereary festival, with downmarket characters. It's almost claustrophobic, because there's no escape from the backbiting and prejudices that are magnified in the small island community where it all happens. It should be a lovely place to live, but...

I worried that this could be the end of a three book deal and Hawthorne would be no more - well, there's a hook at the end for at least one more book - sorry, third plot spoiler - so I hope that in a year's time I'll be reading the next one!

Anthony Horowitz is an incredibly diverse writer - from his YA Alex Ryder, Diamond Brothers and wonderful horror shorts, to his TV writing and adult novels including the Susan Ryeland series, James Bond and Sherlock Holmes updates and this - the third in the Hawthorn and Horowitz Mysteries. Is it wrong to say an author's best character is himself? I hope not, because I love what Horowitz does in this series; featuring himself in almost a Watson to Holmes'' role as the biographer of a brilliant but quirky detective - the ex policeman, now PI Daniel Hawthorne.
In this, their third outing, the pair are off to Alderney, a tiny island where, we are told, repeatedly, there has never been a murder, for a literary festival consisting of ''second rate' authors'.
There's so much to enjoy in these books - from the intricate plotting, to the 'spot the reference' (whether you're a crime fan or not), to the characters: Horowtiz's TV work shines through in some of the...stereotypes is the wrong word because it sounds reductive, so lets say 'archetypes' - but you could almost cast the actors playing the secondary roles from their descriptions. But for me, the best parts of these book are the slightly meta elements. The fact that the author portrays himself in a less than flattering light (not the brightest, or worldly, or heroic of men - who, even as they investigate the island's first murder is concerned at being described as a 'lesser author' by those around him, or is disappointed at certain proceedings because he can't see how it'll lead to book sales, are all funny, self effacing touches. Then there's Hawthorne - a combination of Poirot and Holmes (and why not - the author has written them both) who we slowly unravel over the course of the novels even as the author himself tries to figure out the enigmatic, private eccentric.
All of it adds up to a great read. It's never too meta to be pretentious or impenetrable for those not familiar with the publishing industry, but it does provide some fascinating insights into the process of writing, being an author and getting a book out to the public.
At the end of the day though, none of this would matter if the story itself wasn't interesting and well thought out and Horowitz always does a fine job. Here, he plays with the reader through his own character in the book with a 'writer/ reader's guesses of the events going on and the possible murderer based on the twisty crime dramas we've all read promising 'you'll never see the twist coming' - and taking delight in poking fun at those and himself even as he gives us his own audacious turns.
The best thing I can say - I always look forward to new books by Horowitz, and am prepared to go with whatever series/ character he chooses to write next, whether its his own invention or the estate of the literary greats. And this one certainly doesn't disappoint. Huge fun - and how often can you say THAT about a murder mystery?

Alderney, tiny island with a brand new literary festival. Author Anthony Horowitz and PI Hawthorne travel there to promote their new book. Suddenly the wealthy festival sponsor is found dead, obviously murdered. The island goes into lockdown and our protagonist starts to investigate.

Nothing is as it seems. Islanders and group of visiting authors have secrets and all are trapped. Tension increases.

Killer cannot escape.

Unique. Masterly written as all Horowitz's novels, with great flow and humour. And author himself is one of the protagonists! Always in a agreeable dispute with his detective.

Marvellous, love it!