by Pa Rock
Reader
British mystery writer Anthony Horowitz is known primarily for creating a pair of world class detective shows: Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA award-winning Foyle's War. In addition to writing for television, Horowitz is also now venturing into writing mystery novels, and there, too, he is experiencing marked success.
The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz is a work of fiction, but one that strays from normal writing conventions when the author chooses to make himself a central character in the story. The premise involves a wealthy older lady who walks into a funeral parlor and arranges her own funeral - and then is murdered in her home a few hours later. Because it is such an unusual case, the police bring in a special consultant - a disgraced former cop with lots of personal issues - but who happens to have brilliant detecting skills. This independent investigator, a man by the name of Hawthorne, decides that this case might b he perfect vehicle for promoting his detection skills, and he approaches a writer whom he knows and proposes having the writer shadow him on this unusual case so that he can then write a book highlighting the detective's skills and methods.
The writer who reluctantly gets drawn into this arrangement is Anthony Horowitz.
Working with Hawthorne has several challenges. He is secretive and.particularly does not like to share his private life, and he has some old-line biases including being homophobic - something which does not sit well with the modern and open-minded Horowitz. During the course of their work the pair stumble upon a particularly bloody second murder, and at another point in the novel Horowitz almost becomes the killer's third victim.
As a counterpoint to the tales of murder, Horowitz also does a running update on his life as a writer. One of the funniest scenes in this novel has him in a meeting with Stephen Spielberg where he is discussing a script that he is writing. Horowitz hopes that the script will meet with Spielberg's approval. Just as this very important meeting is getting underway, Hawthorne shows up and tells Horowitz that he needs to accompany him to the first murder victim's funeral. The horrified writer tries to salvage the meeting, but Spielberg, who knows that victim's son, tells Horowitz that Hawthorne is right and that he should leave the meeting and attend the funeral. They leave - and a major writing opportunity evaporates.
Anyone contemplating a career in writing for television will find an abundance of useful nuggets in this book as Anthony Horowitz carefully reveals himself in its pages.
Anthony Horowitz is a life-long aficionado of Sherlock Holmes, and by casting himself in this story, he becomes the de facto Dr. Watson to the brilliant and highly frustrating Hawthorne. It is quite a complicated plot device, but Horowitz handles it well. I suspect there will be other tales featuring this pair of mismatched individuals - and I look forward to enjoying them.
The Word Is Murder is a very smart mystery!
Reader
British mystery writer Anthony Horowitz is known primarily for creating a pair of world class detective shows: Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA award-winning Foyle's War. In addition to writing for television, Horowitz is also now venturing into writing mystery novels, and there, too, he is experiencing marked success.
The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz is a work of fiction, but one that strays from normal writing conventions when the author chooses to make himself a central character in the story. The premise involves a wealthy older lady who walks into a funeral parlor and arranges her own funeral - and then is murdered in her home a few hours later. Because it is such an unusual case, the police bring in a special consultant - a disgraced former cop with lots of personal issues - but who happens to have brilliant detecting skills. This independent investigator, a man by the name of Hawthorne, decides that this case might b he perfect vehicle for promoting his detection skills, and he approaches a writer whom he knows and proposes having the writer shadow him on this unusual case so that he can then write a book highlighting the detective's skills and methods.
The writer who reluctantly gets drawn into this arrangement is Anthony Horowitz.
Working with Hawthorne has several challenges. He is secretive and.particularly does not like to share his private life, and he has some old-line biases including being homophobic - something which does not sit well with the modern and open-minded Horowitz. During the course of their work the pair stumble upon a particularly bloody second murder, and at another point in the novel Horowitz almost becomes the killer's third victim.
As a counterpoint to the tales of murder, Horowitz also does a running update on his life as a writer. One of the funniest scenes in this novel has him in a meeting with Stephen Spielberg where he is discussing a script that he is writing. Horowitz hopes that the script will meet with Spielberg's approval. Just as this very important meeting is getting underway, Hawthorne shows up and tells Horowitz that he needs to accompany him to the first murder victim's funeral. The horrified writer tries to salvage the meeting, but Spielberg, who knows that victim's son, tells Horowitz that Hawthorne is right and that he should leave the meeting and attend the funeral. They leave - and a major writing opportunity evaporates.
Anyone contemplating a career in writing for television will find an abundance of useful nuggets in this book as Anthony Horowitz carefully reveals himself in its pages.
Anthony Horowitz is a life-long aficionado of Sherlock Holmes, and by casting himself in this story, he becomes the de facto Dr. Watson to the brilliant and highly frustrating Hawthorne. It is quite a complicated plot device, but Horowitz handles it well. I suspect there will be other tales featuring this pair of mismatched individuals - and I look forward to enjoying them.
The Word Is Murder is a very smart mystery!
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