The Word is Murder - Book Review

 

The Word is Murder

Anthony Horowitz

3.9 stars

 

 

 

 

 

When the murder happens in the first five pages, you are hooked. With the author inserted into the story as he writes about the murder, and trying to solve the mystery alongside the detective, it is delicious.

Clues, and red herrings. Dialogue well-suited to the characters. Hamlet and Shakespeare. The rich and the not so well off.

Thoroughly enjoyed this quick-paced read, and didn’t see the ending coming! Entertaining, yet thought provoking. I had my search engine beside me because the references to fact were seamlessly integrated into fiction. When did the author stop being the author and become a character? We are constantly fooled, and we like it!

The writing is clever and Horowitz takes the reader along as his side-kick in solving this mystery. Come on, we all have a detective in us and this is a great ride. It was a fun read and you do not need to know about Sherlock and Holmes or Agatha Christie to appreciate this mystery, as many reviewers have referenced.

This book was my introduction to Horowitz, and it is one to discuss with a friend to hear which clues you missed.

Highly recommend.

As a walker, I couldn't resist 52 Ways to Walk, which is my next read.


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Secret Life of Sunflowers - Book Review

Image
  The Secret Life of Sunflowers Marta Molnar 2.5 stars (but keep reading my review for what I learned) Told through the voices of Johanna van Gogh (1887) and Emsley Wilson (current), this book held promise but failed to deliver. I was fascinated by the story of Johanna, who is largely unknown for her role in bringing her brother-in-law’s artistry to the public. She is the reason that I kept reading. The story line for Emsley, her character, and the challenge she faced was weak in holding my interest. I typically would not review a book here that I wouldn't recommend to a friend. So let me tell you why you are now reading this. van Gogh was certainly a tormented soul (as many true artist types were/are), but the way his fame and appreciation of his life became prominent was unknown to me. What this book offered me was the curiousity to look a little deeper into his fame and how easily the world would have been deprived of his talent. I found the author’s experience in adventure/rom...
Read more

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Book Review

Image
  Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Jamie Ford 4.5 stars Jamie Ford has captured me again. This is the second book of his that I’ve read. His more recent The Many Daughters of Afong Moy (2022) was my introduction to his words and both brought the most heartwarming story to his readers. In this debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (2009) you are led into the troubling time of the Japanese internment during the 2nd world war. This sad time when thousands of Japanese were sent to camps, were forced to build their own shelters, and lived in the most uncomfortable of conditions. What comes through prominently is the nature of the Japanese people who were affected, including those born in the USA. Their loyalty to the USA was not shaken as they endured the circumstances of their captivity. Ford tells us the facts with no judgement on the less than desirable reactions of the citizens. What the foundation of all his words is Hope. Do not miss the author’s notes where ...
Read more

The Picture Bride - Book Review

Image
  The Picture Bride Lee Geum-yi 3 stars I realize that this book was a translation, so be prepared for the stilted language that did not flow, sentences that are choppy and it took some resolve to work through. Although aspects of the Korean independence were an important part of the background, I was not able to assimilate that story and found it quite confusing. It was interesting to know that many Asian people chose to settle in Hawaii and how difficult it was to establish yourself to gain any kind of affluence. The history of descrimination held true and is always difficult to hear. The female characters were interesting enough but if I had borrowed this book from the public library, it would have gone back early. If you have some prior knowledge and/or interest in the Korean culture, you will likely be more inclined to persevere. This book was a slog for me. The deceptions told to secure a young bride, is saddening of course, but not entirely surprising. The emotion that was r...
Read more