There has never been a murder on Alderney – but there’s a first time for everything…

When an invite arrives for Anthony Horowitz and ex-police detective Daniel Hawthorne to attend a literary convention on the small Channel Island, Horowitz is astonished that Hawthorne, a generally private person, is keen to take part. Once they arrive, the reason becomes clear – the man who ended Hawthorne’s career is on the island.

The island is in turmoil due to a plan for a power line from France to England that will, amongst other things, desecrate a war cemetery. When the guiding power behind the plan – and the sponsor behind the festival – is found murdered, there seems to a surfeit of suspects, both from the locals and from the authors from the festival. But with so many motives, and Hawthorne distracted by his past, will the murderer escape justice?

The third Daniel Hawthorne mystery, following The Word Is Murder and The Sentence Is Death, where Anthony “Tony” Horowitz is narrating his own adventures that are going to be the source for future books. So are these the books that he is talking about writing? Or are these the actual events that are going to inspire fictional books? Best not to think too hard about it. At one point, there is a discussion between Tony and his agent about the titles, and the point is raised that they are rapidly going to run out of possibilities. You might make a case that they already have, as I’d say the phrase is “A Line To Kill For” – the phrase “A Line To Kill” is used in the book, but it felt a bit forced to be honest.

That’s the sole problem with the book. So as you might expect, I rather enjoyed this one.

Readers of Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders may be surprised as to how much of a straightforward mystery this is, especially with its meta-ish premise. But it should be said, while it is a straightforward mystery, it’s riddled with those clue thingies that are so often absent from modern mysteries.

The setting is very traditional, with a closed circle of suspects, most clearly identified as such but with a couple of other characters applying for the role of “least likely suspect”. All of the characters have motives, some obvious, some less-so, and most have opportunity. Add in the oddness of the body – the victim is found bound hand and foot to a chair, but with his right hand untied for some reason – and this book ticks all of the traditional mystery boxes. There are a few “should have spotted that” moments during the multiple revelations – as with all good mysteries, every suspect is up to something – and while the reader might work out bits of it, it’s highly doubtful that they’ll spot everything.

I didn’t spot the murderer, by the way. I had a few ideas, one in particular. It’s worth mentioning that, as I basically fell into the trap that Horowitz laid for smart-arses like me. I know that, because at the start of the last chapter, “Tony” mentions in his narration that he thought the murderer was “X”, an unlikely character that most people wouldn’t consider. Yes, it was the same person that I thought was guilty, thinking I was being dead clever about it. Well played, Mr Horowitz, you made me feel like a right plonker.

Oh, and there’s some interesting developments in Hawthorne’s background that I wasn’t expecting. It’s clear that this series is going to run and run, and I’m looking forward immensely to the next one already. If only to see what the title will be… “The Pen Is Poisoned” sort of works…

To sum up, this is an outstanding mystery that kept me gripped and completely fooled me. Echoing all of the traditions of classic mystery fiction while maintaining a modern feel, this is exactly the sort of book that I’m always looking for.

A Line To Kill is out on Thursday 19th August from Random House UK. Many thanks for the review e-copy.

This is as engaging, funny, wry and clever as the other Anthony Horowittz's I have read.
I think it is such a clever and self-deprecating way of playing with the genre and I love the behind scenes of the publishing world too,
The plot is fast paced and lots of clues and red herrings thrown in- masterful.
Thank you for the proof- I will be buying for the library and look forward to book four and indeed a tv series??

Any book by Anthony Horowitz oozes class and proficiency, and A Line To Kill is no different. It isn't my favourite of his series, but I knew going in that it would be engaging and clever- and so it was!

I liked that the action was shifted to somewhere different and surprising. The island setting is a classic in crime fiction, but this was a modern way to do it. Small town grievances, strong characters and surprisingly engaging info on the literary/publishers were all mixed up with the engaging plot and it kept me reading.

I would have liked more with Hawthorne- throughout the series there has been a lot of mystery about his background and it didn't entirely land.

You know what to expect with Anthony Horowitz- he is a pro and it is shown nicely here.

My thanks to Random House U.K./Cornerstone for an eARC, via NetGalley, of ‘A Line to Kill’ by Anthony Horowitz in exchange for an honest review. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, read by Rory Kinnear.

This is the third in this quirky series of mysteries featuring former police detective turned private investigator, Daniel Hawthorne. What makes these books unusual is that Horowitz is a character in the novels. He serves as the narrator and something of a Watson to Hawthorne’s Holmes.

The premise for the series is that Hawthorne had proposed the idea of a series of crime novels based on his cases and Horowitz agreed to shadow him and write up the investigations.

In ‘A Line to Kill’ their first book, ‘The Word is Murder’, is about to be published and they receive an invitation to attend a new literary festival being held on Alderney in the Channel Islands. It is a tiny island, just three miles long and a mile and a half wide. Its residents are quite proud that there has never been a murder on Alderney. Until now….

I won’t say more in order to avoid spoilers.

‘A Line to Kill’ is a very clever whodunnit with plenty of witty dialogue. Horowitz has a stunning amount of writing experience including adapting murder mysteries for television such as the highly popular ‘Midsomer Murders’ and ‘Poirot’. His plotting and pacing is impeccable. I have never been disappointed by any of his novels.

Alongside his fictional self and Daniel Hawthorne, Horowitz has assembled a great cast of supporting characters including the visiting authors and the local residents.

I was pleased to have its audiobook edition as it included a bonus interview in which Horowitz spoke about his inspirations for the Hawthorne & Horowitz Mysteries and his future plans for the series. Hurrah. I certainly intend to continue reading them as long as he writes them.

Overall, an entertaining and highly engaging new instalment in this excellent series of murder mysteries.

A book festival on the small island of Alderney with an eclectic group of writers sponsored by a rich benefactor - not the kind of place you would expect to see former detective Daniel Hawthorne and novelist Anthony Horowitz unless there is a murder to solve. Which there isn’t.
Things are not as peaceful as they look with the island’s population split on a proposed power line cutting through the graves of war heroes, and the person who stand to profit if things go ahead is our rich benefactor.
The man in question throws a big shindig for the writers and people from the island, but things go awry when he is brutally murdered and it seems everyone’s a suspect. With the death of a second person, Alderney is put on lockdown and no one is allowed to leave until the crime is solved.
If only they had people with experience in solving murders. Step forward Hawthorne and Horowitz.
A superb book, with great humour, a wonderful cast of characters and a story that’s highly intoxicating, along with the ever brilliant Daniel Hawthorne.
Another masterclass in literally fiction by Anthony Horowitz. He really is a marvellous storyteller and this book is a perfect example of his talent and a book I highly recommend.

A detective novel with a difference. I love the style of this book. You get the murder, the investigation and the interviews but you are watching from the sidelines with the author of the book.
It's a real whodunnit and Hawthorne plays his cards very close to his chest unlike the writer who puzzles over things without always seeing them. I really enjoy reading about this chalk and cheese couple and whilst I don't have the detective skills of Hawthorne I did manage to pick up more clues than Anthony.
A joy to read.

Well written, slow building mystery set on Aldernay, during a literary festival. A disparate group of authors and their entourage assemble for a book festival on the island that had never had a murder in peacetime.. Until now! A motley assortment of people all have motive and opportunity and there are red herrings aplenty. Very reminiscent of Agatha Christie and very enjoyable

Everything I enjoyed about the previous books rings true here. The narration is so unique, so different, to anything else I’ve read - it redefines self-insertion. Working in the publishing industry (although not fiction) meant I found the first few chapters hilarious (where, indeed, is the line between marketing and publicity?).

Characters and narration style come together in this one. Having the book set on an island with a limited population meant I didn’t notice the self-insertion as much: Horowitz became just another character. When it’s set in his world, with references to publishing/writing/etc, you can’t get away from it, but isolating him from that world tones that down.

You get a few more hints about Hawthorne and his backstory. He’s still just as secretive, but a few answers slip through. He comes across affable when they’re meeting with other people, which makes him likeable even when the narrator feels like banging his head against the wall, even if some of his actions are questionable.

As usual, we have an interesting mix of secondary characters. All with their own stories; all with motive, opportunity and secrets worth killing for. You don’t connect per se, but they’re an enjoyable bunch.


Just as characters and narration style are combined, the pacing is created by the setting. Line to Kill had a much gentler pacing than before, in part due to being set on a small island where this is the most drama they’ve had for years.

The island is seeped in history, which adds a gravity to the story which, again, wasn’t present before. Although the murder takes place quite early, the tension doesn’t escalate and there is no change in the rhythm of the book. Taking the story away from the bustle and fast-paced London setting slows everything down.

You still, however, find yourself gripped, wanting to know how the pieces come together. When everything appears to be solved, there’s an unsatisfied feeling – for both the reader, and Horowitz (as both the character and writer). That can’t be it? But as the writing draws you in for a few more chapters and with a casual ease, Horowitz gives you a final twist and a satisfactory ending.

You can’t have a murder mystery without a murder and a mystery. It came as no surprise who was killed. But Horowitz creates an intriguing web of suspects and I was unable to figure out who had done it. What more do you want from a story like this?

If you’re looking for a fun mystery that keeps you guessing but is a light and entertaining read, check out this series. Line to Kill was as enjoyable as the previous books, and I love the novelty of it. A definite recommendation from me.

Anthony Horowitz himself is one of the main characters of the book, an author, who along with his friend ex Detective Inspector Daniel Hawthorne are invited to attend a book festival on the island of Alderney.

Once there, they find themselves in the middle of a real life murder investigation; as two of the locals are found murdered. Who killed them, was it one of the literary festival guest speakers or someone on the island.

A great mystery, superbly written and I love the main characters.

This is the first of the series I have read, but I will go back and read 1 & 2, it may be better to read the in order:
1. The Word is Murder
2. The Sentence is Death

Great story, you will be hooked.

Well, I have to say this is the first book by this author and it took me a while to get into it. It turned out to be quite a good thriller after that which was rather surprising. Would I read another? Possibly but with some trepidation though. Recommended read.

Great murder mystery
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the advance copy in return for a honest review.
I have been a fan of Anthnony Horowitz since I was young reading the Alex Rider series and I have grown up following with him to his adult books.
I have fully enjoyed the previous books in the Hawthorne detective series so I was highly looking forward to the new instalment and lets just say it didn’t let me down.
This is the third book in the series. For those who have not read the previous books the series see's the author team up with an ex-police officer now turned detective who has ask Anthony to write books about him.
In this instalment which is set just before the publication of the first Hawthrone book (The Word is Murder), Anthony is having a meeting with his publishers discussing how to market the book.
They decide to attend a book festival at a small island (Alderney) as a trail run before the major run before the book publication.
So Anthony and Hawthrone travel to the island to attend the festival (with Hawthrone suddenly becoming very keen to attend when he had no previous interest to do any promotion for the book). Also attending are a celebrity chef, a blind psychic and her husband, a local historian, a children’s author and a French poet.
The festival seems to be going well, that is until the wealthy sponsor of the festival is found dead at this home Hawthrone has other murder to solve. With the murder shadowed in mystery (he was tied up to a chair but one of his hands was not tied up) who could be responsible is it someone who attended the festival. The story as a lot of twist and turns as you are with Anthony and Hawthrone as they try to solve the murder. However things are never as they seem especially when someone from Hawthrone past may be involved.
This was a fully enjoyable read which had you guessing right to the very end when everything is relived. I love the connection between Hawthrone and Anthony as have, they are a fun team.
I cant wait for the next instalment. Highly recommend

Thanks to Random House UK/Netgalley for allowing to read me an advance copy of this book.

I enjoy all of Anthony Horowitz's output. This series is great, the Susan Ryeland series is great, as are his Sherlock Holmes and James Bond novels.

This entry in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series is another enjoyable story of mystery and murder, as the writer again teams up with a fictional (or is he?), detective.

This time, Hawthorne enters Horowitz's world of writing and publishing, as they attend a Literary festival on the island of Alderney. Their visit soon involves a murder (or two), and Hawthorne is drafted in to help.

Everyone loves Hawthorne, and people or fascinated by this obliviously charismatic man, as the first book has been published in the real world of the books, and has been a great success. The author writes about Hawthorne as smart, complicated, urbane, charming, unknowable, contradictory. Someone you really want to get to know, but are very wary of. Whether this is how Anthony Horowitz would like to be in real-life, or even is in real-life, is a matter for conjecture. He's very self-deprecating here, Hawthorne is the star of the show, as usual.

The ensemble cast of fellow writers of all kinds, (a TV chef, a psychic etc), are all very real, and all have secrets of their own, which are unwrapped as the story unfolds.

The story rattles along, and all the clues are there, as they say, so the writer never cheats, you really can work out what happened, just as Hawthorne does, if you pay really close attention. No, REALLY close attention.

Horowitz (the character) doesn't work it out, but has lots of theories, as did I as a reader. The denouement is beautifully done, and poses lots of moral and ethical questions. Did the victims deserve their fates? Is it always the right thing to do to prosecute those who commit heinous crimes? It's interesting stuff.

So, another cracker from Mr Horowitz, look forward to the next one.

I received this ARC not knowing that it was the third installment of the Hawthorne and Horowitz Mysteries, which promptly encouraged me to read the first two novels before starting on A Line to Kill, and I'm so glad I did!

A Line to Kill, as mentioned above, is the third installment of the Hawthorne and Horowitz Mysteries, where Horowitz is approached by a former Detective Inspector of Scotland Yard to write a book about his work. Horowitz quickly gets drawn in to a world of murder and isn't sure what to think of his new partner. To promote their first book, The Word is Murder, the two are invited to a literary festival on Alderney in the Channel Islands. Whilst there, Hawthorne and Horowitz again get entangled in a new murder mystery, and must find out who the killer is before people start to leave the island.

Horowitz's style of writing is very clever and utterly absorbing. By writing himself as the main character, Horowitz creates the notion that the contents of the books are real, and on many times I had to google whether or not they were! The murder mysteries themselves are very well-planned, and I did not guess the killer in the slightest - in fact, just after the killer is revealed, Horowitz writes that he guessed it was another side character who did it, and that's who I thought it was too! There are lots of red herrings placed throughout the story, but during the final reveal, I was very annoyed that I hadn't picked up on the clues.

During an interview, Horowitz said that he had about 10 installments of H&H Mysteries planned, and wanted to delve deeper into the mystery that is Hawthorne himself, and I for certain will be reading every new novel written!

Two murders and a suicide at a a literary festival is a good start particularly when two of the contributors are a former detective Hawthorne and his sidekick who records his solving of murders in a series of books. Add to that enticing start the facts that the festival is being held for the first time in the tiny island of Alderney, sponsored by an online betting company, and that the small island is seriously divided by disagreement over plans to install a power line and there is plenty cause for blackmail and worse. The context of this book is exciting from the start and is stepped up with the murders of influential local LeMesurier and his wife. The mix is further excited by the discovery that some of the participants share a past. The tension is maintained to the end. The story is cleverly devised and, as is to be expected from Horowitz, expertly delivered. I strongly recommend it.

A fantastic addition to the series here from Anthony Horowitz! I loved all the clues throughout leading you to the books conclusion and also the indication that the series will continue. A fabulous read which I enjoyed immensely! Whilst this was my first read of any of the books in this series it has prompted me to buy the earlier books.

This is the third in Anthony Horowitz’s Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery series. I have read the earlier books, The Word is Murder and The Sentence is Death and I think it really it best if you read these books in order to fully understand the main characters and their relationship. Daniel Hawthorne, an ex-policeman, is now a private investigator, who the police call in to help with their more complicated cases. Anthony Horowitz himself plays a major role as one of the main characters, recruited by Hawthorne to write a book about him and the cases he investigates and he’d agreed to a three-book contract with Hawthorne.

This third book is about the third case they investigate. I loved the setting on the island of Alderney where the literary festival is being held. I enjoyed the interplay between Hawthorne and the fictional Horowitz, a somewhat difficult relationship as Hawthorne is particularly secretive about his personal life and about the reason he left the police force. In a way he is a Sherlock Holmes type of character keeping Horowitz very much in the dark about what he thinks about the identity of the murder. He is not an easy person to like, single minded with a somewhat superior air about him, but he does get results.

Like the two earlier books this is a complicated murder mystery, with a type of ‘locked room’ puzzle to be solved. As you would expect it is full of red herrings and multiple twists and turns. I was soon totally immersed in this fascinating novel. The characters are fully formed, all with secrets they want to keep hidden and clues are all there, but so well hidden that I was once again totally bemused by it all.

The fictional Horowitz is by now, thoroughly intrigued by Hawthorne himself – just what is he keeping hidden about himself, why did he really leave the police force? Will the writer Horowitz reveal the secret is his next book – if there is to be one? I do hope so.

Thank you to Anthony Horowitz, Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of A Line to Kill.

For the uninitiated (like me), this is the legendary Anthony Horowitz writing about himself as a main character, working with a retired detective to solve a murder. It's a brilliant concept, and classic Horowitz fare - you can just imagine curling up on the sofa to watch the screen adaptation over a bank holiday weekend. There's plenty of mystery and intrigue, with a cast of characters all with their own secrets to hide. A great easy read.

When Anthony Horowitz and the subject of his latest books, Daniel Hawthorne, are invited to a literary festival on the Channel Island of Alderney, neither of them expect to be caught in the middle of a murder investigation. After all, there’s never been a murder on Alderney. With the island in lockdown, Horowitz and Hawthorne must find the murderer, before there are more deaths.
4.5 stars!

This was by far my favourite of the Hawthorne and Horowitz series. Out of the three, it feels the most Christie-like, with the remote setting of the island, subtle feuds, multiple reveals, and the storytelling. Horowitz is definitely the king of twists and turns, with multiple characters revealing secrets about themselves and those around them. There were a couple of times I had to go back and re-read a section, just to make sure I’d read it right, and that was the only thing that stopped this from being a 5* for me.

What I really loved about this one was how the threads from the previous two books began to come together. The more time our dynamic duo spend on Alderney, the more we learn about Hawthorne, which was something I’d been dying to know about in the previous two books. I enjoyed the Holmes-Moriarty-esque relationship between Hawthorne and Abbot, and Abbot's final move was one that made me gasp. We also see the development of Anthony’s detective skills, which I loved. I also enjoyed the way we see the impact of Hawthorne's actions through another pair of eyes, which helps to explore the human side of detective stories. It's with this in mind that I dislike and respect Hawthorne in equal measure - he's not a very nice man: he's aloof, dismissive of Anthony, and seems incapable of sympathy. And yet he admits that all he cares about is getting the job done, and finding the guilty party.

As with the other Hawthorne and Horowitz books, this is another slow-burn solve, but the pace of the murders and the plot is far quicker than The Word is Murder and The Sentence is Death, and that was what made this book better than its predecessors. I was very much gripped by the book, thanks to the pace, and even stayed up late to finish it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

A Lineto Kill is the third in the trilogy linking the author with private investigator Daniel Hawthorne. The pair are transported to the Chanel island of Alderney leading to a chain of events which triggers murder. Anthony delights with his descriptions and clever plotting. Although part of a trilogy it is not necessary to have read the other books in the series.

Like the first two in the series, I enjoyed this one. There’s something so fun about these books. I distinctly remember having my mind blown while reading the first one, trying to figure out whether it was autobiographical or just very, very meta.

For those of you not yet in the know, these books revolve around the real Anthony Horowitz, working with fictitious ex-cop Hawhthorne, shadowing him while the latter is trying to solve murders about which Horowitz will then write a book. Like I said, it’s all very meta because all things relating to Anthony Horowitz are real while the rest is total fiction. But what good fun!

This third instalment follows the same outline; this time the two men are off to the small isle of Alderney, where, promptly upon their arrival, the island’s first ever murder happens.

Like the first two books, we’re left in the dark as much as Horowitz is and try to work out the whodunit along with him. Hawthorne is enigmatic and secretive as ever, but for the first time I was starting to feel a bit irritated by that. Surely by now the two could have had a big blow out during which some essential information about Hawthorne was finally revealed? But judging by the end that’s hopefully what’ll take place in the next book.

A mystery that could easily be read as a standalone but I’d recommend reading the whole series to get the full backstory and effect. I’m already looking forward to book four.