This is the latest in Anthony Horowitz's Hawthorne and Horowitz series. It makes a very pleasant summer read as it does not take itself too seriously. It is possible to read this as a standalone but I would recommend reading the whole series as they are very entertaining. Anthony follows Hawthorne, an ex-detective as he takes on a case set on the island of Alderney. The novel is enhanced by descriptions of local places and features giving it a strong sense of setting. A good holiday read.

A really good whodunnit with a different theme - that of the book author being onsite as it were and seeing the next book develop in real time.
Definitely a Cluedo game full of characters/suspects - most with motives and reasons which come apparent as the book progresses.
Not a book where they are all congregated in a room and Hawthorne (a modern and working man's Poirot) explains and reveals the culprit. The police are of no use in the case and they do identify someone so that the case can be closed. But no, Hawthorne has this worked out and what really happened is revealed.
An excellent book and thoroughly recommended

Finished the book and was happy to meet Anthony and the detective again..
The setting was great and “Tony’ was wrong-footed by his protagonist quite a bit.
Excellent whodunnit

This is a clever, well-written murder mystery that has the author as a character in the book. It has clues scattered around, red herrings and a satisfying conclusion that takes you one way then another. I like the mysterious character of Hawthorne who always knows more than he lets on but I did find the other characters a little obvious. However this is a good whodunnit and as it signals another one to follow, I shall look forward to it.

This is the third book in the Hawthorne series, where Anthony Horowitz writes about himself. I really enjoyed the last two but compared to them, I found this one a bit lacking.
It was a strange start to the novel, going all the way back to the word is murder publication and nothing really exciting happens in the first few chapters. There’s little bits of intrigue, but I carried on and as soon as they got to Alderney, things got more interesting.
I have to say that I’d guessed quite a few things before they were revealed but there were still a few I hadn’t guessed so it still left me hooked. I’ve not been to Alderney but the descriptions of the island left me wanting to visit.
An easy read with a cosy crime, which is what Horowitz does best.

The location - Alderney Literary festival, an enjoyable read with a cast of colourful characters, a great addition to this popular series.

Another cleverly plotted thriller from Anthony Horowitz where for the third time he writes himself into book, following behind the enigmatic ex detective Hawthorne. Having never been to Alderney where the murders take place during the island’s first ever literary festival, you certainly get a feel for what it must be like to live there. Look forward to seeing you the next instalment in the series (I’m presuming there’ll be more).

The third in the series of which I have now read all of them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as I picked it up and finished it in the same day. It’s full of information which keeps you wondering as a classic ‘whodunnit’ should. The relationship between author and Hawthorn intrigues me- will they ever class themselves or become ‘friends’ ? Fingers crossed for another installation in the series.

This is the third book in the Hawthorne mysteries and, not having read the first two I thought I might be at a disadvantage. Not so. There is obviously history between the main characters but the story is complete in itself.
The tale is pacy and a quick read, with lots of information flung at the reader to sift through. I did find the character of the author a bit naive (read 'slow on the uptake') but he came into his own in the final chapter and the ending was a surprise, which, lets face it, is all you want from a whodunnit. It has definitely put me off Alderney as a place to visit.

It took me a while to understand that the first few pages were a part of the story! Once I understood that, I enjoyed reading the book. I found it to be an easy read that I could easily pick up and put down. I enjoyed the insights into publishing world and I would be curious to know how much of Horowitz’s personality is in the book! In terms of the story-line, I felt there were a few too many characters and that took away the guessing element which I usually like to do as part of the reading experience in a who dunnit it. Overall, it was a good read but I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would have liked and therefore, I wasn’t as invested in the outcome.

With over forty-five published books to his name, Anthony Horowitz is a prolific author, and one who can simultaneously work in different genres. He also does not take himself too seriously, and is happy to assume, in this, the third instalment of his Hawthorne and Horowitz series, the role of assistant detective, bringing some much-needed warmth to the cool and detached persona of lead detective Hawthorne. Both men travel to the small Channel island of Alderney to participate in a literature conference. They join a line-up of other idiosyncratic speakers, including a TV chef, a war historian to a blind psychic. At least one of the speakers is, however, travelling under a false name, and the island’s residents, bitterly divided over a wealthy entrepreneur’s plan to build a power plant on Alderney, are less than welcoming. And then the murders start….
Set out like a classic ‘whodunnit’, the beautiful island of Alderney serves as the ‘locked room’ in this novel, and the plotline is enriched by multiple logical fallacies and literary devices that add to the enjoyment. Having read this novel, and its two predecessors, I cannot wait for further instalments in the series – it is highly recommended! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for the ARC I was provided in order to publish this honest and unbiased review.

Author and Investigator working together creates an intriguing team. The author is inept at hunting down murderers but he paints a picture which leaves you wanting more of Hawthorne, the laconic, unique and rather cold detective,.
Set against the background of a Book Festival on the island of Alderney it is possible to make a guess at the murderer but impossible to work out the motives for killing two people. The answer is left almost as an epilogue so read on for the twist at the very last minute..

This book, the third in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series takes place on the small island of Alderney, where a new literary festival is taking place. Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne has been invited to talk about his new book and he is accompanied by his friend, the writer, Anthony Horowitz. Yes - the author of the book is a character in his own book.

Very soon they discover that not all is as it should be. Alderney is in turmoil over a planned power line that will cut through it, desecrating a war cemetery and turning neighbour against neighbour. When the festival's wealthy sponsor is found brutally killed, Alderney goes into lockdown and Hawthorne is called to investigate.
Readers of the previous books in the series will not be surprised at the direction of travel in this book. We have a lovely mix of suspects - the other authors including a blind medium, a French performance poet and a celebrity chef - seem to be harbouring any number of unpleasant secrets.

There is a flavour of Holmes and Watson in these books, as Hawthorn and Horowitz pursue their suspects. But the comparison ends there. The plot is more complex (as you’d expect from the writer of TV detective series) and the books unfold like an episode of his best. Horowitz isn’t afraid to take the mickey out of himself, in his role as narrator and there’s a level of comedy running through these books. The writing is, as you'd expect, excellent.

I’m a huge fan of Horowitz’ Sherlock Holmes and James Bond books (especially looking forward to the forthcoming one) but I have to admit this series isn’t my favourite. It will no doubt go down well with fans though, so definitely recommend for them.

Thank you to Get Galley and the publishers for my early copy in exchange for my independent,honest review
This is the latest in the series featuring Horowitz himself as a central character alongside private investigator Daniel Hawthorne. I haven't read any others in this series,however this did not hinder my enjoyment or understanding of the relationship between the two of them.
It is set in the Channel Islands, a favourite holiday destination of ours. In fact it is set in Alderney,one of the quieter Islands, where the author captures the quaint old fashioned charm of this area and it's cliques of inhabitants.
All does not run smoothly as you come to expect from Horowitz. Shortly after arriving for a literary festival there, someone is found brutally murdered.
It isn't long before Horowitz and Hawthorne are pulled into the investigation.
This author writes so effortlessly, the words just flow along and you are soon there. However,I didn't find the plot particularly thrilling or suspenseful in this and it gave more of a cosy crime feel than some of his other books. This makes a great holiday read and it is still very enjoyable. I didn't love it enough to rate it 5* but rarely for me do cosy feel books achieve this rating.

I love the conceit of Horowitz placing himself inside the story as a writer completing a three book publishing deal involving the escapades of a former detective now a private investigator, and this installment, the third in the series featuring Daniel Daniel Hawthorne is the best so far!

The setting of Alderney, a Channel Island, and a literary festival allowed for plenty of opportunities to poke fun at the writing life as well as a closed community to be shocked by murder.

I love these books. They're satisfying in terms of plot and twists, fun for crime fiction/mystery fans due to the lighthearted mockery and knowing comments from the fictional Anthony, and they offer plenty of scope for more with the slow drip of allusions to Hawthorne's past.

I adore Anthony Horowitz and I really enjoyed this book. When I am reading Susan Ryeland she is my favourite but then when I read about Hawthorne he becomes my favourite. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It had me hooked all the way through. I am desperate to know Hawthorne's secret but I also dont want to know. I love the wee bits about Foyles war and the meetings with publishers. I can't wait for the next book in the series. Highly recommend this series it's very enjoyable.

This is the first book in this series that I have actually read as I listened to the previous two as audiobooks. The audiobooks earned three stars but this book was much more enjoyable for me and it gets five stars. A great plot with Anthony again appearing as first person narrator and running himself down as well as a few instances of mentioning his successes. Hawthorne is his usual taciturn but brilliant self - the pair of them really are an excellent modern day Watson and Holmes. Alderney was a good setting with plenty going on, both past and present. An excellent read for which I thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The attention to every detail, making the mundane the key to solving every mystery with Watson always one step behind with the rest of us. I never thought that any other literary work would ever rival the most famous of duos.

But that has all changed with the Hawthorne and Horowitz mysteries. At long last there is a modern rival, that captures the essence of the Holmes stories but are still their own. I love the perspective of Horowitz himself playing the part of the bumbling partner to the aloof but brilliant Hawthorne.

A Line to Kill starts with Horowitz giving us an insight to the gears and cogs of one of the largest publishing houses, Penguin Random House and the nerves that still come with getting your book published. The story continues with the consultant detective Hawthorne highlighting how the mundane, almost miss able signs, can give an insight into the lives of the publishing team.

The story continues, on the isle of Alderney, with the inaugural literary festival. On the way to the festival, Hawthorne & Horowitz, find themselves with the other festival authors. Each one with a link, to the eventual murder victim. I really cannot say much more as I don’t want to give to much away. All I can recommend is to pay attention to the details, each character is a suspect, each with their own secrets. You are not short of twists and turns. And with the body count starting to increase, ghosts of Hawthorne’s past come back to haunt him in the present.

The pages fly by as you get drawn into the story, Horowitz’s narrative to the story adding another dimension. It feels like you are getting a preview of the authors next book but it’s being played out in real time. I, personally love the POV aspect of the book and the insight into an author’s mind it brings. The story keeps you guessing straight up to the last page. I need to go back and read the first two books in the series and cannot wait for the next one, I am completely hooked on this new crime fighting duo.

VERDICT: 5*****/5 A rival to Holmes & Watson, A Line to Kill, will having you guessing whodunit from the beginning. With plot twists and many suspects, you will not find out until the very end. Engrossing and captivating all the way through, a must of for any Sherlock and crime thriller fans.

Thanks goes to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy to review

Early efforts to publicise the first book in this none-more-archly-meta crime series, "The Word is Murder", have got Anthony Horowitz and the book's Holmesian anti-hero to a small literary festival on the Channel Island of Alderney. The few professional participants are a diverse bunch and no mistake, the festival's funder is a smarmy letch with too much money, and there are other surprising blasts from the past of more than one of the characters to crawl out of the woodwork. The island is also being badly riven by a proposed new bit of infrastructure. So it's no surprise this is going to turn into a murder mystery – it's only a little surprising the set-up leading up to it takes as long as it does here.

I had a riot with the first in this series, for the way it twisted everything on its head. Making the author so reluctant to talk about the powers of his investigative new companion, dripping with in-jokes about the publishing industry – all was sterling stuff. This? Less so. It seemed everything funny and witty to be said about the world of books had been covered, so it was more concerned with the minutiae of the two-day shindig. And when the declaration that nobody is allowed to leave the island comes about, things carry on in a reasonably interesting, but understated manner.

At the same time, it seemed that clues to something huger had been in all the books so far (I'd not been privy to the first sequel), and that a la Bad Wolf era Doctor Who, something was being dripfed us while leaving us unawares. But at the same time anything we'd been secretly injected with was leading us to something with no after effects. This is one for the cosy crime shelf, if the readers of that sub-genre can get past the kiddy porn dealer and the F-bombs that turn up immediately and frequently after Anthony says cussing bores him. It's part of a series that I can easily still engage with, and it's clear that for all the fictionalised Anthony thinks he's writing a trilogy there will be more to come, but this did seem like a weak entrant to the franchise. I don't think I can blame reading it on the hottest day of the year for the fact that it just felt dry. More oomph next time, and more in-jokes and quippy references, please.

Oh, but it also made me regret not having gone to Alderney. All in all then, a potentially quite costly purchase.

This is the third in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series but can be read as a stand-alone. The two men, ex- detective Hawthorne and author Anthony Horowitz are invited along with other authors to participate in a Literary Festival on the island of Alderney. They have not been there long before a murder is committed and Hawthorne is asked by the police to help them investigate.
This novel has everything you want from classic detective fiction: a tight plot, several suspects with quirky characters, red herrings and flashes of humour and you might even work out who the killer is for yourself!
My thanks to Cornerstone publishers and NetGalley for the ARC. It was a pleasure to read.