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The Word Is Murder

The Word Is Murder

The bestselling mystery from the author of Magpie Murders – you've never read a crime novel quite like this

Summary

SHE PLANNED HER OWN FUNERAL. BUT DID SHE ARRANGE HER MURDER?
Buried secrets, murder and a trail of bloody clues lie at the heart of Anthony Horowitz’s page-turning new detective series. If you enjoyed BBC’s Sherlock, you’ll LOVE The Word is Murder!


A wealthy woman strangled six hours after she’s arranged her own funeral.
A very private detective uncovering secrets but hiding his own.
A reluctant author drawn into a story he can’t control.
What do they have in common?


'A real page-turner. I loved it!' ALED JONES (ITV, Weekend)
'The beguiling whodunit plot is dispatched with characteristic elan as Horowitz blurs the line between fact and fiction' (Financial Times)
“A very clever and inventive mystery" (Bookbag)
"A perfect detective novel in a unique style complete with an excellent twist!" (Life Has a Funny Way of Sneaking Up On You)
‘With its unorthodox protagonist, clever plotting, brilliantly imperfect characters, and escalating sense of urgency and intrigue, THE WORD IS MURDER is an instant crime classic that will keep you reading as fast as you can… one of the best and most compulsively readable mysteries of the year. Hugely satisfying on every level." (Written by Sime)
'Will undoubtedly exhilarate not only crime and Horowitz fans but anyone who enjoys the sense of metafiction and fourth wall breaking found in books by authors like Lemony Snicket, Bret Easton Ellis and Martin Amis.' (Fiendfully Reading)
'A very addictive read… go get yourself a copy, right now’ (Me and My Books)
The Word is Murderis an appreciation of the crime fiction genre and all the greatest crime fiction writers. It's a homage to our favourite detectives and our favourite sidekicks. The Word is Murder follows the conventions of the thriller genre but it also feels new and original. I found this book refreshing, incredibly readable and actually, the word I want to use is delightful!’ Bibliomaniac blog
Clever and engaging’ See Orange blog
‘A rather intriguing mix of fact and fiction’ Bailey’s Blog
‘This book has one of the most unique concepts of all the books I’ve ever read’ The Stacked Shelf blog

Reviews

  • Ingenious twist on the classic whodunnit
    The Guardian

About the author

Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz is responsible for creating and writing some of the UK’s most loved and successful TV series, including Midsomer Murders and Foyle’s War. He is the author of the teen spy series, Alex Rider, which has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide.

He has been widely praised for his murder mysteries which began with two highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes novels and continued with the bestselling Hawthorne series in which he appears as the former detective’s hapless sidekick. In January 2022 he was awarded a CBE for his services to literature.

His novel, Magpie Murders, was made into a BBC drama starring Lesley Manville as editor Susan Ryeland. The sequel, Moonflower Murders, also starring Lesley Manville, was a BBC drama in 2024. Marble Hall Murders continues the story…
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