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Reading lists

9 holiday reads set in Greece

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Where to start reading Anthony Horowitz’s books

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Recommendations

Powerful stories that make great gifts

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Features

‘The right car, the right cocktail’: Anthony Horowitz on the challenge of writing James Bond

Lisa Jewell, Nadiya Hussain, Lady Halle, and three other Penguin authors smile in a 2021 photo collage.

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Penguin authors pick their favourite books of 2021

Anthony Horowitz: 'I've been asked if Bond would vote Brexit' 

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Anthony Horowitz: ‘I’ve been asked if Bond would vote Brexit’

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

The Word Is Murder

She planned her own funeral. But did she arrange her own murder? Buried secrets, murder and a trail of bloody clues lie at the heart of Anthony Horowitz's page-turning detective series. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
_________________ 
 
A woman is strangled six hours after organising her own funeral. 
 
Did she know she was going to die? Did she recognise her killer? 
 
Enter Daniel Hawthorne, a detective with a genius for solving crimes and an ability to hold secrets very close. 
 
With him is his writing partner, Anthony Horowitz. Together they will set out to solve his most puzzling of mysteries. 
 
What neither of them know is that they are about to embark on a dark and dangerous journey whether the twists and turns are as unexpected as they are bloody. 
_________________ 
 
'Raises the game-playing to Olympic level' Guardian Books of the Year 
'A real page-turner. I loved it!' Aled Jones 
'Horowitz blurs the line between fact and fiction' Financial Times 
'Splendidly entertaining, absorbing and difficult to put down. Hawthorne is an intriguing character' Daily Express 
'Sharp-witted readers who think they've solved the puzzle early on can rest assured that they've opened only one of many dazzling Christmas packages Horowitz has left beautifully wrapped under the tree' Kirkus Reviews 
'Deduction and wit are well-balanced, and fans of Peter Lovesey and other modern channelers of the spirit of the golden age of detection will clamor for more' Publishers Weekly

Bestselling author Anthony Horowitz has written two highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes novels, The House of Silk and Moriarty; three James Bond novels, Trigger Mortis, Forever and a Day and With a Mind to Kill; the acclaimed bestselling mystery novels Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders and the Detective Hawthorne novels, The Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death, A Line To Kill, The Twist of a Knife and the latest Close to Death is out in April 2024. 
 
He is also the author of the teen spy Alex Rider series, and responsible for creating and writing some of the UK's most loved and successful TV series, including Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War. In January 2022 he was awarded a CBE for his services to literature.

A woman is strangled six hours after organising her own funeral. 
 
Did she know she was going to die? Did she recognise her killer? 
 
Enter Daniel Hawthorne, a detective with a genius for solving crimes and an ability to hold secrets very close. 
 
With him is his writing partner, Anthony Horowitz. Together they will set out to solve his most puzzling of mysteries. 
 
What neither of them know is that they are about to embark on a dark and dangerous journey whether the twists and turns are as unexpected as they are bloody. 
_________________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
 
'Raises the game-playing to Olympic level' Guardian Books of the Year 
 
'A real page-turner. I loved it!' Aled Jones 
 
'Horowitz blurs the line between fact and fiction' Financial Times 
 
'Splendidly entertaining, absorbing and difficult to put down. Hawthorne is an intriguing character' Daily Express 
 
'Sharp-witted readers who think they've solved the puzzle early on can rest assured that they've opened only one of many dazzling Christmas packages Horowitz has left beautifully wrapped under the tree' Kirkus Reviews 
 
'Deduction and wit are well-balanced, and fans of Peter Lovesey and other modern channelers of the spirit of the golden age of detection will clamor for more' Publishers Weekly

A mind-bending murder mystery from the bestselling author of THE WORD IS MURDER

The Sentence is Death

Passion, deception, an unexplained death and a detective with quite a lot to hide lie at the heart of Anthony Horowitz's brilliant murder mystery, the second in the bestselling series starring Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' Shari Lapena 
'Sheer genius ... A joy from start to finish' INDEPENDENT 
_____________________ 
 
Secrets can kill. 
 
Smooth-tongued divorce lawyer Richard Price is bludgeoned to death at his London home. 
 
Scrawled on the wall beside the body: the number 182. 
 
What does it mean? And who was at his front door just minutes before he died and while he was still talking on the phone? 
 
Confronted with this most baffling of mysteries, the police are forced to turn to private investigator Daniel Hawthorne. 
_____________________ 
 
'Pure pleasure for readers ... A must-read delight' WALL STREET JOURNAL 
'Anthony Horowitz gets away with murder in all sorts of ways and emerges triumphant' The Times 
'This is crime fiction as dazzling entertainment, sustained by writing as skilfully light-footed as Fred Astaire' Sunday Times Crime Club 
'A crime story that keeps you up into the small hours... a page-turning mystery' Metro 
'Sheer genius ... A joy from start to finish' Independent 
'Fans of traditional puzzle mysteries will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly 
'Huge fun... It's hard to know why anyone who loves a good mystery wouldn't thoroughly enjoy the ride' Irish Independent 
'Succeeds on all levels ... Horowitz has the Midas touch' Booklist 
'No one currently working the field has anywhere near this much ingenuity to burn' KIRKUS

Secrets can kill. 
 
Smooth-tongued divorce lawyer Richard Price is bludgeoned to death at his London home. 
 
Scrawled on the wall beside the body: the number 182. 
 
What does it mean? And who was at his front door just minutes before he died and while he was still talking on the phone? 
 
Confronted with this most baffling of mysteries, the police are forced to turn to private investigator Daniel Hawthorne. 
_____________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS'Sunday Times 
 
'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' Shari Lapena 
 
'Pure pleasure for readers ... A must-read delight.' WALL STREET JOURNAL 
 
'Sheer genius ... A joy from start to finish' INDEPENDENT

a locked room mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling author

A Line to Kill

By the global bestselling author, Anthony Horowitz, the third novel in his acclaimed Hawthorne and Horowitz series. The Russian mafia, a strange religious order and not one but two murders - stand by for a hugely enjoyable, twisty turny read. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
'A homage to the Golden Age of mystery - it is pure delight' New York Times 
'Witty, wry, clever, a fabulous detective story and perfect summer reading' Kate Mosse 
'Funny, intriguing, thrilling and thought-provoking: a marvellous mystery' Adam Hamdy 
'A golden-age whodunnit on steroids' Kirkus Reviews 
______________ 
 
Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and the writer Anthony Horowitz have been invited to a literary festival on the island of Alderney to talk about their new book . . . 
 
Very soon they discover that dark forces are at work. 
 
Alderney is in turmoil over a planned power line that will cut through it, desecrating a war cemetery and turning neighbour against neighbour. 
 
And the visiting authors seem to be harbouring any number of unpleasant secrets. 
 
When the festival's wealthy sponsor is found brutally murdered, Alderney goes into lockdown and Hawthorne knows he doesn't have to look too far for suspects. There's no escape. The killer is still on the island. 
 
And there's about to be a second death . . . 
______________ 
 
Readers can't get enough of Hawthorne and Horowitz ... 
 
***** 'I loved this smartly written whodunit, but it's the characters of Hawthorne and Horowitz that have completely won me over.' 
 
***** 'A Line to Kill was a very clever, suspenseful and compelling murder mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed ' 
 
***** 'This is a worthy addition to this highly addictive series, and I can't wait to begin the next installment.' 
 
***** 'Engaging, fun banter between Horowitz and Hawthorne, double deception, locked room mystery, multiple suspects that all have a motive, and someone with murder in their eyes.'

On a small island, everyone's a suspect ... 
 
Private Investigator, Daniel Hawthorne, and Anthony Horowitz have been invited to a literary festival on Alderney to talk about their new book. 
 
They find the island in turmoil over a planned power line that is turning neighbour against neighbour. And the visiting authors seem to be harbouring any number of personal secrets. 
 
When the festival's wealthy sponsor is brutally murdered, Alderney goes into lock-down. 
 
With no one allowed on or off the island, Hawthorne knows he doesn't have to look too far for suspects. 
 
But the killer is still on the island. And there's about to be a second death ... 
___________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
 
'Witty, wry, clever, a fabulous detective story and perfect summer reading' KATE MOSSE 
 
'Funny, intriguing, thrilling and thought-provoking: a marvellous mystery' ADAM HAMDY 
 
'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' SHARI LAPENA

A gripping locked-room mystery from the bestselling crime writer

The Twist of a Knife

By global bestselling Anthony Horowitz, a brilliantly entertaining new locked-room mystery with a key that only Hawthorne can find. 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 
'Funny, addictive and clever, and the crime fighting duo of Hawthorne and Horowitz are as entertaining as ever. Brilliant. I can't wait for more.' Adam Handy 
'There's a lovely Hitchcockian feel to TWIST. The clock is ticking. It's a lot of fun.' Ian Rankin 
'The Twist of a Knife is a beautifully turned locked-room whodunit' The Sunday Telegraph 
'A total joy. Anthony is a master entertainer, the genius twists and turns of his writing and plot keep me on the edge of my seat.' Rory Kinnear 
_____________ 
 
'Our deal is over.' 
 
This is what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward encounter. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. 
 
His new play 'Mindgame' is about to open at London's Vaudeville theatre, and on opening night, Sunday Times critic Harriet Throsby gives the play a savage review. 
 
The next morning she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger that has only one set of finger prints on it. Anthony's. 
 
Anthony is arrested, charged with Throsby's murder, and thrown into prison. 
 
Alone and increasingly desperate, he realises only one man can help him. 
 
But will Hawthorne take his call? 
_____________ 
 
More love for The Twist of a Knife . . . 
 
'An immensely enjoyable read, funny, so clever and utterly original' Ragnar Jonasson 
'One of the country's most recognisable writers' ITV News 
'I love this self-reflexive mystery series' Vulture 
'A mystery so slick, clever and fun to read that it's a genuine shame when you hit the end.' The Globe and Mail 
'The Twist of a Knife is consistently, delightfully entertaining, with Horowitz's own theatrical experience providing just the right amount of bittersweet bite' Airmail 
'An adventure that will enchant mystery lovers, Anglophiles and theater buffs' The Washington Post 
'A delicious mystery [that] is bonkers and brilliant and a triumph' The Sun 
'Horowitz blurs the lines between fiction and reality to hilarious effect' The Express 
'A gripping tour de force' Woman's Own 
_____________ 
 
Readers can't get enough of The Twist of a Knife . . . 
 
***** 'This is another thoroughly enjoyable and well-constructed mystery from Anthony Horowitz.' 
***** 'Thoroughly enjoyed it and devoured it in a little over 2 days!' 
***** 'This novel is hugely entertaining.' 
***** 'Fabulous. More please, and soon!' 
***** 'This is the very best in 'cosy-crime.''

'Our deal is over.' 
 
This is what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward encounter. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. 
 
His new play 'Mindgame' is about to open at London's Vaudeville theatre, and on opening night, Sunday Times critic Harriet Throsby gives the play a savage review. 
 
The next morning she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger that has only one set of finger prints on it. Anthony's. 
 
Anthony is arrested, charged with Throsby's murder, and thrown into prison. 
 
Alone and increasingly desperate, he realises only one man can help him. 
 
But will Hawthorne take his call? 
_____________ 
 
'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' SUNDAY TIMES 
 
'Funny, addictive and clever, and the crime fighting duo of Hawthorne and Horowitz are as entertaining as ever. Brilliant. I can't wait for more.' ADAM HANDY 
 
''There's a lovely Hitchcockian feel to TWIST. The clock is ticking. It's a lot of fun.' IAN RANKIN 
 
'The Twist of a Knife is a beautifully turned locked-room whodunit' THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 
 
'A total joy. Anthony is a master entertainer, the genius twists and turns of his writing and plot keep me on the edge of my seat.' RORY KINNEAR

With a Mind to Kill

The super spy is back, with a fresh injection from novelist and screenwriter extraordinaire, Anthony Horowitz. The expert in suspense takes us back to the beginning of James Bond’s story… the story rips along with plenty of familiar Bond staples: evil villains, fast cars and women falling for young Bond’s charms. Ian Fleming would be proud.

Daring, exciting, and also superbly plotted, it shows Bond questioning his loyalties at the end of his career. It marks a fitting end to a trilogy from Horowitz that Fleming would surely have approved of

In many ways, Horowitz has now surpassed Fleming and the final book in his Bond trilogy is a masterpiece. It's a literary thriller writing at its page-turning finest.'

Horowitz is a worthy successor to Ian Fleming, putting 007 back in his true domain… This New Bond is up there with the better Old Bonds… The denouement is a very fine piece of action writing… Horowitz has done splendidly.

A novel that feels very like a film… fast-paced, skilfully written… leaves you wanting more, and for serious Bond junkies [it] is the next fix in a long tale of addiction.

Even better than Trigger Mortis… it is tremendous fun. Anthony Horowitz has the discipline and skill of a first-class action writer.

Anthony Horowitz's second James Bond book will keep 007 obsessives happy with martinis, beautiful women and an enormously fat Corsican gangster.

Exciting high drama… Horowitz stays loyal to the fabulous Fleming formula. And for that he surely deserves another mission guiding the fortunes of the world’s favourite superspy.

Horowitz shows that he knows the Fleming books backwards, offering plot twists that are homages to the master's novels. This nicely imagined book... is an amusing and thought-provoking addition to the post-Fleming bond canon.

[Horowitz's Bond] is once again in safe hands, not departing much from Fleming’s entertaining formula... Horowitz’s light touch and smooth plotting create something close to the ideal holiday read.

An enjoyably compact thriller, with an absolutely killer last line.

Forever and a Day is an explosive prequel to Casino Royale which promises to please Bond aficionados and a new legion of fans.

This is another great new James Bond novel from Horowitz, who’s filling the shoes of Ian Fleming with apparent ease.

Anthony is an enthusiastic writer who relishes the world of adventure he conveys.

A timeless Bond... has all the elements of a rollicking read.

Horowitz proves himself so adept at getting inside the iconic character, and Fleming’s writing style, that it’s difficult to see the join. Rip-roaringly recommended.

Horowitz…captures the mood, pace and style of Fleming very well… the story thunders along with action galore in the Bond tradition. It whets the appetite for the 25th Bond film.

A rattling good thriller from an undoubted master of the genre.

Exciting, atmospheric and with non-stop action.

Anthony Horowitz writes Bond in the style of Fleming... Total brain candy in the best possible fashion.

Authentic, exciting and shot through with a very Flemingesque ennui.

A clever and highly-satisfying espionage thriller... Horowitz nails precisely why Ian Fleming's novels were so popular in the first place. Put simply, he gets James Bond.

Readers will love the way Horowitz stays loyal to the winning formula of Bond creator Ian Fleming, confronting an old enemy with new energy.

There seems an inexhaustible appetite for all things 007. One day, we might tire of him, but if his fictional incarnations remain as entertaining as With a Mind to Kill, we will be hoping that Bond doesn't hang up his Walther PPK for a while yet.

Masterly... There's an enjoyably mischievous tension between Bond, whose entire time in Russia is bleak...and Horowitz, who's plainly having a ball subjecting him to this ordeal.

A gloriously entertaining and surprisingly poignant novel that would make a better movie than many of the Bond stories that actually made it to the big screen.

A murder. A world in crisis. Britain's greatest spy . . . 
 
'BRILLIANT' Richard Osman 
 
It is M's funeral. One man is missing from the graveside: the traitor who pulled the trigger and who is now in custody, accused of M's murder - James Bond. 
 
Behind the Iron Curtain, a group of former Smersh agents want to use Bond on a perilous mission that will change the balance of world power. He is smuggled into the lion's den - but whose orders is Bond following, and will he obey them when the moment to strike arrives? 
 
Discover the latest chapter in the world of 007, brought thrillingly to life by Sunday Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz. 
 
PRAISE FOR ANTHONY HOROWITZ'S JAMES BOND TRILOGY: 
 
'Daring, exciting . . . superbly plotted' Sunday Express 
 
'Gripping . . . and with non-stop action' i 
 
'Fast-paced, skilfully written . . . leaves you wanting more' The Times 
 
'Ian Fleming would be proud' Guardian 
 
'Horowitz excels at action sequences' Sunday Times 
 
'Exciting high drama . . . Horowitz stays loyal to the fabulous Fleming formula' Daily Express 
 
 
Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, Spring 2023

Moonflower Murders

A labyrinth of clues. A mystery novel hiding a deadly secret. A killer with a fiendish plot: a brilliantly intricate and original thriller from the bestselling author of Magpie Murders, featuring his famous literary detective Atticus Pund and Susan Ryeland.

Funny, profound and at times frightening, this is Horowitz at his very best. And the perfect jumping-on point for newcomers.

'A beautiful puzzle: fiendishly clever and hugely entertaining. A masterpiece.' Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party 
_____________________________________________ 
Retired publisher Susan Ryeland is running a small hotel on a Greek island with her long-term boyfriend. But life isn't as idyllic as it should be: exhausted by the responsibility of making everything work on an island where nothing ever does, Susan is beginning to miss her literary life in London - even though her publishing career once entangled her in a lethal literary murder plot. 
 
So when an English couple come to visit with tales of a murder that took place in a hotel the same day their daughter Cecily was married there, Susan can't help but find herself fascinated. 
 
And when they tell her that Cecily has gone missing a few short hours after reading Atticus Pund Takes The Case, a crime novel Susan edited some years previously, Susan knows she must return to London to find out what has happened. 
 
The clues to the murder and to Cecily's disappearance must lie within the pages of this novel. 
 
But to save Cecily, Susan must place her own life in mortal danger...

Anthony Horowitz

How do you solve a murder … when everyone has the same motive? (Hawthorne, 5)

The quiet, gated community of Riverview Close offers its inhabitants the perfect life within one of the most desirable areas of London. 
 
That is, until Giles Kenworthy moves in with his wife and noisy children, his gas-guzzling cars, loud parties and outrageous plans for a new swimming pool. 
 
His neighbours all have a reason to hate him. 
 
So when Kenworthy is shot dead with a crossbow bolt through his neck, they all come under suspicion. 
 
Only former Detective Daniel Hawthorne has a chance at solving the case, but he’s stuck on one part of the puzzle: 
 
How do you solve a murder when everyone has the same motive?

Close to Death

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Anthony Horowitz

Close to Death

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