The Word Is Murder (A Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery)

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Hawthorne proposes that Horowitz write a book about the case he is then working on, and that they split the advance and royalties 50-50. The book would comprise Horowitz’s words recording Hawthorne’s actions in solving the murder.

During the 1980’s Anthony Horowitz started creating work for film as well as television, as he begun to expand upon his output. Writing for children’s shows such as ‘Dramarama’ and ‘Robin of Sherwood’ he started to create a name for himself within the field. It was then later on that he wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film ‘Stormbreaker’, whilst he’s also set to write the new Tintin film coming out too. Winning a number of awards throughout the years, Horowitz is not without his fair share of critical acclaim either. Expanding upon the mediums and formats he writes within, such as comic-books as well, this looks set to continue in the years to come. Creating more work all the time, his appeal is growing both critically as well as commercially, as he gains more success. And that ending. Oh, that ending drove me bonkers, because it relied on one of the worst genre tropes--tv tropes--there is. We also end with not learning much about Hawthorne, for all Tony's attempts at 'investigation,' but we do know too much more about Tony. I will give him credit; he was willing to allow himself to be perceived as an insecure and obtuse person. Dr. Watson indeed. The main problem here is the device, where the writer is asked to accompany a detective to write a true crime book about a crime he is in the middle of trying to solve. It is a particularly ridiculous device, and I've mostly seen it on television where it works better because we never actually have to see what the writer will write. Because this is not how writing works! No writer would do this! And having to read the product of it is not particularly fun.HOROWITZ: Yes, it is absolutely true. I mean, I had a very unusual upbringing as a child. My parents are very wealthy, and I never say that I had an unhappy childhood. I don't like to hear those words come out of my mouth with the knowledge that there are many, many children in the world who have childhood that is much, much less privileged than mine ever was. Obviously, I enjoyed this book immensely! It’s one of the best murder mysteries I’ve read since…. Well, perhaps since ‘Magpie Murders”- another plug for Horowitz- as if he needs any promotional help from me. The Word is Murder reminded me of the game of Clue. Growing up, my poor parents and brother had to indulge me in endless games of Clue because my analytical nature was drawn to it. In the same way, I had the best time putting the intricate pieces together to try to solve this crime, and I was absorbed in every second of it! Bravo, Anthony Horowitz! You know how to play your cards! Daniel Hawthorne, a former inspector with Metropolitan Police Force, is engaged as a private consultant on the case. Hawthorne convinces author Anthony Horowitz to write a book about him and his case, a fifty-fifty agreement that has Hawthorne tagging along with the seasoned detective while he investigates. Horowitz is a bit out of his depth (understandably so) when it comes to studying murder scenes, but is determined to hold his own. Hawthorne has his own inimitable style – he is smart, perceptive but secretive, not quite people-friendly and more than a bit curt with Horowitz who is often at his wit’s end trying to get Hawthorne to share his thoughts on the case, let alone himself. Writing a book about him isn’t going to be an easy task! All those W’s in my first sentence aside, this is not a funny book – although there is humour in it at times. What it is: deviously clever and fiendishly brilliant. There are accidental deaths, murders, and a great deal of confusion because there are so many linked parts in the chain of events. Yet, just as we see another link up ahead, without warning, the link that initially looked so solid turns out to be fragile. Broken, in fact.

With 10 million words under his belt, Horowitz has long toyed with penning a guide that details everything from how to plot a novel to how to deal with TV executives. “I even started to write it. But it was dull and slightly arrogant and, at the end of the day, it just didn’t interest me.” He laughs, unfazed by failure, which he regards as a healthy corrective. What I understand is that this is the first of a series of crime novels starring these two gentlemen. And I'm already looking forward to the next.ANTHONY HOROWITZ: It's a pleasure. Thank you. And what a wonderful way to describe my book. I so enjoyed that. And it’s a seamless blend between the actual facts of his career and the events in this novel. Horowitz has skillfully created a near-seamless blend of the his own creation and recognizable television shows and novels. For example, while he writes this book, he is supposed to be working on a follow-up to THE HOUSE OF SILK. Teen spy … Stormbreaker, the film version of Horowitz’s Alex Rider series. Photograph: c.MGM/Everett/Rex Features At first glance Alex Rider is a normal schoolboy who seems to be having a fairly straightforward uneventful upbringing. That is until one day as a teenager he finally realizes his true calling and that everything has been leading up to the moment where he’s to become a super-spy. After his uncle and adoptive parent, Ian Rider, mysteriously dies he’s led to discover more about what happened and the true nature of what he’s to become. Forced to attend a training program, he reluctantly goes to a special camp for spies where he learns more about what he’s to become. That’s when he realizes there’s more to things than initially meets the eye, as he discovers a plot set-up by the people he’s now entrusted with. Not knowing where to turn he has to decipher the clues left to him by his uncle and prevent a catastrophe from taking place. Will Alex be able to save the day and those around him, whilst saving himself in the process staying out of harm’s way? Can he become what he was always destined to be and fully realize his true potential as a secret-agent for the government? What will become of Alex Rider in his first mission as he goes head-to-head with none other than the ‘Stormbreaker’? Raven’s Gate