The Word is Murder

A former detective, Daniel Hawthorne, approaches writer Anthony Horowitz to document his investigation of a London murder case. The victim visited a funeral parlor to plan her own service, only to be killed hours later in her home. Horowitz, writing himself as the narrator, reluctantly agrees to shadow Hawthorne and chronicle the investigation. Their partnership generates friction as Hawthorne's secretive nature clashes with Horowitz's attempts to understand both the case and the enigmatic investigator. The story moves through London's neighborhoods and social circles as Hawthorne pursues leads and interviews suspects. Multiple false trails and revelations about the victim's past complicate the search for truth. The novel explores the relationship between truth and narrative, raising questions about authorship and authenticity in crime writing. By placing himself as a character in the story, Horowitz creates a meta-commentary on the process of crafting detective fiction.

Readers appreciate the meta approach of Horowitz writing himself as a character in his own detective novel. Many found the main detective Hawthorne to be an intriguing, complex character, though some felt he was too unlikeable. The writing style and detailed investigation draws comparisons to Sherlock Holmes stories. Liked: - Clever plotting and misdirection - Behind-the-scenes look at mystery writing process - Complex puzzle with satisfying resolution Disliked: - Some found the author-as-character device distracting - Too much detail about Horowitz's real-life work/career - Hawthorne's abrasive personality put off readers - Pacing drags in middle sections Ratings: Goodreads: 3.95/5 (42,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (4,800+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.9/5 (800+ ratings) "The meta aspects could have been gimmicky but they work brilliantly" - Goodreads reviewer "Got tired of reading about his TV shows" - Amazon reviewer "One of the best modern mysteries" - LibraryThing reviewer

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🔍 Anthony Horowitz wrote himself as the narrator and a main character in this novel, blending fact and fiction by incorporating real details from his actual career and life. 📚 The book launched a new detective series featuring Daniel Hawthorne, an abrasive ex-police detective who serves as a consultant on murder cases. 🎬 While writing this novel, Horowitz was simultaneously working as a screenwriter for "Foyle's War" and other television productions, which he references throughout the story. ⚡ The novel's structure was inspired by Sherlock Holmes stories, with Horowitz positioning himself as a Watson-like figure to Hawthorne's Holmes. 🏆 The book received widespread acclaim for its meta-fictional approach, with The Times calling it "a masterpiece of misdirection" and naming it a Crime Book of the Month in 2017.