Featuring his famous literary detective Atticus Pund and Susan Ryeland, hero of the worldwide bestseller Magpie Murders, a brilliantly complex literary thriller with echoes of Agatha Christie from New York Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz.Retired publisher Susan Ryeland is living the good life. She is running a small hotel on a Greek island with her long-term boyfriend Andreas. It should … with her long-term boyfriend Andreas. It should be everything she’s always wanted. But is it? She’s exhausted with the responsibilities of making everything work on an island where nothing ever does, and truth be told she’s beginning to miss London.
And then the Trehearnes come to stay. The strange and mysterious story they tell, about an unfortunate murder that took place on the same day and in the same hotel in which their daughter was married—a picturesque inn on the Suffolk coast named Farlingaye Hall—fascinates Susan and piques her editor’s instincts.
One of her former writers, the late Alan Conway, author of the fictional Magpie Murders, knew the murder victim—an advertising executive named Frank Parris—and once visited Farlingaye Hall. Conway based the third book in his detective series, Atticus Pund Takes the Cake, on that very crime.
The Trehearne’s, daughter, Cecily, read Conway’s mystery and believed the book proves that the man convicted of Parris’s murder—a Romanian immigrant who was the hotel’s handyman—is innocent. When the Trehearnes reveal that Cecily is now missing, Susan knows that she must return to England and find out what really happened.
Brilliantly clever, relentlessly suspenseful, full of twists that will keep readers guessing with each revelation and clue, Moonflower Murders is a deviously dark take on vintage English crime fiction from one of its greatest masterminds, Anthony Horowitz.
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There is no mystery writer whose puzzles make me think, ‘Ooh, I can’t wait!’ more than Anthony Horowitz. He is a master of the cunning plot device, and brings zest and originality to the traditional murder mystery novel.
Moonflower Murders showcases Horowitz’s full battalion of strengths: the whiplash plotting, the leather-smooth prose, the bold energy… and above all, the bright spark of joy that ignites the best fiction — the joy of a storyteller finding brave new ways to dazzle his audience. Sophisticated, literate novels aren’t supposed to be so much fun.
Another book within a book from Anthony Horowitz, just like the first book in the series, Magpie Murders. Enjoyable as always, set in quaint English seaside towns and full of interesting characters and multiple suspects. I think I enjoyed the mystery in the book within more than the main mystery!
So clever, a story within a story within a story. A triumph.
A book within a book, Very imaginative and entertaining.
I enjoyed this rather complicated murder mystery, especially because the sleuth is an editor who must search for clues to a murder in a mystery she had edited. There’s a book within a book and a long list of possible suspects. What fun!
I love this book (and the prequel) so much that I am totally conflicted when I am reading it. I want to finish it but I don’t want it to be over. I love the book within the book aspect and the mystery within the mystery. Horowitz is a master at red herrings, puzzles and sprinkling intricate clues throughout his books. Both Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pünd are excellent protagonists. I just hope this series continues!
Another Atticus Pund story within a story to help retired editor Susan Ryeland solve a mystery. My favorite of this series. Anthony Horowitz knows mystery.
Absolutely brilliant. Once again Anthony Horowitz’s delectable imagination conjures up a complex mystery within a mystery laced with subtle twists and red herrings to tease the intellect. A tale worthy of Agatha Christie.
Many Thanks to Net Galley, Random House UK, Cornerstone; and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
#MoonflowerMurders #NetGalley
All Hail Anthony Horowitz, a master craftsman for churning out not just one, but two brilliantly conceived murder mysteries.
Book #2 in Susan Ryeland series, Moonflower Murders deserve to be read in order to understand the intricate web plotted by the author in both books. Magpie Murders was out of the world and I was literally in heaven when I got an ARC of the sequel.
Like Magpie Murders, Susan Ryeland is back investigating a case. She is approached by the Trehearnes to look into the murder of a hotel guest following the disappearance of their younger daughter Cecily 8 yrs. after the murder investigation has been closed.
Where is Cecily and why did she call her parents that the investigation was faulty referring to Alan Conway’s book Atticus Pund Takes the Case which was published by Susan’s firm.
The reader is also given the golden chance to read another book in the middle of Susan’s inquiries as the story of Atticus Pund Takes The Case is given in its entirety.
With a host of characters and red-herrings, both cases come to a conclusion a la Poirot style making it a perfect homage to Agatha Christie-style story-telling.
As a huge fan of classical murder mysteries, I sincerely wish that both these books are adapted to the screen and that the series continue as these have been merely a drop in the ocean for a crazy addict like me!
A masterpiece by an author at the top of his genre.
A beautiful puzzle: fiendishly clever and hugely entertaining. A masterpiece.
Absolutely loved it. So clever, just masterful stuff.
Like all of his books I have read, Anthony Horowitz keeps the pace going, and in unpredictable directions. A nice continuation from the Magpie Murders.
An enjoyable read and surprise ending.
This book is very wordy. Too much description. I admit I didn’t read it all. I gave up about half-way through. It’s pretty confusing to keep up with and really boring.
Mr. Horowitz does not disappoint.
This is one mystery inside another. Very engrossing!
This is the second volume, that follows on from author Anthony Horowitz’s wildly successful MAGPIE MURDERS. Like that novel, we have a novel within a novel, as the protagonist is an editor. Sue Ryeland’s career went up in smoke (literally) at the end of MAGPIE MURDERS and since then (two years ago) she moved to Crete to run a restaurant with beau Andreas Patakis. Two years later, she is badly in need of a holiday when an English couple, Laurence & Pauline Traherne ask her to return to England to find their missing daughter.
Intrigued, and seduced by the enormous amount of money they will pay for her services (the restaurant is barely surviving) she agrees. Solving this disappearance involves (of course) reading another Atticus Pünd novel, this time “Atticus Pünd Takes The Case” by Alan Conway (who was murdered in MAGPIE MURDERS.)
I really loved experiencing the Atticus Pünd novel, as well as Sue Ryeland’s numerous criticisms of it (which I agreed with.) This was simply a tremendous read, although if I had to pick my favorite, I would choose MAGPIE MURDERS as I felt it was technically more accomplished. Five stars. #atticuspund #sueryeland, #anthonyhorowitz, #magpiemurders, #moonflowermurders
I love this author. I didn’t get anything else done once I started reading.