A brilliant little puzzle of a book. Editor Julia Hart visits reclusive author and mathematician Grant McAllister to discuss a reissue of his book. He has devised a mathematical formula for murder mysteries, mapping out a set of rules which all detective fiction follows. While they read over his work together, Julia picks up on a number of inconsistencies and begins to suspect a real murder mystery lies behind the stories...

This is a really clever, tightly plotted book with stories within stories all unravelling towards an exceptionally twisty ending. A suitably sharp homage to Agatha Christie and the Golden Age of crime fiction. Would highly recommend for any murder mystery enthusiast.

What an unusual book!


I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book as I'm not keen on short stories.

Alex Pavesi has very cleverly threaded all the stories together into a wonderful patchwork tale.

Quite unlike anything I've read before.

Some of the maths went right over my head but that didn't lessen the enjoyment of this little gem.

“Grant McAllister, a maths professor, has written down the rules for murder mysteries. There must always be a victim, a suspect, a detective and then, you just have to shuffle the sequence and expand the permutations.

One day, Julia Hart shows at his door, wanting to republish his book and they both spend time revisiting his writing. But when Julie notices inconsistencies in the stories she wonders if these were just mistakes or if in reality they are clues, and she finds herself in a mystery of her own. “

Reading books within a book was a phenomenal idea. Although it took me a few chapters to get into this book I ended up really enjoying it.

I loved the idea and how nothing ever really is what it seems. I was hoping for a different ending but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is such a great twist to a book and proof that, even if murder mysteries are a recipe that need a few essential ingredients, everyone can add their own spices and even a secret twist that will change and break the rules.

I really enjoyed the fact that this book had layers of mystery and it was really great trying to find out what was happening throughout the reading.

Keep a detective hat on whilst you read and try to piece the puzzle together. I find it really interesting and I was completely wrong most of the time.

I did really enjoy Eight Detectives (or The Eight Detective) and highly recommend it to people who enjoy reading really interesting and modern murder mysteries that will keep wondering about the plot.

I would also like to thank Netgalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and Alex Pavesi for a copy of this fantastic book prior to its publishing date in exchange for an honest review

All murder mysteries follow a simple set of rules. Grant McAllister, an author of crime fiction and professor of mathematics, once sat down and worked them all out.
But that was thirty years ago. Now he's living a life of seclusion on a quiet Mediterranean island - until Julia Hart, a sharp, ambitious editor, knocks on his door. His early work is being republished and together the two of them must revisit those old stories: an author, hiding from his past, and an editor, keen to understand it.
But as she reads, Julia is unsettled to realise that there are things in the stories that don't make sense. Intricate clues that seem to reference a real murder, one that's remained unsolved for thirty years.
If Julia wants answers, she must triumph in a battle of wits with a dangerously clever adversary. But she must tread carefully: she knows there's a mystery, but she doesn't yet realise there's already been a murder . . .

My thoughts about this cleverly written brilliant murder mystery
Agatha Christie style suspense was brilliant it starts of with seven elements of short stories that are read by a editor to the original author with some mathematical discussion with each murder mystery stories to find out the links about this 7 short stories leads to a suspense that will give you chills that took my breath away brilliant writing novel that I have not read before what a debut from author Alex Pavesi a outstanding thriller that will take away your breath I would like to say thank you to Michael J Books
Netgalley and Alex Pavesi for a review copy for giving me to read and review this brilliant thriller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥

You know when you’re relieved to have finished a book that it wasn’t a good experience. The premise of this book is that a young female editor visits an elderly author who lives on a Mediterranean island to edit a collection of murder mysteries he wrote decades beforehand. She reads each out loud to him before they discuss it. The author of the stories had also written a research paper on the mathematical definition of the components of the classic murder mystery. You might think this would result in something clever but no! It’s as simple as there has to be a victim or victims, a murderer or murderers, and so on. Each story is dissected to explain how it fits in with his theory. The ending aims to surprise the reader with a twist but any intelligent reader is going to be way ahead of this.

For me, this was a clunky, poorly written book. It is possible that the short stories are written badly on purpose. I hope so because they’re distasteful on the whole and full of dreadful metaphors. Having said that, I don’t think the rest of the book is well written either. It’s clear that the intention was to write a clever variable on classic murder / detective mysteries from The Golden Age but, in my opinion, it fails on all counts. It didn’t give me any pleasure whatsoever.

With thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I’m not sure that I enjoyed it. It’s basically a book of short stories held together by an unlikely narrative. The maths parts are confusing to me and I have maths at A level. Really don’t like either of the two endings either. Granted it’s an unusual story, but didn’t grab me. Sorry. Two stars for the short stories.

A completely unique and original crime novel, Eight Detectives is a clever combination of eight short stories, with an overarching linking plot that clever intertwines them all. I enjoyed each story individually and loved the clever way it combined mathematics with murder to make this is an exceptionally clever puzzle of a book.

Fans of the Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle will love this novel for its classic golden age feel, combined with its incredibly original and gripping twists. I read this breathlessly and applaud Alex Pavesi for his ambition with Eight Detectives.

Crime fiction author Grant McAllister's books are being republished after 30 years. Ambitious editor Julia Hart realises that there are things in the stories which don't make sense. Is there a real murder to solve?

I felt that this really didn't flow well, that the pace was too choppy because there were too many old stories constantly being revisited

Several years ago Grant McAllister wrote and privately published a book of murder mysteries which explained his mathematical definition of what characteristics a murder mystery should contain - suspects, killer or killers, detective or detectives, victim. Now an editor, Julia Hart, has visited him on the Mediterranean island where he now lives. Her boss is interesting in publishing the book and want Grant to work on an introduction with Julie. Julie believes that the stories contained in the book give clues to the murder of a woman in London in 1940.

I read this book in one day. Absolutely loved it. It’s not just one mystery - all the murder mysteries from Grant McAllister’s book are in it too so you get 8 stories in one book. - and they are all very Agathie Christie-esque. Fantastic read.

Thanks to Netgalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and Alex Pavesi for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Well this is probably one of the twistiest books I have ever read! It sort of reminded me of a mash up of And Then There Were None and Clue (the brilliant film with Tim Curry).

Eight Detectives is brilliantly written and makes you doubt everything that you have just read which although at the time I was thinking I would never understand, when I finished I realised how genius this actually was!

The final few chapters had shown me that I didn't really guess anything correctly so I would say this was a complete success.

Happily stumped and highly recommended!

#EightDetectives #NetGalley
It gave me a current of 10000 volts.
Grant McAllister, an author of crime fiction and professor of mathematics, once sat down and worked them all out.
But that was thirty years ago. Now he's living a life of seclusion on a quiet Mediterranean island - until Julia Hart, a sharp, ambitious editor, knocks on his door. His early work is being republished and together the two of them must revisit those old stories: an author, hiding from his past, and an editor, keen to understand it.
But as she reads, Julia is unsettled to realise that there are things in the stories that don't make sense. Intricate clues that seem to reference a real murder, one that's remained unsolved for thirty years.
I loved the narration of the story. Its so different from other psychological thrillers available in the market at this time so I highly recommend it to everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for giving me an advanced copy.

I think I'm one of the few that didn't enjoy the story within a story aspect of this book.
It was cleverly done,and there were definite Christie vibes,but for me I just felt it too disjointed,and possibly one twist too many

This had me in mind of Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - not for the story but the sheer complexity of working out what was going on (in a good way!) and this novel is of that mindset. The man in this book, Grant McAllister, a professor of Mathematics, came up with a rule book of sorts which he could apply to books of crime fiction. He then wrote a few stories - 7 - to be exact - that adhered to these rules. Since then he's lived the life of a recluse on an island far from anyone or anything.

Enter an editor from London who wants to republish this book. They go over the stories but Grant remembers them differently now and the stories have changed. They're Christie type stories and many novels such as Ten Little Indians come into play. Alongside these stories is the main story which unfolds between Grant and this editor, Julia. Each story leads into their story. Am I making sense? This is so hard to explain without giving any clues away!

Let's just say I would never have thought that golden age crime stories and maths would or could go so well together. Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd write.

Many years ago Grant McAllister, a professor of Mathematics, came up with rules applying to murder fiction. He then wrote seven stories that were perfect examples of this to him. The book had little interest and he now lives on a Mediterranean island in peace and seclusion. His peace is disturbed by the arrival of Julia Hart, an editor, whose publisher wants to reprint the book. Julia reads each story to Grant and then asks him about them. There are some inconsistencies in the stories and his answers to questions.

The stories themselves are very Christie-esque. They are of a time and style that any Agatha fan would understand and recognise. We have variations on a victim(s) and a detective(s) in various settings. There is even an homage to "Ten Little Indians". The stories themselves are good enough. However it is the extended story about Grant's memories and Julia's interest that is the real story here for me.

With the telling of each story we expand the narrative of what takes place between Julia and Grant. There are tensions here. Grant seems uncomfortable with the scrutiny of his stories. Julia seems determined to extract background both on the stories and on Grant's life. I enjoyed this.

All in all I found this a curiously different idea. The explanation of detective stories via mathematics was intriguing. The whole broader picture I really did find entertaining. What about the ending I hear you ask. Well in true Christie style my lips are sealed however I did find the ending satisfying. Aspects of it I had my suspicions about - some parts took me by surprise. This may be a book for fans of a particular genre however I think many of them would find this entertaining as I did.

I adored this book and read it pretty much in one sitting.

Titled "The Eighth Detective" in the UK this is a Christie-esque puzzle that offers not just one crime tale but several, as an editor works with an author on a book of short stories...these stories all together offer up a particularly intelligent formula that doesn't show it's true face until the end. Eight Detectives is clever, involving and has a practically styled prose that keeps you immersed throughout.

What DOES make a good crime novel - this is the theme Eight Detectives explores throughout it's twisty narrative, where the stories themselves speak to a wider mystery and the effect of reader and author is key 

I haven't read a book like this before and as a huge Agatha Christie fan it was a genuine joy to read offering a homage to that greatest of crime novelists whilst also being entirely it's own thing.

Definitely one to watch in 2020. Highly Recommended.

I was sold on Eight Detectives from the description, but rarely have I been so let down by a book. The quality of the writing was frequently poor (especially towards the beginning, although it improved in the later stories) and there was little by way of narrative tension. If you're a fan of classic crime fiction and would like to read a modern novel that plays with the plots and tropes of the Golden Age novels, I'd recommend Rules For Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson which, while still not perfect, does what this seems to set out to do in a much more readable way.