Oh I really do love this series. And I'm not just saying that because I know how well being critical of Anthony Horowitz's creativity worked out for Harriet Throsby ... I genuinely do like these books, the ultimate in deliciously twisty and thoroughly entertaining meta-fiction, which, in this particular instance sees our author, and narrator, in a particularly sticky situation. This is a series about and author, Anthony Horowitz, who is commissioned to write up the investigations of former Detective, Daniel Hawthorne. Or at least, he was. A three book deal and all three books are now written. Hawthorne wishes to carry one, Horowitz less so. And so when he finds himself accused of murder and in need of Hawthornes help to prove his innocence ... well you can just imagine how that conversation went.

This book is set very much in Anthony Horowitz world. A lot of the action surrounds the staging of his play, Mindgame, and its opening night at the Strand Theatre in London, an opening night which, despite completing a successful regional tour, received less than favourable reviews, including a particularly savage one from the books soon-to-be victim, Harriet Throsby. But surely there are far worse things than a bad review, right? Personally I'm often drawn to those plays and films that are critically panned, and they often turn out to become cult classics, so it's certainly not anything you would expect someone to commit murder over. Unless you are Detective Inspector Grunshaw and DC Mills, two people who have their own reasons for holding a grudge against the author and his Detective friend, and who seem to delight in all the evidence pointing squarely in his direction.

This book is a beautiful mix of humour, character and mystery. From the cast and crew of the ill-fated Mindgames, to the Detectives who are hot on Anthony Horowitz's trail, to the author himself and the wonderfully matter of fact Hawthorne, each person we meet adds a new dimension to the story. Some brilliantly exaggerated personalities (where I'm sure inspiration has been drawn from true life, even if the author can't or won't say where) and acute observations framed in some truly witty turns of phrase made this book an absolute delight to read. Each character, from the actors, to the director to the producer, appeared larger than life. A strange concoction of ego, vanity and enthusiasm, all enshrouded, to a degree, in a thin veil of secrecy. The whole concept of Mindgame (the play) was to unsettle the viewer, to subtly change and alter perception, something which was skilfully reflected in the way in which we viewed the various characters over the course of the investigation.

I tore through the book, finishing in just one afternoon and evening. It sounds awful, but it was fun reading about the author's misfortune (sorry Mr H 😬😉) Certain as I was, obviously, of his innocence and knowing that, eventually, Hawthorne would find his way to the truth, I was still completely intrigued as to which of the remaining production members might be responsible, if any of them actually were. Harriet's relationship with her own family also seemed to leave a lot to be desired. The more we learned of them all, the clearer it became that any of them might have had a motive, but all seemingly had irrefutable alibis. And you always come back to the question of whether a bad review is really worth killing for or was there something far darker in play? There were plenty of surprise reveals, things I both had and hadn't been expecting, but which drew us to a very fitting and satisfactory conclusion. Very Hercule Poirot in delivery it was too.

This is the very best in 'cosy-crime' if you have to label it that way. It's no high action, high thrill chases, although there are some moments that get you right on the edge of your seat. But these books are lighthearted and entertaining, and absolutely packed with puzzle and mystery that I find myself just longing to solve. At following on from that very tantalizing and wonderful of endings, I can only hope there will be plenty more to come. Absolutely, without question, recommended. Loved it.

This is the fourth book in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series all of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Once again, it is written with the writer as his own main character. Having said that, this was not my favourite of the four. The plot is less original than the other three and was very reminiscent of Simon Brett's Charles Paris series. The twist in this plot is that Anthony Horowitz becomes the chief suspect after a venomous critic who has slated his latest play is found murdered with a weapon that can be linked to Horowitz himself. It appears that the real murderer is out to frame Horowitz. There then follows a less than convincing episode in which Anthony Horowitz is arrested but then goes into hiding to solve the crime with the help of private detective Daniel Hawthorne (about whom Horowitz has previously written) whose motive in helping Horowitz is that he want him to write more books about his exploits.. In the course of this Horowitz decides not to mention what has happened to his wife who does not notice that he has been away all night whilst he is in a police cell. Despite all this, I did enjoy the story whose roots owe less to the theatre and more to the suspects own backgrounds which the sleuthing pair set out to investigate. In order to get the most enjoyment form this book, I would recommend reading the first three in order so that the relationship between Hawthorne and Horowitz is clearer and to build on the excellent plotting of the first three books.

This is the first book that I have read by this author although I was a big fan of Foyles War which he created. This book is by far the most unusual crime fiction that I have ever read. It is almost farcical in places which added to the enjoyment. The author is actually the main suspect in the murder of a theatre critic, she is found dead the morning after she wrote a scathing review of his latest play, there were no holds barred she was equally critical of the writing and the actors who performed the play. The first person Anthony contacts is his friend Hawthorne who he hopes can get him out of the mess he is in. A brilliant piece of writing, I loved it.

It was a challenge to get into to begin with however it was worth keeping going as it became a good book with a great twist

Another hugely entertaining crime novel in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series where the author takes centre stage ( no pun intended) when he is accused of murdering theatre critic Harriet Throsby. She is a hateful woman renowned for her crushing reviews and has her knives out for the opening night of Horowitz’ new play ‘Mindgame’ at the Vaudeville theatre.

This is classic ‘whodunnit’ stuff where suspicion lies on those who attended the after-show party. Horowitz knows he has been framed but why and by whom? He pairs up again with private detective Hawthorne to try to find out the answer.
This is a very cleverly written novel with latent clues that only Hawthorne can unravel to finally denounce the murderer to the assembled suspects in true Agatha Christie style. Wonderful!

I have only recently discovered Anthony Horowitz' books but he has quickly become a favourite author of mine, especially the Hawthorn series so I was delighted to be chosen to receive an advance copy of The Twist of a Knife..
I find that AH draws you into his books really quickly, I could easily sit up until 3am to find out the solution. I am not usually a big fan of books written in the first person but the whole series is so well written, this new one included, it is really the only way these books could be written.
This book starts with Anthony and Hawthorn arguing about the prospect of more books now that the initial 3 book contract has been fulfilled. I really liked that he quickly acknowledged that the fact I was in fact holding another book something must be about to happen. .And it is indeed a major something that happens!
I won't give any of the plot away but I will say this is a brilliant story line, so believable that at one point I had to Google to check if Anthony Horowitz had ever been arrested for murder, he mixes the plot line so well with known facts about his career.
At about 80% through the book I was sure I had it all figured out and was prepared to write quite a smug review, but of course there were more twists to come in the last chapters of the book that I am happy to say I was totally wrong!
I loved the Agatha Christie style denouement, I even more enjoyed the humour in the book when Hawthorn admits he did it deliberately to persuade AH to write the book. Very clever to take a murder mystery cliche and make it seem fresh and original.
I rated this book 5 stars as it is one of the best books I have read this year and most definitely recommend it to lovers of crime fiction, it is an original concept which is standing the test of time and keeps holding my interest the further into the series we go. It is very believable and I am really looking forward to more in the series as Anthony gets to find out more about Daniel., there is a lot about his private life to discover so hopefully a few more books worth in the series. The only negative and this is entirely my fault but whenever I try to picture Anthony in my head I keep getting a mental picture of Michael Kitchen from Foyle's War.....

After the opening night of Anthony’s play, Mindgame, it receives a harsh review from critic Harriet Throsby. When she is found murdered the next day all clues point to Anthony being the murderer. He desperately needs acquaintance and ex-detective Hawthorne to help uncover the truth and prove his innocence.

I absolutely love the dynamic between Hawthorne and Anthony, their relationship makes this book such a fun experience. They are definitely my favourite crime solving duo.

I raced through this book as I was always desperate to find out what happened next. I enjoyed that it was set around a theatre production and the accompanying characters were brilliant, I feel like it added to the drama!

A really clever story with plenty of clues throughout to try and get you to discover what really happened. If you’re a fan of the series you won’t be able to put this down.

Horowitz has had enough of writing about the enigmatic ex policeman Hawthorne. He instead wants to work on other projects. His new play “Mindgame” opens in London next week and he is hoping for great things. Critic Harriet Thornsby writes a scathing review and when she is murdered all the clues point to Horowitz as the killer. Hawthorne is the only one who can help uncover who the real murderer is.

I loved the book but I am a huge fan of the whole Horowitz and Hawthorne series. Horowitz doesn’t mind portraying a version of himself that is second best to Hawthorne’s detective skills. A great read!

This is just another classic Hawthorne and Horowitz murder mystery.

The book opens with the usual dynamics between the two of them, with Hawthorne asking Horowitz to write book number 4. Horowitz declines and is far more interested in the launch of his new play and of course it all goes wrong after the launch of the play.

The circumstances of the investigation are different from normal as Horowitz finds himself in hot water. Nevertheless their enchanting if not slightly enfuriating 'friendship' is just as engaging as always.

An engrossing read with plenty of twist and turns to keep you guessing.

I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The return of private detective Hawthorne and his (somewhat) unwilling partner, the writer “Anthony Horowitz” is a reason to celebrate. Like the earlier books, the pair investigate a crime which Horowitz will be expected to write up for publication., and like them the crime in this book is intriguing, well plotted and hard to work out before the end. The character of Horowitz always ends up being a bit of a scapegoat, sustaining injuries both to self and reputation, but in this story he is even worse off as suspicion falls on him and he is forced to rely on Hawthorne for help. The author is self-deprecating to hilarious effect in his portrayal of this version of himself- his wife’s reaction to him when the police tell her he is under investigation made me laugh out loud- and makes for a very entertaining, but still gripping, read. The mystery of Hawthorne’s past crops up briefly again, but we will obviously need to wait for future books in the series to find out more- and that can only be a good thing!

Always excited to see a new Anthony Horowitz "murder mystery". This is the fourth in the series where the fictional character of the author Anthony Horowitz (would love to know how much is fact and how much is fiction!) is about to experience the joy of the premiere of his first west end play. Unfortunately he is also about to have a very bad night and end up suspected of murder himself... He has no choice but to call on ex-detective Hawthorne for help despite refusing to write another book about him. I enjoy the classic "whodunnit" Christie-esque element of the story as well the parallel story and timeline of the murder of a headteacher. Most of all though I enjoy the prickly relationship between the two men which is evolving nicely as the series progresses

I have enjoyed the Daniel Hawthorne series from the beginning. This is another good yarn but a rather convoluted one with, for me, too many characters. Horowitz's character's behaviour was odd at best for someone who mentioned that he'd been married for thirty years! Overall a good read and a satisfying ending. With thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the e-ARC of this title to read and review.

This was just what I needed on a short break away! Nothing too taxing or gruesome, just a great murder mystery that kept me entertained and gave me a few laughs along the way. I had read the previous book, A Line to Kill, and I had loved it so I was looking forward to finding out if this one would be as good. It was. In fact it was probably better as I felt I knew the two main characters. The dynamics between the author and Hawthorne are brilliant and, of course, the culprit was exposed at the end due to Hawthorne’s brilliant investigative skills. I can’t wait to read the next in the series! A definite 5 star from me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

The Twist of a Knife is the fourth in the series of books featuring Detective Hawthorne and the author, Anthony Horowitz, as himself. It starts with a showing of Horowitz’s latest play, Mindgame, on it’s opening night in London’s West End. A Sunday Times theatre critic, Harriet Throsby, has not only muscled her way into the after show party but before the night is out has written a damning piece about the play and ripped into all the cast as well as the author, producer and director. Next morning she is found murdered and Anthony Horowitz himself seemed to in the frame for the murder with the evidence apparently stacking up against him. Hawthorne, who is now a private detective, and Horowitz are determined to find the real killer but it seems that everyone has a wish for Harriet to die including her husband and daughter.

I did find this a little tedious as there are around ten suspects and some are referred to by their name in the play making a long name list to keep track of. There were also points where I had to suspend reality like Horowitz not going home one night but not bothering to tell his wife who doesn’t even seem notice. Not to mention, him trying to hide from the police while he is trying to find the real murderer but he is checking his phone for the time. If he’s left his phone on while ‘in hiding’ I am sure the police would have made short work of finding him.

This isn't my favourite work by Horwitz but is another good and solid whodunit from him. With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was slow getting into the story, I hadn't realised this was the 4th book in the series so was a bit confused at first.

Once getting going, I enjoyed the plot and the characters. Not really my type of book normally but I did enjoy it.

Anthony Horowitz’s new Hawthorne adventure is gripping, a page-turner and probably my favourite one in this excellent series. A good, rollicking read, well written and plotted. And no, I did not guess the culprit…

This book is a well-plotted take on the drawing-room murder mystery with the scene shifted to a theatre rather than a country house. Horowitz is a skilled professional and the identity of the perpetrator remained a mystery right up to the moment of revelation. I like the ongoing conceit in this series that Horowitz is the centre of his own narrative, and the plot development is tight, logical, and holds the reader's interest. That said, I found his characterisation rather thin - particularly that of the rather taciturn Hawthorne - and more typical of a theatrical script or of his YA work. I think this series would probably make great television as the actors would breathe more life into the parts, but, on the page, the literary Horowitz, Hawthorne et al. would benefit from more depth.

He's so good, I got to this one right away.. in the Hawthorne series, it takes a false accusation of the auther to bring him in (rather later than I wanted!) .. Anthony's written a play, it opens and the reviews imply he's done caway with a reviled theatre critic .. it gets complex. Great characters (set of actors and surveyors) but It takes a while for the crime to happen .. so it drags asking for a while before taking off. Good, solid not as top flight as others in the series..but I like the recurring awful cop too!

There is quite an old fashioned feel to this murder mystery book that adds to it's appeal. Although the forth book in a series it works well as a stand alone story. If you like Agatha Christie you will love this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the advance copy of this book.

Anthony Horowitz is a character in another book with ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne at its centre. The reluctant author has already written of Hawthorne’s investigations (you won’t want to like him but you can’t help it) and has had enough: Anthony is done. But is that because he’s got something else on his mind? His new play, Mindgame, is about to open in London and Hawthorne, now in a huff, declines a ticket. Anthony may have wished his sort of friend was there as on opening night, theatre critic Harriet Throsby gives the play a savage review, focusing on the writing. Twelve hours later, she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger which belongs to… erm… playwright Anthony Horowitz. He’s arrested and alone, and with very few options, there’s only one man who can help. This is as much a race through London as through the latest whodunnit and it’s a ruddy great one. I hope we see more of Hawthorn’s cases.