“Lexicographers sought out the thrill of the chase as much as detectives did.”

Ten years ago, Martha Thornhill’s sister Charlie disappeared, and Martha fled Oxford for Berlin. Now Martha has returned to Oxford where she is the senior editor of the Clarendon English Dictionary. When she and her staff start receiving cryptic postcards and letters, it soon becomes clear that the clues refer to the summer Charlie disappeared. As Martha and her team unravel the linguistic riddles they realise that while Chorus, the mysterious sender of the letters and cards, wants them to solve the mystery of Charlie’s disappearance there are other forces who will do anything to keep the secrets buried.

This book was a delight from start to finish and will almost certainly end up in my top ten for 2024. The mystery is intriguing, clever, and meticulously plotted. The characters are vivid, interesting, multi-faceted, and real. And the writing is smooth and easy flowing, pulling the reader deep into the story. The clues contained in the mail the editorial team received are all somehow related to words, reading, and writing, and invite the reader of the book to puzzle along with the characters.

It made a nice change to have a police officer, Oliver Caldwell, who does take the case seriously; more seriously in fact than Martha is initially prepared to do and it is her sister who has disappeared without a trace. But this is as much a story about Martha reluctantly coming to terms with Charlie’s role in her life and her feeling that’s she has always played second fiddle to her sister as a tale about Charlie’s unsolved disappearance.

This book is an absolute delight for anyone who enjoys words, puzzles, and a captivating mystery. Susie Dent manages to insert (obscure) words and their meaning into the mystery seamlessly and without interrupting the flow or taking the reader out of the story. In other words:

“It was excellent: scholarly and precise without overloading the reader with jargon.”

And the words that are explained both in the chapter headings and in the story itself are all appropriate to what is happening on the page.

“But she loved words as individuals. She knew their roots, their rhythms, their skeletons, shapes and stories. Fitting them together to create something meaningful took a different skill altogether.”

This book is proof that Susie Dent doesn’t share this word-related problem with her main character. Unlike Martha, she has very successfully put words together to create something not only meaningful but also smoothly flowing and captivating.

Long review short: Guilty by Definition is a fascinating, original, and well-plotted mystery as well as an ode to words. I can only hope there will be more word-related mysteries by this author in the not-too-distant future.

This is one of the best books I have read recently. The story is set in Oxford in the offices of the fictional Clarendon English Dictionary.
The main character is Martha, who has returned from working in Berlin to work at the dictionary but is still very much affected by the disappearance of her older sister some years previously. We also get the points of view of other staff at the dictionary, all very well drawn, and their relationships feel like a family.
Because the author is Susie Dent, of Dictionary Corner fame, we get much erudition regarding the unusual words that the CED team research and also a good many Shakespeare quotes. The author wears her scholarship lightly, however, and never makes the reader feel uncomfortably ignorant.
The city of Oxford almost becomes a character in itself with beautiful descriptive passages peppered throughout the novel. The mystery is well developed, with several excellent twists and it comes to a very satisfying conclusion.
I really hope Susie Dent writes a sequel as I feel this is an excellent book with a clever mystery that is not in the least cosy, although there are some great cats. There have been several series set in Oxford, why not one more? I, for one, would welcome it. This book would be enjoyed by fans of Deborah Harkness, the equally erudite author of ‘The Discovery of Witches’ series, in which the Bodleian Library also features. But in truth, anyone who enjoys words and their origins, or even merely clever mysteries will be charmed by this delightful novel.
Thanks to #NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of countdown I had to read this book (thanks Netgalley) it’s a good tale with great use of words and their definitions so you get to be entertained and educated simultaneously

A mystery in Oxford. Martha's sister Charlie was murdered a few years ago, but no-one could understand why. Since then, a weird letter has arrived each year around the anniversary of her disappearance. Martha and her friends, who mostly work for the Clarendon English Dictionary as lexicographers, decide to try and solve the cryptic messages in the letters and messages which continue to arrive.. An unusual story peppered with Susie Dent's trademark etymology and lots of clues and puzzles.

Yes, THAT Susie Dent. The personification of an academic crush and author of several great books on the meaning of words. Sadly, this is hung too heavily on that framework and doesn’t have enough verve or warmth to fit onto the increasingly overloaded bookshelves of cosy crime.

Martha is a lexicographer working in Oxford. She begins to receive postcards, referencing literature and words about her sister Charlotte, who disappeared over a decade ago. That, in itself is a pretty familiar concept. Plus, most books feature a protagonist who is based on its author - Martha, with her work for ‘Clarendon English Dictionary’ and appearances on TV is no exception.

The real problem with this novel is the use of definition, in its literal sense. Barely a page goes by without the meaning of an obscure word, even the chapter titles themselves. It’s an amiable enough read, and Martha and her Scooby Gang of word lovers will probably return. But it’s not dynamic enough as a crime novel, nor is it learned enough to be an almanac.

It’s a ‘copacetic’ read, but not a ‘meritorious’ one. It’s published by Bonnier Books on 15th August and I thank them for a preview copy. #guiltybydefinition

I loved this book! It’s full of some of Susie’s favourite words and lots of little anecdotes about the origins of words, as well as having a twisty turny storyline that kept me guessing until the last few pages. If you like words and mysteries you’ll love this book!!

I really enjoyed Susie Dents first foray into crime literature. Martha, Zoe, Alex and all of the others involved created an interesting mix of personalities and talents. There were times when I could almost hear Susie sitting in dictionary corner reading explanations of words from the past.

Great first book and I'd certainly look forward to what comes next.

Finished 29/6/24.

As the staff at the Clarendon English Dictionary being to receive mysterious letters and postcards, it quickly becomes clear that someone is trying to help them uncover a dark secret. Martha, the Senior Editor at CED, realises the letters point towards the disappearance of her sister Charlie more than 10 years ago. With the help of her friends and colleagues at CED, they solve each clue sent to them to unravel the secrets around Charlie's disappearance.

While I wouldn't normally go for a mystery, the description of this really sold me, as well as Susie Dent being the author. The book is an exciting new twist on a mystery, full of puzzles and clues that actively involve the reader and make you feel like you are on the journey with Martha and co.

Susie Dent's trademark style is shown throughout the book with fascinating etymology naturally written into the plot. I've never had to look up a dictionary so many times when reading a book!

I was immediately drawn in by the plot and read the book in 24 hours as I was so invested. The characters were all likeable and relatable in their own ways - and most of all, they were flawed and real. I loved how much I learnt from the book - both new words, and the fascinating etymology behind words and phrases I use every day.

Thank you Zaffre and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own!