I'm afraid I think I'm in the minority of not being a fan of this one - I found the need to constantly shoehorn in the clever language and then explain it consistently affected the flow of the book for me and I found it difficult going.

I also felt the outcome was telegraphed from pretty early on.

A shame as I'm normally a fan of Susie Dent's work but this was a miss for me.

"Martha knew that it wasn't just the scent of those days that had evaporated. Her family home was fading. The gilt mirror whose gaze her mother had one shared with her children was now speckled with age. Martha looked into its apologetic frame and was surprised by the depth of her frown. Aspectabund, she thought: wearing your emotions on your face. Quite."

Although Dent has written lots of nonfiction, this is her first foray into fiction - and crime writing, at that. Not my favourite genre and so I'm sure I missed a lot, but I thought it was really good and well done. I sort of had an idea who was implicated as clues were planted, but there were red herrings and I didn't catch the finer detail in advance.

Martha has returned to Oxford for a job on the "Clarendon English Dictionary", living with her father, both mourning the sister who disappeared ten years ago and the mother who died more recently, Charlie's fate still unknown, and living quite a restricted life. Soon, the dictionary team start receiving peculiar letters in Shakesperean language, and she realises it has something to do with Charlie. Untangling of clues and peril await though there's nothing at all grim described. There are two cats and both continue well to the end and onwards.

There's loads of lovely detail about working on a dictionary, and the team is nicely diverse, too, with Zoe's heritage introduced through mention of a host of Nigerian aunties and her interests spanning English folklore and Peckham's dialects and Alex a slightly older woman with children who have left home. There is a lot of dictionary stuff and if you enjoyed the quotation at the top you're likely to enjoy the book: a few NetGalley readers found it a bit "wordy" but I think that's what you'd expect from this author and enjoyed it tremendously.

Reviewed on my blog 12 Sept 2024: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2024/09/12/two-final-august-netgalley-reads-by-susie-dent-and-sally-page/

Susie Dent is known for her love of words, their origin and the way in which their meanings have changed and now she has turned to crime in this excellent debut novel. The novel plays to her strengths with the main character being Martha who works on the updating of the Clarendon English Dictionary. Martha’s sister Charlie had gone missing many years earlier. A cryptic letter arrives at her office hinting at what might have happened to Charlie. Martha and her fellow colleagues start to investigate in the hope of uncovering the truth about her sister’s disappearance. An extremely enjoyable, entertaining novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Mysterious letters arriving at the office of Clarendon English dictionary - super clever add I. That they’re clues to a murder in the past - I was hooked !! Loved it a good join the dots together crime thriller

When I saw Susie Dent's name, I was definitely intrigued to pick this up. She's used her wordplay skills to their fullest here. The most interesting part of it is our core group receiving letters with wordy clues around the central crime. It's quite cleverly done. Otherwise it's a fairly run of the mill mysetery. I didn't find myself that invested in the characters but it was an easy read. Definitely think it will hit a similar demographic to the Thursday Murder Club,

I didn't like this book to start with as I thought it was trying to be too clever with words which felt like that interfered with the story, but it grew on me!

An anonymous letter arrives and a team of lexicographers within a dictionary office begin to decipher the clues which are connected to the disappearance of Martha's sister Charli 10 years ago

The author clearly loves language and it also felt like a love letter to words and their meanings

I loved Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent… far more than I thought I was going to! There was actually a fantastic mystery in amongst all the words and it somehow worked its magic making me feel cleverer rather than stupid! I love the wordiness of it; the history of words was fascinating and enhanced rather than detracted from the story.
It was well paced with relatable and realistic characters and an excellent plot cleverly executed. I’m hoping this could be the start of a series…
I would like thank Bonner Books UK and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

‘Guilty by Definition’ is the debut novel by television celebrity Susie Dent. Given the authors background I had no fears that this would be well written and so it proved. What was a little surprising was how good the plotting and characters actually were.

Guilty by Definition is a mystery where the world of lexicography come together with personal secrets and intrigue. An anonymous letter arrives at the offices of the Clarendon English Dictionary containing a challenge for the team of lexicographers working there. It’s not the usual enquiry but hints at secrets, lies and a year. 2010. For the new senior editor Martha Thornhill, that year is when her brilliant, beautiful older sister Charlie went missing.

Martha Thornhill, is an engrossing character who has returned after spending ten years abroad. She is heavily burdened with the emotional baggage resulting from her sisters disappearance. A series of anonymous letters arrive at the offices which builds up the tension and intrigue as little by little revelations are unravelled.

The mystery deepens, so do the stakes, with Martha’s personal connection there is an urgency as well as the emotional weight of her missing sister. Martha struggles to unravel the mystery as well coming to terms with her own past. The novel is well paced, impeccably written building the tension up to clever conclusion. Ideal for readers who enjoy puzzles. Excellent debut novel and look forward to more of the same.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I was sent an uncorrected manuscript proof of Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent to read and review by NetGalley. I love words and I love crosswords and mysteries, and this novel has it all! I found the characters to be very engaging and the descriptions of Oxford really conjured up the different areas in my mind. The plot is nice and intriguing and I loved the use of unusual and archaic words and ‘proper’ English language that was also very accessible. You don’t have to be a language snob like me (I was brought up when the approach to English was quite different to today) to enjoy this book, it is ultimately a cracking good yarn!

A Word Lover's Delight: A Review of "Guilty by Definition"
Susie Dent's debut novel, "Guilty by Definition," is a captivating blend of mystery and linguistics that will delight word lovers and fans of a well-crafted tale.
Dent, a renowned lexicographer, weaves a compelling story around a group of characters connected by a haunting disappearance. The novel's central mystery, a cold case involving a missing woman, unfolds through a series of cryptic clues delivered in the form of anagrams and word puzzles. This unique approach not only keeps the reader guessing but also showcases Dent's deep knowledge of language and her ability to use it as a powerful storytelling tool.
The characters in "Guilty by Definition" are richly drawn and believable. Martha, the protagonist, is a complex figure struggling with grief and guilt. Her colleagues at the Clarendon English Dictionary are equally intriguing, each with their own secrets and motivations. Dent's vivid descriptions of Oxford, the setting for the novel, add a layer of authenticity and atmosphere.
What sets "Guilty by Definition" apart is Dent's seamless integration of language into the narrative. The novel is a love letter to words, with references to obscure terms and fascinating linguistic tidbits sprinkled throughout. This makes it not only a thrilling mystery but also an enlightening exploration of the English language.
If you're a fan of mysteries, linguistics, or simply a well-written story, "Guilty by Definition" is a must-read. Dent's debut novel is a promising start to what is sure to be a successful literary career.

A brilliant debut! It's not surprise that Susie Dent has a way with words, but also expertly developed characters and a great plot. A great literary fiction murder mystery combo! Cryptic and clever, a treat to read.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I have enjoyed Susie Dent's non-fiction and so expected a lot from her fiction. Whilst I suspect that my review is the opposite of all others, this was not a book for me. It dragged along and, after 20%, I had to give up.

Unsurprisingly set in the office of a dictionary, Dent’s first novel is a very smart thriller that’s good enough to ignore it being authored by a TV personality. The literary-ness of the mystery reminded me a little of the wonderful Possession by A.S. Byatt.

I knew a book by the fabulous Susie Dent would be worth reading, and I’m happy to say I was absolutely right! So much etymology and a clear joy of using language, coupled with a twisty turny storyline made it just perfect. I can’t wait for her next novel!

I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery style book by Susie Dent. You feel drawn in by the accessibility of all these big words and phrases!
I struggled keeping up with all of the characters at the start, but as you work your way through the story, everyone comes in their own. The mild twists and turns in the last 25% really kept me on the edge of my seat, but be warned it is a sloooow burn for some!
Would love to read more from Susie in this genre in the future.

I found this book difficult to get into but was glad I stuck with it in the end. Some of the word explanations got a bit wearing after a while and I struggled but overall a good story.

I'm not a big fan of celebrity authors and thought there was a good chance I'd dislike Guilty by Definition, but found it to be a surprisingly enjoyable mystery. I don't think it'll be a big shock to anyone that Susie Dent's fiction debut involves a group of lexicographers, a series of fiendish puzzles and numerous archaic words. After all, why not write about what you know. Maybe the puzzles are a bit too fiendish (I like a cryptic crossword, but struggled to solve more than a couple of elements.), and there are perhaps a few too many archaic words and their definitions, but you never really feel like you're being overly educated.

Thanks to NetGalley, Zaffre Publishing Group and the author for an advance copy.

This book appealed to my love of the written word and libraries. The book centers on Martha, a new chief editor at the Clarendon English Dictionary, and the disappearance of her older sister nearly 10 years before. When letters begin to arrive in the office, the office collaborates on solving the clues. It becomes a sort of literary [book:The Da Vinci Code|968] with Shakespearean quotations and anagrams and puzzles to solve. The book is set in modern day, but has an old feel to it and does get a little plodding at times. Martha is a bit annoying at times and a little hard to connect with. It is almost surprising at times when you realize that she's in her 30s, not her 50s. The mystery was a little drawn out, but it was still enjoyable. The setting - Oxford - definitely contributes to the old world vibe. There's also a hint of romance in the book and I wonder if there are other mysteries to come that might involve the CED and the local detective. This was a good debut novel and should appeal to those who like to play with the written word.

Words included that were interesting:

Mountweazel: a bogus inclusion / fictitious entry planted to catch copyright infringement; comes from an entry in a biographical dictionary of a fictitious woman named Lilian Mountweazel

Ert: to irritate, disturb, or poke (15th century)

Sonder: the realization that other people have rich and complicated lives that one will never know

Desiderate: to long for something now lost (17th century)

Zugzwang: the obligation to make a move, but every move is detrimental

Tidsoptimist: a time optimist


Quotes I like:

...language defines us and is the framework of out thought: an endless, shifting, complex dance through time and human nature. It is about patterns of life and the need to communicate them; it is about dying, renewal, and everything in between, about chaos and the order we make from chaos, the blood and bones of every history. Above all it is about the slow, insistent pull into the secret lives of the ordinary.

Guilty By Definition by Susie Dent is an easy read, an enjoyable unravelling of a mystery but something was missing. The premise is clever and uses the hallmark of Susie her knowledge of words as the country's beloved lexicographer, from the dictionary corner on Countdown.
The setting was Oxford; I felt I was back in the world of Morse. The murder mystery is based on a team of lexicographers at Clarendon English Dictionary. The starting whistle is blown when an anonymous letter arrives, puzzles are to be uncovered throwing a light on the disappearance of one of the team's sisters who went missing several years ago and a link to Shakespeare. There are plenty of red herrings.
It was a relevant start to each chapter an unusual word with its definition. However, the use of words that had to be defined within the text became an irritation and took me out of the story. This was unnecessary and added nothing to the plot, and characterisation and it felt like their presence was to over-emphasise how many words the reader was unaware of. The mystery of lost women spanning the centuries was a strong story and did not need to be complicated by overcomplicated words.

An exellent book! The mystery surrounds the tracing of an anonymous letter arriving at the office of lexicographers. This in itself would be interesting but the author uses every opportunity to increase the reader's vocabulary with the inclusion of less used language. I found myself wishing I could remember so many new words!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest opinion.