I thought the overall concept was clever and did enjoy reading this. I will admit that I didn’t realise that this was the third in a series, however after doing some research I saw reviews stating that it would be fine to read as a standalone. The characters were well developed and suited the writing style, yet I found myself confused for the initial parts of the read and that it was slow to get going, I found that by 20% of the way in, nothing significant had really happened. For me, the dynamic between Hawthorne and Horowitz didn’t work, yet I know that for others this is the draw to the series. However, I did find that there were times where the opinions/attitudes seemed to be outdated. Ultimately the reason for my low rating comes down to a combination of the pacing and, more prominently, personal preference.

An enjoyable read. This is a low key murder mystery with Horowitz as one of the characters in the book. Although this was a bit strange at first, it worked quite well.. I haven't read previous books by this author, but the back story was deftly included. Daniel Hawthorn, the ex-policeman, was not a particularly likeable character but was a good foil for the author's character, who was made to be not particularly bright. Once I had read about 20% of the book I finished quickly. It was a pleasure to read a book with a single timeline.

This is the third book featuring ex Policeman Daniel Hawthorne, who is now a private investigator and his narrator, the author who features in the books. A clever device.
An amusing opening sees supposed literary people at Publisher Penguin Random House and the author's observations on their short comings.
The author and Hawthorne are invited to a literary festival on the island of Alderney. The festival is hosted by a very sarcastic and wealthy Charle Le Mesurier. For some reason Hawthorne is keen to go to the Island.
Besides the author and Hawthorne there is a celebrity chef, a blind clairvoyant woman, a children's author, a french poet and a local historian. They will give talks on their expertise.
The festival gets off to a good start and then there is a murder. The police have come from Guernsey. There has never been a murder on the island before, so they ask Hawthorne to assist. It is made more difficult as feelings are high over a controversible electric power line that will seriously disrupt island life.
Very witty and clever, this is turning into an excellent series. Recommended.

Anthony and Hawthorne are invited to a literary festival on Alderney.
This is another cleverly crafted book with a murder to solve.
The writing is very visual and could well be made into a tv series.

Anthony Horowitz's 'A Line to Kill,' follows the author and Private Investigator Hawthorne as they attend their first literary festival on the remote island of Alderney. Tensions are high, due to there being plans to dig up Island burial sites (from Nazi occupation) to lay down cables, allowing a French company to provide the UK with electricity. Then the person most likely to profit from this is found dead, and Horowitz and Hawthorne get caught up in the murder investigation, which grows as the body count increases.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved how Horowitz portrayed himself as the hapless Watson to Hawthorne's Sherlock Holmes, which was all the more comedic due to them spending time in literary circles where in real life Horowitz would be lauded. The novel was pacey and the twists and turns kept me guessing. There were a number of times you had to suspend disbelief, but that was all part of the fun. There references to the first novel in this series also worked really well. I would recommend this book to others.

In the Hawthorne and Horowitz series, the renown author of Alex Ryder adventures and a screenwriter of the iconic TV series of Midsomer Murders and Poirot steps out of the limelight to become a humble chronicler of his fictional detective’s murder cases. It is very cleverly done. The mixture of fiction and what seems like a memoir gives you a sense of immediacy with the author/character.
The story is set in Horowitz’s reality as a writer: a literary festival is held on a tiny, sparsely populated island of Alderney. A group of celebrities arrive and thus a pool of potential suspects is created. The island is in the throes of an internal battle over the proposed powerlines which are advocated by a rich entrepreneur Charles Le Mesurier but opposed by most of the residents. Soon, Charles is found dead and Hawthorne (shadowed by Horowitz) is on the case. A few obligatory red herrings are thrown into the mix and Hawthorne himself seems to harbour his own secrets and ulterior motives that make him look less objective than he should be as an investigator.
A Line to Kill is a satisfying traditional whodunnit full of twists and spins, and sub-plots smoothly woven into the fabric of the main story. The characters are well-drawn, introduced in small incremental steps giving the reader a chance to get to know them organically. Horowitz has a well-practised hand when it comes to detail the use of which makes this murder mystery a proper nut to crack.

Having always wanted to visit Alderney, so I was very interested to read this book. I was not disappointed.
Having always known that Anthony Horowitz was a good author I had never actually read any of his books. I loved this one and am now reading one of his other titles.
The mystery was a good old fashioned narrative, that did not keep changing periods or even names, it was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed it all.
There as the wonderful claustrophobia of a small island complete with a killer.

Such a gripping and good read!

I hadn't realised this was part of a series, thankfully that didn't matter.

The relationship between the characters is soo good and I loved the idea that the author has used himself as a character within this book. I felt it was cleverly done and loved his pov and allowed to see the pressures on authors through this character.

I would definitely recommend this crime novel. Gripping and has you guessing throughout! Reminds me of Agatha Christies Poirot

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I think this is it for the Hawthorne series as far as I'm concerned. The conceit of including "Anthony Horowitz" as a character - and building the plot around what appear to be real episodes in the author's career - worked well for the The Word Is Murder and sustained my interest in The Sentence is Death, but in this one I found it was wearing very thin. The setting - Alderney - is unusual, and there are moments of vivid scene-painting, but the plot and characters are cardboard-thin. It's a well-executed page-turner - there are twists, surprises and red herrings, and almost every character introduced turns out to have both a secret and a role in the unfolding plot. I just didn't feel for a moment that I was reading about real people - not even "Anthony Horowitz". Put it this way, if you've read the Alex Ryder series or the Horowitz Horror short-story collections (which I have), you'll recognise the style of characterisation and plotting you get here. For the crime genre - even "cosy crime" - I don't think it works.

A “sort of” modern Holmes/Watson whodunnit

This is the third in the Hawthorne/Horowitz series and although it can be read without having read the previous two, there are references to the other cases which might be a little puzzling to those readers who start with this novel.

There is something slightly old fashioned about the writing; something slightly reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes or even Agatha Christie. This in fact adds to its appeal as does the fact that the author appears in person as the slightly otherworldly sidekick to the incisive ex-copper and now private investigator, Hawthorne.

Horowitz has been invited to a literary event on the island of Alderney on the condition that he also takes Hawthorne along too. The book festival has been underwritten by a wealthy resident of the island and an eclectic group of speakers have been invited in addition to Horowitz.

The description of the island is atmospheric and good enough to allow the reader to believe they have visited. The characters are too large for my liking and are stereotypes rather than individuals.

The plot keeps going at a rapid rate and clues are scattered liberally. It’s just a question of picking out which ones are red herrings, and which should be taken seriously. Like many of Agatha Christie’s novels, not everyone is who they purport to be and for this reader, it was this which was a stretch too far and which lost it a star. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent read and I look forward to the next in the series.

mr zorg


Elite Reviewing group received a copy of the book to review.

Another brilliant Hawthorne / Horowitz combination. The third in the series, whilst it can be read alone I suggest reading previous books to fully understand the hidden elements and full relationship between the main characters.

I am starting to enjoy the refreshing first person author fictional story. It’s something that Anthony Horowitz mange’s to do with ease.

A line to kill is surely to be another hit.

The premise is simple…another book, another murder(s) but with all the usual intrigue and easy reading along the way.

A line to kill is the next instalment of the Daniel Hawthorne saga, the interesting aspect of these books is that the author Anthony Horowitz is also a lead character. He can have fun with his own character, as seen when Elizabeth Lovell’s husband describes Anthony Horowitz “Dark hair, untidy, going grey. Jewish. Late fifties. Didn’t shave this morning. Short sleeved shirt, Linen trousers …..crumpled.

Description of Alderney very believable and the setting of a book festival also appealed as having experienced one or two! Hawthorne comes across as unlikable as before but possibly this is part of his charm….we want to find out what makes him tick. As usually many twists and turns, but all the clues are there for us to follow.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next instalment.

An unusual format for a novel as the author is both the narrator and a character in the plot. Horowitz is attending a literary festival in Alderney along with the lead character in his book, private detective Daniel Hawthorne. This is a tiny event with only half-a-dozen participants and Horowitz doesn't expect to garner any significant promotional benefit from attending. But he is in for a surprise. Not only does the visit generate significant publicity but he also finds himself acquiring everything he needs for another novel involving Hawthorne.
Suffice to say murder is involved and Hawthorne is roped in by the detective, brought in from Guernsey, to assist in finding the culprits. All the authors visiting for the festival come under suspicion and Horowitz ensures there are red herrings aplenty to keep you turning the page. Thanks to excellent writing and fully formed characters the culprit, once revealed, is a real surprise.
So an excellent read by a very skilled writer and, in the last paragraphs he drops a hint about somewhere called "Reeth" that involves Hawthorn, albeit Hawthorne has denied any link to it. So we already have the start of a mystery for the next novel.
Clever stuff, full of surprises and ,most definitely, an enjoyable read.

A classic page turning ‘whodunnit’ written from an interesting perspective with the author as a main character. Plenty of evidence and twists which kept me guessing, an eclectic range of characters set in the picturesque island of Alderney.
This is my first ‘adult’ book by Anthony Horowitz, having read many from the ‘Alex Rider’ series with my children, and once again the text simply transports you into the story.

"I couldn't see the sea from my bedroom, but I could hear the waves breaking in the distance they reminded me that I was on a tiny island - and so was the killer. We were both trapped."

Author Anthony Horowitz is working again with former Detective Inspector, now private detective Daniel Hawthorne. In between novel one and two of the series, they attend a literary festival on the small channel island of Alderney. The other authors are an eclectic group, including a children's author, a French poet, a brash TV chef now author, a blind psychic and a war historian. When they arrive they encounter a feud about a controversial powerline, with locals split into two camps. Enigmatic Hawthorne steals Horowitz's thunder at their talk, but events are soon overtaken when the festival's main sponsor, an unlikeable local businessman advocating for the power line, is found brutally murdered at a party for the festival. Police arrive from Guernsey and lockdown the island, but admit little experience investigating murder, so seek Hawthorne's input. Will the unlikely duo identify the killer before they kill again?

This is book three in the series where the author is a protagonist in his own novel, trailing a private detective and writing books about his cases. A locked room (island) mystery gives a small number of suspects and the idyllic setting, also within the literary world, adds to the atmosphere. Some characters are not entirely as they seem and others have hidden agendas. Whilst the murder is brutal, it's neither gory nor gruesome; it's more in the 'cosy murder' category, which is more than made up for by the intelligent plotting, fully formed characters and numerous twists and turns.

A clever and affectionate tribute to golden age whodunits, this has tongue-in-cheek humour and riddles within riddles, making it vastly superior to many murder mysteries. Highly recommended!

Another winner from Anthony Horowitz. A murder mystery told with wit and red herrings aplenty.
Thank you to netgalley and random house for an advance copy of this book

This is the third book in Anthony Horowitz's 'Hawthorne and Horowitz' series, yet is a stand alone mystery with only veiled references to previous cases and shared experiences between the detective and the author.
The clever device of making himself the author within the novel allows Horowitz to explain a mystery unfolding from his point of view and to portray himself as a hopeless and hapless investigator, completely misunderstanding the clues as they appear and jumping on the red herrings with glee. It is interesting way of writing and one that sweeps the reader along.
Horowitz, as the author of a new Hawthorne Investigates book has been invited along with his moody and taciturn ex-detective to a literary festival on the Island of Alderney. This is the first event they pair have done together and the author is unsure how it will go. As he is fretting about how to make Hawthorne more likeable to the audience, he manages to miss a whole bubbling mess of connections between the apparently random selection of writers at the festival.
When the event sponsor is murdered one evening, Hawthorne is asked to help the local police with the enquiries and Horowotz is there to record the goings on in the hope that he can use the case for his next book. Because of the island setting and the literary festival there is a limited cast of characters, all of whom have secrets which are gradually exposed.
The setting, the island of Alderney, with its world war 2 relicts and history makes a good backdrop but it is the relationship between the two main character, the author Horowitz and the ex-detective, Hawthorne that really makes this book. Every time Horowitz appears to be getting close to the detective he is brushed aside and put down. All his attempts to be friends or even equals with Hawthorne are batted away. Horowitz is self-depreciating and someone accepting of his role as second best. The arrangement is great fun and makes an amusing read.
I read this book in a couple of days. It grabbed my attention and is an effortless read. I will very happily look out for more in the series.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for my ARC copy in return for an honest review.

This is the third book Horowitz has written, and as in the previous two books Horowitz takes on the role of a bumbling amateur detective,, Hastings to ex detective Hawthorne’s Poirot. Horowitz as in the previous books has been persuaded to write a series of books about Hawthorne. The story is set on the Isle of Alderney, a sleepy place where not much happens, or so the inhabitants want visitors to believe. The island has organised a literary festival and Horowitz has been invited but only on the condition that Hawthorne goes as well.. Hawthorne is a former detective turned private detective and sometime advisor to the Police. Very soon it becomes abundantly clear all is not as it seems on the island. A murder is committed, the wealthy patron of the festival is found dead and the police from Guernsey are called to the island to Investigate, they in turn enlist the help of Hawthorne who has lost none of his skills in deducing crimes. Hawthorne soon gets to work interviewing the writers attending the festival as well as some of the local inhabitants, and as usual Horowitz tags along trying to solve the crime, looking at clues, but without much success. The premise of these books by Horowitz is extremely clever, he does not mind in the least taking on a supporting role to that of Hawthorne. The book is full of red herrings and misdirections. Horowitz gives little witticisms about publishers, agents and others in the literary world none are meant to cause offence, they add to the enjoyment of the book. The book is a pleasure to read. Horowitz has drawn characters you can hear speak from the narrative and the development of the story is superb.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book which I would describe as a cosy crime, nothing gruesome about this book. My thanks to NetGalley Random House UK and Cornerstone for the opportunity to read this ARC

This is another hugely enjoyable metafictional murder mystery from Anthony Horowitz. This is the third book in which a fictionalised version of Horowitz appears alongside the private investigator and ex-police detective Daniel Hawthorne, following on from 'The Word is Murder' and 'The Sentence is Death'. In this book, Horowitz has finished writing 'The Word is Murder' which is due to be published later that year. He and Hawthorne receive their first invitation to attend a literary festival on the island of Alderney. Horowitz normally loves literary festivals, but this one seems rather underwhelming, and he is less than impressed with the line-up of other writers due to join them there, which includes a French-speaking performance poet, a spiritualist medium and an ITV2 chef. Add to this a few suspicious local characters and some tensions on the island surrounding plans for a power line connecting France and Britain, and the scene is set for the perfect murder mystery.

Hawthorne and Horowitz once again make an excellent double-act. Hawthorne largely fits the stereotype of the maverick investigator, and in this novel, we gain a few more insights in to the events that led to Hawthorne's expulsion from the police force. Horowitz, meanwhile, makes an effective sidekick, in the tradition of Dr Watson and Captain Hastings - perhaps a little savvier but also prepared to let the reader have a laugh at the expense of his fictional alter-ego. There is an interesting tension between Hawthorne's commitment to solving the mystery and Horowitz's desire for a good story, and Horowitz creates further humour through his bruised ego when Hawthorne attracts a greater share of the limelight than him when promoting their book.

Horowitz is perhaps the ultimate crime writer's crime writer: in both the Hawthorne series and the Magpie/Moonflower Murders books, he manages to construct whodunnits which are ingeniously plotted and include all the ingredients of a classic detective novel, whilst also reflecting on what makes us enjoy these stories so much. Once again, 'A Line to Kill' delivers plenty of clues, twists and red herrings, with an ending that is very satisfying, but the overall feel of the book is playful and entertaining rather than overly gritty or macabre.
Although this is a genre which is inevitably a little formulaic, the change of setting means that this doesn't just feel like a re-hash of the last two novels. Having all the suspects confined in one place cut off from the rest of the world is a staple of the detective genre but new to this series, and it is effective in holding our interest.

If you like detective fiction then you are almost certain to enjoy this book. This can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading 'The Word is Murder' and 'The Sentence is Death' first as there are a few references to earlier events in the novels.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.