After The Word is Murder and The Sentence is Death, Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and writer Anthony Horowitz are reluctantly reunited. Horowitz has written about his previous adventures with the PI, and the two are invited to appear at a literary festival on the island of Alderney. Where Horowitz is a pro when it comes to bookish festivals – both in real life and within the pages of his books – Hawthorne is a less so. In fact, he tries to avoid people where he can, and so the author is concerned that the detective will not accept the invite. Or, worse, he might accept it and then ruin the event with his lack of manners. Horowitz needn't have worried, however, as Hawthorne is surprisingly eager to join. Not only that, but he's actually charming once they arrive on the island. All seems to go very swimmingly, until someone gets murdered... I adore this series and the characters. Hawthorne is very much a modern Sherlock Holmes, someone with no people skills but immaculate observational ones. And Horowitz plays the bumbling sidekick extremely well. Taking notes, like Watson would, but painting himself in a far less flattering light, more often obstructing an investigation instead of contributing to it. Like the previous books in the series, the author perfectly blends facts with fiction, as the reader gets pulled into the world of literary events. A particular delight for avid readers, not only is the story an incredibly well-plotted murder mystery, but it also lifts the curtain on the publishing world, with fascinating behind-the-scenes snippets along the way. Despite the less-than-joyful mystery at the heart of the story – there has been a murder after all – the book is incredibly fun to read. The red herrings, the twists and turns, and, mostly, the fictional Horowitz's complete cluelessness along the way. He makes the reader feel better about themselves as they are able to put one-and-one together, figuring out the clues, before he does. You'll notice I've given very little away about the actual contents of this book and that is on purpose. When it comes to an intricately woven plot like a clever murder mystery, every storyline and every character can be a clue to the inevitable jaw-dropping conclusion. I do not inadvertently want to give away any spoilers, so instead I'm sticking to safer territory: the two characters we already know from the previous books and the general joyous energy of this series. What I can say is that A Line to Kill is another smartly written whodunnit, one that will have readers on the edge of their seat throughout. It's filled with a cast of eclectic characters, is surprisingly funny at times, and is absolutely brilliantly put together. Whether you solve the mystery before the characters do, or you fall for the wealth of red herrings along the way, you'll be in for one hell of a ride.

A LINE TO KILL by Anthony Horowitz was an entertaining, light-hearted read and I was hooked from page one. The story is set on the Isle of Alderney, Channel Islands. where the Alderney Book Festival is being held. Anthony (the author) receives an invitation from his publisher to be accompanied by Daniel Hawthorne, an ex Detective Inspector, who is working as an investigator. A murder is committed during the festival and Anthony & Hawthorne are asked to investigate. Hawthorn is my favourite character in the the book. There are memorable characters to like and dislike throughout the story with red herrings around every corner! I enjoyed the quirkiness and witty dialogue this story offered and the ending is superb! Never saw it coming. I give a 5 star rating. I enjoyed every page of the book! I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

What a great read! Once started it was so gripping and well written that it had to be read over two days (luckily was not working oin these days!). Reccommend this to all Horowitz or Crime readers.

Authors have been asked time and again to carry on Arthur Conan Doyle’s works of Sherlock Holmes. Horowitz himself as written two Sherlock Holmes books, The House of Silk & Moriarty, with an official endorsement by the Doyle estate, but I can not think of any authors creations to rival the due of Holmes & Watson. But that has all changed with the Hawthorne & Horowitz Mystery series. SYNOPSIS: To promote their new book Hawthorne & Horowitz are invite to a new literary festival on the island of Alderney. The only murders to have taken place on this small island were during the Nazi occupation of the island during World War II. The islanders have lived peaceful and tranquil lives since, this all changes when a planned powerline that will cut through the island. With tempers flaring on both sides of the argument to the proposal, it’s not long before the tranquillity of the island is shattered. During the literary festival, its wealthy sponsor is soon found dead. Enter Hawthorne and Horowitz to solve the crime while trapped on the island with the killer. There are plenty of suspects, all with a motive of wanting the sponsor dead. REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes as always been my favourite detective, never far away is the ever-dependable Dr. Watson. The attention to every detail, making the mundane the key to solving every mystery with Watson always one step behind with the rest of us. I never thought that any other literary work would ever rival the most famous of duos. But that has all changed with the Hawthorne and Horowitz mysteries. At long last there is a modern rival, that captures the essence of the Holmes stories but are still their own. I love the perspective of Horowitz himself playing the part of the bumbling partner to the aloof but brilliant Hawthorne. A Line to Kill starts with Horowitz giving us an insight to the gears and cogs of one of the largest publishing houses, Penguin Random House and the nerves that still come with getting your book published. The story continues with the consultant detective Hawthorne highlighting how the mundane, almost miss able signs, can give an insight into the lives of the publishing team. The story continues, on the isle of Alderney, with the inaugural literary festival. On the way to the festival, Hawthorne & Horowitz, find themselves with the other festival authors. Each one with a link, to the eventual murder victim. I really cannot say much more as I don’t want to give to much away. All I can recommend is to pay attention to the details, each character is a suspect, each with their own secrets. You are not short of twists and turns. And with the body count starting to increase, ghosts of Hawthorne’s past come back to haunt him in the present. The pages fly by as you get drawn into the story, Horowitz’s narrative to the story adding another dimension. It feels like you are getting a preview of the authors next book but it’s being played out in real time. I, personally love the POV aspect of the book and the insight into an author’s mind it brings. The story keeps you guessing straight up to the last page. I need to go back and read the first two books in the series and cannot wait for the next one, I am completely hooked on this new crime fighting duo. VERDICT: 5*****/5 A rival to Holmes & Watson, A Line to Kill, will having you guessing whodunit from the beginning. With plot twists and many suspects, you will not find out until the very end. Engrossing and captivating all the way through, a must of for any Sherlock and crime thriller fans.

This is the first book I have read by this author although I loved his 'Foyles War' which was written for tv. This is somewhat unusual in that the author is himself a character in the book.Commissioned to write a series of books based on the real life exploits of ex Scotland Yard Daniel Hawthorne who now works as a consultant for police forces struggling with particular cases. Invited to a literary festival on the island of Alderney they arrive with an assortment of other authors to find an island divided over the proposal to allow electricity supply cables to cross the island,digging up a wartime cemetery and generally ruining some of the finest views on the island. The prime mover behind the scenes the corrupt and much loathed businessman and the literary festival sponsor Charles le Mesurier and when he found murdered in a particularly gruesome manner the list of suspects is extremely long encompassing half the island! Constantly reminded there's never been a murder on Alderney the police from Guernsey aren't particularly experienced either and lose no time co opting ex Detective Inspector Hawthorne to assist. Alderneys crime figures take another jolt when the victims wife is also murdered .Hawthorne thinks he has the killer but more twists lie in wait. An interesting mystery with a captive cast of suspects trapped in effect on an island with at least one murderer on the loose..Having the author present allows him to be an immediate narrator who is also as lost as we are in trying to identify the killer which I must confess I didn't. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next in the series