That's what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward meeting. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. Mysterious Past: Hawthorne is extremely tight-lipped about his past despite Anthony's intense curiosity. In this novel, Anthony finds out that Hawthorne was adopted. Harry Bosch and the Lincoln Lawyer team up to exonerate a woman who’s already served five years for killing her ex-husband. The most richly accomplished of the brothers’ pairings to date—and given Connelly’s high standards, that’s saying a lot. As the story opens, Horowitz is telling Hawthorne, "The answer's no. Our deal is over." Horowitz had followed Hawthorne on three investigations and written three books, and he wanted to move on. Moreover, Horowitz points out, "I can't write another book about you. You're not working on any new cases." But that's about to change.

I really enjoy this series but this one took me a little longer to get into than usual. Eventually I was hooked and once again singing the author’s praises. My little library finally got this latest in the Hawthorne/Horowitz series which I have been impatiently awaiting for months. It was worth the wait! I have read all of this particular series and loved them all. Anthony Horowitz has done it again.... and I am so happy to say I loved it. His new book is a wonderfully done mystery that had me believing that every one of the characters had murdered the odious critic, Harriet Throsby. ( I will admit I thought that Horowitz might have been the culprit) However, as it seems that Anthony was knee deep in this murder, the other actors and stage manager all had multiple reasons for doing away with Harriet.

Tropes:

Honestly, that's not a bad way to work out anger issues, and I heartily approve of this version to the alternative, sir.

So, maybe it sounds like I'm not giving this a perfectly glowing review but the truth is that I had a ball listening to this one regardless of any minor complaints I had.I read/listened and loved it! Narrated by: Rory Kinnear, who is a favorite of mine. 8 hrs/ 31 min , released 11-15-2022 This book is a beautiful mix of humour, character and mystery. From the cast and crew of the ill-fated Mindgame, 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. It can be a bit tedious with its Agatha Christie type ending (you know where they gather all the suspects together before the big whodunit reveal). Inspector Lestrade: Cara Grunshaw of the London police, who bears huge grudges against Anthony and Hawthorne for solving previous cases of hers and deceiving her in the process. She takes malicious pleasure in arresting Anthony for murder, but of course, she's wrong again. Horowitz continues to delight in mixing real life and fiction, as well as in juxtaposing Horowitz (the character) as nebbish against the always-three-steps ahead Hawthorne. Not to worry, their relationship isn't over quite yet. There's much more to discover, and readers will be waiting eagerly for more from one of the best mystery writers around." - Booklist (starred review)

Kensington Gore: Anthony uses this exact phrase to describe the bag of fake blood that Sky Palmer wears under her uniform, which is supposed to burst when she's stabbed at the end of Act I.

It's also, at times, very funny. The many pretensions and flaws of the characters are well-observed and there is nobody who can take down an ego like Hawthorne, who does so with such an matter-of-fact ease of manner that it's often unclear whether he's even doing it on purpose. As always, Horowitz is remarkably willing to present his own character as very much the Watson to Hawthorne's Holmes, always one step behind in the murder investigation. In a nod to Agatha Christie, there is no shortage of suspects and motives for the murder, and I was kept guessing to the very end. The final resolution is clever when Hawthorne gathers all the major players together and reveals all. The next morning she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger that has only one set of finger prints on it. Anthony's. The chemistry between the two remains fun, as does the fourth wall-breaking, and we learn a bit more about Hawthorne’s mysterious past. Two characters from The Sentence is Death make a return: Cara Grunshaw, the gruff copper, and Kevin Chakraborty, the tech-genius teenager with MS, though Grunshaw is as one-dimensionally evil as ever and Kevin is more of a plot device than a character. I'll admit I was a little hesitant to read this after the dull events of A Line To Kill, but I will never say no to an ARC of one of my favorite authors. And boy did he redeem himself with this one.

Horowitz and Hawthorne’s bromance is officially over – kaput, terminated, canceled, executed at dawn. Or, is it? I'm sorry but the answer's no." Reluctant author, Anthony Horowitz, has had enough. He tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne that after three books he's splitting and their deal is over. When a second theatre critic is discovered dead in mysterious circumstances, Anthony is very much the focal point of the investigations and in desperation turns to the only person he feels can help him, Daniel Hawthorne.It's critics who kill writers, never the other way round." Poor Horowitz seems to be digging his own grave! Will Hawthorne rescue him or hang him out to dry? The next morning, Harriet is found dead in her house, stabbed with one of the decorative daggers distributed as opening night gifts. Unfortunately for Horowitz, HIS dagger is the murder weapon. Anthony is soon arrested by Detective Inspector Cara Grunshaw and Detective Constable Derek Mills, who have a grudge against Anthony for making them look bad in a previous investigation. I do so love these books. They are always super fun as the two main protagonists romp through murder and mystery while developing a semi friendship with Anthony learning a tad more about the illusive Hawthorne. I do so love the insertion of the author into these tales and he's so good at this, that at times I found myself wondering if parts were true. Hmm, can't say more than I so enjoyed this escapade into the lives of two who always offer intrigue with a very definite wink to the writers of yesteryear.