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sprklngglassslipper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide, and Murder
Minor: Racism
unboxedjack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
gillianengelbrecht's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Murder
Minor: Racism
sarahb919's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Hate crime, Infidelity, Police brutality, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement and Sexual harassment
aileron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Domestic abuse and Racism
emlilley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Suicide, and Murder
emshawkes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is the first book I’ve read by Anthony Horowitz so I came at it without any previous baggage of what to expect. I've seen several reviews saying they either liked or disliked the main characters which affected their enjoyment of the book. I had no background knowledge, and I think it worked well as a standalone book, I didn’t feel like I was missing any backstory.
In this novel, Horowitz needs to write the next instalment of his Hawthorne and Horowitz crime series. However, there haven’t been any new cases to write about so they come upon the idea of using a Hawthorne past case: Giles Kenworthy is the neighbour from hell and has been making the lives of the occupants of Riverside Close a misery. 6 weeks after an intervention meeting with the residents of the close, which Giles and his wife do not attend, he is found dead with a crossbow bolt through his neck. But which of the neighbours fired the shot?
The series meshes reality with fiction, and does it really well. I had to Google to see if the book was based on a true story and which parts were true to life: Anthony Horowitz is a writer who has a series of teenage spy books - Alex Rider - he has written new Sherlock Holmes and James Bond stories and has written TV shows including Midsomer Murderers and Foyle’s War, both of which I’ve seen episodes of and enjoyed. He has a wife called Jill who works as a Film and TV Executive (forgive me if I have used incorrect terminology). All of this is referenced in the novel.
The thing that irked me, and means that I’ve given it a 4/5 star rating I was annoyed that Horowitz insisted on digging into Hawthorne’s past and his previous partner John Dudley and their dealings with the shady Alastair Morton despite repeatedly being warned away. Surely Hawthorne chose this case, so why would he give Horowitz the details if it came to a dissatisfying conclusion.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest reveiw.
Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, and Murder