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jackslynn's review against another edition
4.0
Anthony Horowitz is one of my favorite authors because of his creativity. His books always give you a little something extra and I appreciate that as the world becomes more and more mass-produced. I loved Magpie Murders but I wasn't sure I'd feel the same about it's sequel. In fact, I was reluctant to read it because I thought it might be going to the well once too often. I was wrong though. I liked it every bit as much as the first one. He writes an excellent whodonit the traditional British style much like Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers. Great read.
hakins259's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
tweesee_93's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content and Suicide
Minor: Domestic abuse and Racism
martinaferro's review
3.0
I like it but the book within a book concept just completely slowed the whole pace.
I also thought Aiden killing Locke at the end was so cliche’.
I also thought Aiden killing Locke at the end was so cliche’.
lyv's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
loribeth1961's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
I was eager to read "Moonflower Murders" by Anthony Horowitz before the TV adaptation began airing on PBS on Sept. 15th. (I didn't quite finish it by then, but I'm ready for episode 2!). It's a sequel to "Magpie Murders," and I thoroughly enjoyed both book and TV versions of that one.
Our middle-aged heroine, Susan Ryeland, has relocated to the island of Crete, where she and her Greek boyfriend, Andreas, are running a small hotel together. The scenery is idyllic, but the challenges of running a business in a very different culture are definitely not. The inn is desperately in need of repairs, money is tight -- and Susan misses London and her former career as a book editor (which came to an abrupt end at the conclusion of "Magpie Murders").
Then a British couple, the Trehernes -- hotel owners themselves -- arrive with a strange story -- and a lucrative offer for Susan. A guest at their hotel, Frank Parris, was murdered on the same day as the wedding of their daughter, Cecily. One of Susan's former clients, a mystery writer named Alan Conway, knew Parris, and wound up using the murder as inspiration for one of his novels, "Atticus Pund Takes the Case," with several of the characters thinly disguised versions of the real-life people he met at the hotel. After reading the book, Cecily called her father to say she believed it proved the innocence of the man convicted of Parris's murder.
And then Cecily disappeared.
(MILD SPOILER ALERT, if you haven't read "Magpie Murders":) Alan Conway died in "Magpie Murders" -- and Susan knew him and his books better than anyone else. Can she use her knowledge of the book to solve the mystery of who really killed Frank Parris -- and find out what happened to Cecily?
First, of course, she'll have to re-read Conway's book, to see if she can spot the same critical clue that Cecily did. Like "Magpie Murders," there's a book-within-the-book, embedded in the pages of "Moonflower Murders" (two for the price of one, if you will!) -- the complete text of "Atticus Pund takes the Case," a classic "golden age" detective novel, a la Agatha Christie.
I figured out one of the several whodunnits this book contains -- but there were some surprises, too. :)
I loved "Magpie Murders," and I loved this book too. Very cleverly executed and written -- and a whole lot of fun! :)
4.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded up to 5 stars on Goodreads.
Apparently there's a third Susan Ryeland book in the works -- "Marble Hall Murders," coming out in March -- and I'll look forward to reading that one too!
Our middle-aged heroine, Susan Ryeland, has relocated to the island of Crete, where she and her Greek boyfriend, Andreas, are running a small hotel together. The scenery is idyllic, but the challenges of running a business in a very different culture are definitely not. The inn is desperately in need of repairs, money is tight -- and Susan misses London and her former career as a book editor (which came to an abrupt end at the conclusion of "Magpie Murders").
Then a British couple, the Trehernes -- hotel owners themselves -- arrive with a strange story -- and a lucrative offer for Susan. A guest at their hotel, Frank Parris, was murdered on the same day as the wedding of their daughter, Cecily. One of Susan's former clients, a mystery writer named Alan Conway, knew Parris, and wound up using the murder as inspiration for one of his novels, "Atticus Pund Takes the Case," with several of the characters thinly disguised versions of the real-life people he met at the hotel. After reading the book, Cecily called her father to say she believed it proved the innocence of the man convicted of Parris's murder.
And then Cecily disappeared.
(MILD SPOILER ALERT, if you haven't read "Magpie Murders":) Alan Conway died in "Magpie Murders" -- and Susan knew him and his books better than anyone else. Can she use her knowledge of the book to solve the mystery of who really killed Frank Parris -- and find out what happened to Cecily?
First, of course, she'll have to re-read Conway's book, to see if she can spot the same critical clue that Cecily did. Like "Magpie Murders," there's a book-within-the-book, embedded in the pages of "Moonflower Murders" (two for the price of one, if you will!) -- the complete text of "Atticus Pund takes the Case," a classic "golden age" detective novel, a la Agatha Christie.
I figured out one of the several whodunnits this book contains -- but there were some surprises, too. :)
I loved "Magpie Murders," and I loved this book too. Very cleverly executed and written -- and a whole lot of fun! :)
4.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded up to 5 stars on Goodreads.
Apparently there's a third Susan Ryeland book in the works -- "Marble Hall Murders," coming out in March -- and I'll look forward to reading that one too!
duparker's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Another really interesting and well done murder mystery. The interweaving of the novel within a novel, and the sleuthing the protagonist does based on that novel, is a well done technique. I could have done with a little less of the gay storylines, and the general in your face vibe of the sexual aspect. Overall though, characters are rich and the general flavor of the book is spot on.
grdaneault's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5