Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz

 

I enjoy Anthony Horowitz's Magpie Murders and his Hawthorne & Horowitz series. I even liked the TV adaptation of the first Magpie Murders book, and I seldom prefer a movie or series adaptation to the book. With this latest book in the H&H series, he has outdone himself. This book is both mind-bogglingly complex and ingeniously crafted.

All is not as idyllic as it once was in Riverside Close. A new neighbor has bought into this close-knit, six-home community, and the residents are up in arms about the noisy children, loud music, and plans for a swimming pool the Kentworthy family have brought with them. And when Giles Kentworthy is found murdered, suspicion immediately falls on the neighbors. The problem is which one. The police reluctantly call in Daniel Hawthorne and his assistant to help in the investigation, but when one of the neighbors kills himself and leaves a note confessing to the murder, it appears the case is closed. However, Hawthorne is unconvinced and continues investigating--much to the chagrin of the police and the residents.

In a nod to Agatha Christie, this is an excellently plotted and clever locked-room murder mystery with a suspect pool teeming with motives. It is a twisty whodunit that kept me guessing. Although this is the fifth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. 

5/5 stars.

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