In New York Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz’s ingenious fifth literary whodunnit in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series, Detective Hawthorne is once again called upon to solve an unsolvable case—a gruesome murder in an idyllic gated community in which suspects abound.

Riverside Close is a picture-perfect community. The six exclusive and attractive houses are tucked far away from the noise and grime of city life, allowing the residents to enjoy beautiful gardens, pleasant birdsong, and tranquility from behind the security of a locked gate.

It is the perfect idyll, until the Kentworthy family arrives, with their four giant, gas-guzzling cars, gaggle of shrieking children, and plans for a garish swimming pool in the backyard. Obvious outsiders, the Kentworthys do not belong in Riverside Close, and quickly offend every last one of the neighbors.

When Charles Kentworthy is found dead on his own doorstep, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest, Detective Hawthorne is the only investigator they can call to solve the case.

Because how do you solve a murder when everyone is a suspect?

Review:

Intricate, sharp, and clever!

In this fifth instalment in the Hawthorne & Horowitz series, Close to Death, we head back into the life of Horowitz, the author extraordinaire who, now under a tight deadline to produce his next book, decides to delve into one of Hawthorne’s most challenging murder cases from five years ago involving a gated cul-de-sac in an exclusive part of London, and the crossbow slaying of an arrogant neighbour who everyone in the community seems to have had a motive to kill.

The writing is tight and crisp. The characters are multilayered, irritated, and secretive. And the plot is an immersive, mysterious tale full of twists, turns, surprises, deception, mayhem, suspicious personalities, revelations, manipulation, animosity, and murder.

Overall, Close to Death is a complex, intense, engrossing tale that has just the right amount of suspense, well-drawn characterization, and creative storyline to make it a satisfying, highly entertaining addition to a metafiction series that I can honestly not get enough of. Anthony Horowitz has certainly written some amazing characters over the years, but Hawthorne & Horowitz are definitely two of my all-time favourites.

This book is available now.

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