Mindgame

by Anthony Horowitz

When Mark Styler, a writer of glossy ‘true crime’ paperbacks, tries to get an interview with Easterman, a notorious serial killer, he has no idea what he’s walking into. First he has to get past Dr Farquhar, the quixotic head of Fairfields – the asylum where Easterman is kept. But soon he discovers that nothing is what it seems. Who is the mysterious Borson? Where did he get the meat in the fridge? And why isn’t the skeleton in the closet? Mindgame is a puzzle-box of a play. A dazzling thriller and a jet black comedy that twists its way towards a shocking conclusion. Reading the text is the only way to uncover all the clues.

Genres: Plays, Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Mystery Thriller, School, Crime

121 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Anthony Horowitz, OBE is ranked alongside Enid Blyton and Mark A. Cooper as "The most original and best spy-kids authors of the century." (New York Times). Anthony has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he is also the writer and creator of award winning detective series Foyle’s War, and more recently event drama Collision, among his other television works he has written episodes for Poirot, Murder in Mind, Midsomer Murders and Murder Most Horrid. Anthony became patron to East Anglia Children’s Hospices in 2009.

On 19 January 2011, the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle announced that Horowitz was to be the writer of a new Sherlock Holmes novel, the first such effort to receive an official endorsement from them and to be entitled the House of Silk.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/anthon...

Reviews

[Helga چـو ایـران نباشد تن من مـباد · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was insane! This was madness! This was brilliant! Talk about twisted perception!

He does not think there is anything the matter with him because one of the things that is the matter with him is that he does not think that there is anything the matter with him.

Styler who is a true crime writer is invited into the country’s most notorious asylum for the criminally insane aka ‘Chamber of Horrors’ to interview the head of the facility Dr. Farquhar about one of the asylum’s inmates.

But there’s something about the place. It doesn’t feel quite right.
In fact, nothing feels quite right.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the novel The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz it featured a play by the author called Mindgame, which to my surprise turned out to be a real play....& this is it!
Mindgame is a well crafted thriller with plenty of tension, humour & some nice twists. It may not be as good as plays like Deathtrap or Sleuth, but it makes for a very entertaining read.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theatrical thrillers are damn hard to get right - that's why there are so few really top notch ones (Sleuth, Deathtrap, The Mousetrap). Horowitz's nasty little game of a play can be added to that short list. Although anyone who has read their Christie might anticipate some of the twists, it is still a taut and exciting piece; unfortunately, the design elements probably will keep it from being performed as often as its excellence warrants.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dark comedy was the perfect antidote for me personally after beginning and discarding five books in a row (maybe more). My faith is restored in the written word. A very good laugh!


Loan from a friend- Thank you!

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

After recently having read both of the author's two book mini series, I was sure that this was going to be a bit different too. It is.

I suppose that the best way to describe it is a book about a play. All of the narrative is in the form of a play script but the author also lets us in on things that the more observant audience member may see on set.

The story itself is well conceived and is very cleverly written ( as we would expect from Mr Horowitz). I would have loved to have seen the full stage production.

Does it work as well as a book about a play, I am really not sure. As I set down these note, I still don't know what mark I am going to give it. I hope that I have decided before I start typing, tomorrow.
It is a short book but it gets over some of my complaints about short books as I had no problem at all picturing the actors on the described stage and it certainly creates an atmosphere.

My advice would be to follow your instinct. If you like the authors work then go ahead. Don't read any other reviews , they may give something away that will spoil it for you.

[Carolin Buchheit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the read haha. But I honestly expected all the plots in the beginning. Maybe I have read to much from this genre idk. Still I loved how it felt so tense and it still was a very pleasant read. I read it in one sitting and I normally never do this haha because of my crappy attention span, so this says a lot about this book. I also felt like this was quite an easy read and Im definitely thinking about buying more of the auther’s work

[Michael Reffold · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of this seems to be included for shock value, without much understanding of how psychiatric institutions actually operate. Some powerful moments and twists and turns, but it all felt a little over the top and histrionic.

[Naira Osman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our teacher gave us this book to read in school. And he was my favorite teacher and after I read this book I knew instantly that he deserves a medal, because OH MY GOD was this a ride. It’s a really small book, I literally finished it in 2 hours and I couldn’t put it down. This book is just peak smart and crazy. The amount of questions one will have after finishing this. It’s a shake for morality, one own being and the “what is right and what isn’t”. The discussions we had regarding this book was the only reason I would go to school. This is why I would recommend reading this in a bookclub, because this NEEDS to be debated in a group.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mindgame is a play written by Anthony Horowitz that is closely tied to one of his books: the twist of a knife. Is it a great play? No. He admits as much in the book itself. Is it a fun potboiler? Yes! Does it trick you? Yes. I’m sorry that this place saw no success in London, and I can understand why. It’s very old-fashioned. But it’s terrific. Fun as is almost everything. Horowitz writes. It’s a quick read as well.

[Romulus · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 perhaps. Although there are some interesting ideas the play becomes more fanciful, more unconvincing and more tedious as it progresses. Some readers compare it to Schaffer’s Sleuth but it has more in common with Schaffer’s Murderer, by which it might have been inspired — the escalating level of bloody violence, a murder which turns out to be a hoax etc. I found the swapping of roles and the pretentious psychobabble very annoying indeed. AH is not as clever as he thinks he is.

[Ana María · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in preparation of the new Hawthorne novel that will be out in November. Love how Horowitz makes himself a character in his own books and so can critique and recontextualize certain past, less-than-inspired work. It was very funny reading this play and imagining what Hawthorne will eventually say...(let alone the critic who winds up dead)!

[Bimbabati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, solid thriller. It's doubly impressive because it's so hard to write good thrillers as plays. There's a reason Mousetrap is one-of-its-kind! (Horowitz still hasn't managed to outclass Christie though. I saw that ending coming from a mile away.)

[N N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horowitz's plotting is his weakest point. This is his best that I've yet come across, either in films or fiction. Not quite a masterpiece - he was aiming at 'Sleuth'-level originality, by his own admission - but a creditable, and quite funny for those who can stomach it, stab at the genre.

[Jason Cady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this after finishing Horowitz's "Twist of A Knife." The play is riveting, though I probably agree with some of the criticisms of it, but please don't kill me. I hope Horowitz writes more plays.

[Courtney Ravelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this play made me laugh out loud at times, I was deeply annoyed at the portrayal of violence against women. Plus, the endless twists and turns were confusing and sometimes made the circumstances hard to believe. However, the stakes remained high and the dialogue was high brow.

[Jesse Kade Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this play. Thought I had it sussed by page 11, which I did, however the writing was so strong that I doubted my gut and was able to really enjoy the ride. So somehow even though I ultimately found it predictable, I was still taken by some of the twists.

[Hans Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

i wanna see this irl, wow

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A twisted read with lots of unexpected devices.

[Belinda Avdek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short play, a bit gruesome. Thought I had it figured out right away and then a twist at the end. A bit weird in concept. Fast read.

[Anna Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am shocked

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/6 points, brilliant play-script, very exciting and interesting characters

[Rina · Rating 3 out of 5]

had to read it because of school. I liked it more than other school books but just not my cup of tea

[BZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to read after A Twist of the Knife. It's interesting, probably would have been better to see it live to watch all the stage changes happening subtly

[Saskia]

Gut

[sanchit varma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously dark, pulpy and twisted with a killer ending that left me reeling.

One of Horowitz's most ingenious works.
Brilliant - Glad I seeked this out.

[Taco Beta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Alif]

found it one of the books of Anthony Horowitz so read!

[caleb · Rating 1 out of 5]

feeling like daniel hawthorne right about now

[mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 ☆
•
its giving die Physiker and not in a good way

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered Mindgame not realising it was a play, simply on the premise of having been written by Anthony Horowitz, so in some ways, it was a pleasant surprise to obtain such a thin tome. The story line itself very soon becomes a conundrum, which twists and turns into a surprising denouement while messing with your mind. Highly recommended!