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Susan Ryeland #3
Marble Hall Murders
Murder links past and present once again in this mind-boggling metafictional mystery from Anthony Horowitz—another tribute to the golden age of Agatha Christie featuring detective Atticus Pund and editor Susan Ryland, stars of the New York Times bestsellers Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders.
Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel, and her Greek boyfriend Andreas in search of a new life back in England.
Freelancing for Causton Books, she’s working on the manuscript of a novel, Pund’s Last Case, by a young author named Eliot Crace, a continuation of the popular Alan Conway series. Susan is surprised to learn that Eliot is the grandson of legendary children’s author Marian Crace, who died some fifteen years ago—murdered, Elliot insists, by poison.
As Susan begins to read the manuscript’s opening chapters, the skeptical editor is relieved to find that Pund’s Last Case is actually very good. Set in the South of France, it revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, who, though mortally ill, is poisoned—perhaps by a member of her own family. But who did it? And why?
The deeper Susan reads, the more it becomes clear that the clues leading to the truth of Marian Crace’s death are hidden within this Atticus Pund mystery.
While Eliot’s accusation becomes more plausible, his behavior grows increasingly erratic.. Then he is suddenly killed in a hit-and-run accident, and Susan finds herself under police scrutiny as a suspect in his killing.
Three mysterious deaths. Multiple motives and possible murderers. If Susan doesn’t solve the mystery of Pund’s Last Case, she may well be the next victim.
Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel, and her Greek boyfriend Andreas in search of a new life back in England.
Freelancing for Causton Books, she’s working on the manuscript of a novel, Pund’s Last Case, by a young author named Eliot Crace, a continuation of the popular Alan Conway series. Susan is surprised to learn that Eliot is the grandson of legendary children’s author Marian Crace, who died some fifteen years ago—murdered, Elliot insists, by poison.
As Susan begins to read the manuscript’s opening chapters, the skeptical editor is relieved to find that Pund’s Last Case is actually very good. Set in the South of France, it revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, who, though mortally ill, is poisoned—perhaps by a member of her own family. But who did it? And why?
The deeper Susan reads, the more it becomes clear that the clues leading to the truth of Marian Crace’s death are hidden within this Atticus Pund mystery.
While Eliot’s accusation becomes more plausible, his behavior grows increasingly erratic.. Then he is suddenly killed in a hit-and-run accident, and Susan finds herself under police scrutiny as a suspect in his killing.
Three mysterious deaths. Multiple motives and possible murderers. If Susan doesn’t solve the mystery of Pund’s Last Case, she may well be the next victim.
582 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2025
3087 people are currently reading
28255 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Horowitz
345 books20.9k followersAnthony 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...
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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,738 reviews
June 22, 2025
GASP! I’ve always known that Anthony Horowitz is quite the master of mystery, but Marble Hall Murders managed to take the cake in a long list of stunners. From the book-within-a-book format to the fully fleshed out protagonists, there literally wasn’t a thing not to love about this third book in the series. What in particular won me over the most? With a complex storyline, dysfunctional family dynamic (times two), and a memorable conclusion, I was utterly floored by the time I reached the last word. Actually…that’s underselling it a bit. You see, in reality I was grinning with glee as I closed the cover all while crossing my fingers and toes that this tour de force wasn’t going to be the last book in the series despite my very real fears that it will.
But let me back up just a bit. You see, told in dual timelines by multiple POVs and two interwoven storylines, it could have gone so very wrong. After all, not only was there a lot to keep track of, but there were two long casts of characters. What Horowitz did with utter precision, however, was braid together plot lines and personas all while throwing in a whole host of red herrings, subtle clues, and earth-shattering twists. Make no mistake, he’s the reincarnation of Agatha Christie in all of her virtuoso-like skill. From the Golden Age-esque dénouements to the quirky yet realistic characters, this book brought to life some of her biggest shockers all while keeping it decidedly modern. In short, it was complete and utter perfection with a capital P.
All said and done, this deft work of metafiction managed to shock me but good. An almost six-hundred-page whodunnit that will keep you in suspense thanks to its fast pace, constantly shifting plot, and unguessable reveals, I loved everything about it, but especially the compelling protagonists. As for the narrators, the amateur sleuth in the present matched the fictional detective every step of the way. Strong-willed, clever, and cunning, they were both exceptionally well-drawn. So, while this was my favorite book in the series, I still highly recommend reading them all in order. Not only will you get a nasty spoiler if you dive into this one first, but you surely don’t want to miss out on a minute with Atticus Pünd or Susan. Rating of 5+++ stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel and her Greek boyfriend, Andreas, in search of a new life back in England.
Freelancing for a London publisher, she's given the last job she wants: working on an Atticus Pünd continuation novel called Pünd’s Last Case. Worse still, she knows the new writer. Eliot Crace is the troubled grandson of legendary children’s author Miriam Crace who died twenty years ago. Eliot is convinced she was murdered—by poison.
To her surprise, Susan enjoys reading the manuscript which is set in the South of France and revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, days before she was about to change her will. But when it is revealed that Lady Margaret was also poisoned, alarm bells begin to ring.
The more Susan reads, the clearer it becomes that Eliot has deliberately concealed clues about his grandmother’s death inside the book.
Desperately, Susan tries to prevent Eliot from putting himself in harm’s way—but his behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic. Another murder follows…and suddenly Susan finds herself to be the number one suspect.
Thank you to Anthony Horowitz and Harper Books for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 13, 2025
Content warning: terminal illness, drug and alcohol addiction, animal injury, knife violence, mention of: domestic violence, suicide
But let me back up just a bit. You see, told in dual timelines by multiple POVs and two interwoven storylines, it could have gone so very wrong. After all, not only was there a lot to keep track of, but there were two long casts of characters. What Horowitz did with utter precision, however, was braid together plot lines and personas all while throwing in a whole host of red herrings, subtle clues, and earth-shattering twists. Make no mistake, he’s the reincarnation of Agatha Christie in all of her virtuoso-like skill. From the Golden Age-esque dénouements to the quirky yet realistic characters, this book brought to life some of her biggest shockers all while keeping it decidedly modern. In short, it was complete and utter perfection with a capital P.
All said and done, this deft work of metafiction managed to shock me but good. An almost six-hundred-page whodunnit that will keep you in suspense thanks to its fast pace, constantly shifting plot, and unguessable reveals, I loved everything about it, but especially the compelling protagonists. As for the narrators, the amateur sleuth in the present matched the fictional detective every step of the way. Strong-willed, clever, and cunning, they were both exceptionally well-drawn. So, while this was my favorite book in the series, I still highly recommend reading them all in order. Not only will you get a nasty spoiler if you dive into this one first, but you surely don’t want to miss out on a minute with Atticus Pünd or Susan. Rating of 5+++ stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel and her Greek boyfriend, Andreas, in search of a new life back in England.
Freelancing for a London publisher, she's given the last job she wants: working on an Atticus Pünd continuation novel called Pünd’s Last Case. Worse still, she knows the new writer. Eliot Crace is the troubled grandson of legendary children’s author Miriam Crace who died twenty years ago. Eliot is convinced she was murdered—by poison.
To her surprise, Susan enjoys reading the manuscript which is set in the South of France and revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, days before she was about to change her will. But when it is revealed that Lady Margaret was also poisoned, alarm bells begin to ring.
The more Susan reads, the clearer it becomes that Eliot has deliberately concealed clues about his grandmother’s death inside the book.
Desperately, Susan tries to prevent Eliot from putting himself in harm’s way—but his behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic. Another murder follows…and suddenly Susan finds herself to be the number one suspect.
Thank you to Anthony Horowitz and Harper Books for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 13, 2025
Content warning: terminal illness, drug and alcohol addiction, animal injury, knife violence, mention of: domestic violence, suicide
May 17, 2025
The crime is a most straightforward one, the solution is nothing of the sort.
If you like a fast-paced, quick, read-it-in-one-day, the-twists-kept-coming, kept me up until morning, etc book…, you won’t like this one.
But if you like to cozy up with the book with a cup of tea on the side, if you like to take your time, read a couple of chapters a day like you would watch a cozy mystery episode by episode; if you won’t be impatient; if you like Christie-esque mysteries and if like me you like the writing to be on a par with the plot, then you will love this book.
This is the third book in Susan Ryeland Series. It could be read as a standalone, but beware, the identity of the culprit of the first book (Magpie Murders) is mentioned in this one. So I suggest you grab the first book before reading the rest.
I won’t go into details, because it’s complicated and I won’t be able to explain what is what. As with the other books, this one also is a book within a book.
This is my 15th five star book by Mr. Horowitz.
In my opinion, he is one of the best crime writers of the 21th century.
If you like a fast-paced, quick, read-it-in-one-day, the-twists-kept-coming, kept me up until morning, etc book…, you won’t like this one.
But if you like to cozy up with the book with a cup of tea on the side, if you like to take your time, read a couple of chapters a day like you would watch a cozy mystery episode by episode; if you won’t be impatient; if you like Christie-esque mysteries and if like me you like the writing to be on a par with the plot, then you will love this book.
This is the third book in Susan Ryeland Series. It could be read as a standalone, but beware, the identity of the culprit of the first book (Magpie Murders) is mentioned in this one. So I suggest you grab the first book before reading the rest.
I won’t go into details, because it’s complicated and I won’t be able to explain what is what. As with the other books, this one also is a book within a book.
This is my 15th five star book by Mr. Horowitz.
In my opinion, he is one of the best crime writers of the 21th century.
October 26, 2025
I love Anthony Horowitz and his mysteries.
So while I immediately downloaded this audiobook as soon as possible due to my fangirl status, a big part of me was like, whaaaaat? how is he doing another of these Ryeland mysteries?
And unfortunately, that question was never adequately answered for me while I listened to this.
I still kind of bought into the premise enough to gobble up the book, though.
And it's a shitty, shitty, shitty premise.
If you don't know, the original Susan Ryeland is a book called Magpie Murders and it's a lot of fun. But it seriously should have been a one-and-done.
The whole idea is that you're reading a (very good) Hercule Poirot rip-off, when it suddenly switches and you realize that you've been reading a mystery novel and the author has been MuRdErED! Susan is the author's publisher, and now she's looking for not only the last few pages of the famous author's manuscript, but also his murderer.
AND THE AUTHOR HAS LEFT CLUES AS TO WHO HATES HIM IN HIS NOVEL!
Very cool, right?
Well, it is.
Now, there should never have been a sequel. But there was and Horowitz made it work for me. Mainly because Susan is an excellent character and no matter my misgivings, I wanted to go on one more ride with her.
This? Book three?
Sir, you need to stop.
And yet. I was somehow still invested in this silly story enough not to outright hate it. If that doesn't tell you what a top-tier writer Horowitz is, I don't know what else to say.
Ok, so this time around, a new publisher has the rights to Alan Conway's character, Atticus Pünd. They're planning on making continuation novels of this famous literary detective, and they asked Susan to be the freelance editor who works with their new author.
Except Susan has already worked with this guy, and he's a hot mess.
BUT! She needs a job because Crete and her lovely boyfriend, Andreas, weren't what she wanted out of life, and now she's found herself back in London and on her own.
Basically, she needs this job and that's the crux of why she would ever get involved with anything to do with Pund or Conway again.
Does it make sense?
No.
But we're expected to take this and just kind of go with it out of love for the characters.
And I do love the characters.
Swear to god, Horowitz. This had better be the last book.
The mystery is unbelievably convoluted, partly because you're trying to solve the literary mystery the author has written, , and then the real life murder (or murders) mystery. And partly because the murders are simply convoluted due to their over-the-top nature.
Don't get me wrong, I'm here for the OTT cozy mysteries! But coupled with the how the fuck did someone green light another one of these books vibe happening, it was too much for me.
Susan keeps poking her nose into the author's family secrets because she doesn't want to get caught up in more drama like she did when she was looking into the secrets Alan Conway left in his books.
Yes, you did read that sentence correctly, Random Goodreader.
The plot then has this looping quality where it's constantly trying to find sane reasons for Susan to do the things to push it forward, and unfortunately, none of them really land.
No reasonable person who wants to stay out of drama goes uninvited to the family home and asks dramatic questions.
Period.
I personally love other people's problems, and will freely admit that if you put me between two slices of white bread, you'd have a gossip whore sandwich. But I've found that there is a very easy way not to get swept into the middle of ugly situations, and it is quite simply to remain in my seat. This allows for me to be far enough away not to get hit by the trainwreck and yet view the entire thing with binoculars from the comfort of my lawn chair.
Trainwreck-adjacent.
My point is, I don't judge nosey people. And the only way this scenario works is if Susan is a curious busybody who openly admits that she can't help herself from stirring the pot. Coming up with implausible reasons for her to fuck around in this man's personal business while claiming that she doesn't want trouble is just one of the many things that didn't work here.
The whythefuckdidthisbookhappen is explained at the end when Horowitz says that the actress Lesley Manville, who portrays Susan Ryeland in the television series, & also does a fabulous job narrating this book, told him that she would like to do one more season.
Ta-da!
So, that's what this is, and you can take it however you want to.
The one thing I did really like about this?
I thought it was a good choice to have Susan amicably split from Andreas and start her life over in London in her 50s. That she was always career-minded and independent, and had to start over, and that her sister had "done things the right way" and still had to start over, was a nice touch.
Life does not go according to anyone's best-laid plans, so do what's right for you and let the chips fall where they may.
I'm torn. I love the way Horowitz writes, but this was a bit of hot plot garbage.
Meh.
So while I immediately downloaded this audiobook as soon as possible due to my fangirl status, a big part of me was like, whaaaaat? how is he doing another of these Ryeland mysteries?
And unfortunately, that question was never adequately answered for me while I listened to this.
I still kind of bought into the premise enough to gobble up the book, though.
And it's a shitty, shitty, shitty premise.
If you don't know, the original Susan Ryeland is a book called Magpie Murders and it's a lot of fun. But it seriously should have been a one-and-done.
The whole idea is that you're reading a (very good) Hercule Poirot rip-off, when it suddenly switches and you realize that you've been reading a mystery novel and the author has been MuRdErED! Susan is the author's publisher, and now she's looking for not only the last few pages of the famous author's manuscript, but also his murderer.
AND THE AUTHOR HAS LEFT CLUES AS TO WHO HATES HIM IN HIS NOVEL!
Very cool, right?
Well, it is.
Now, there should never have been a sequel. But there was and Horowitz made it work for me. Mainly because Susan is an excellent character and no matter my misgivings, I wanted to go on one more ride with her.
This? Book three?
Sir, you need to stop.
And yet. I was somehow still invested in this silly story enough not to outright hate it. If that doesn't tell you what a top-tier writer Horowitz is, I don't know what else to say.
Ok, so this time around, a new publisher has the rights to Alan Conway's character, Atticus Pünd. They're planning on making continuation novels of this famous literary detective, and they asked Susan to be the freelance editor who works with their new author.
Except Susan has already worked with this guy, and he's a hot mess.
BUT! She needs a job because Crete and her lovely boyfriend, Andreas, weren't what she wanted out of life, and now she's found herself back in London and on her own.
Basically, she needs this job and that's the crux of why she would ever get involved with anything to do with Pund or Conway again.
Does it make sense?
No.
But we're expected to take this and just kind of go with it out of love for the characters.
And I do love the characters.
Swear to god, Horowitz. This had better be the last book.
The mystery is unbelievably convoluted, partly because you're trying to solve the literary mystery the author has written, , and then the real life murder (or murders) mystery. And partly because the murders are simply convoluted due to their over-the-top nature.
Don't get me wrong, I'm here for the OTT cozy mysteries! But coupled with the how the fuck did someone green light another one of these books vibe happening, it was too much for me.
Susan keeps poking her nose into the author's family secrets because she doesn't want to get caught up in more drama like she did when she was looking into the secrets Alan Conway left in his books.
Yes, you did read that sentence correctly, Random Goodreader.
The plot then has this looping quality where it's constantly trying to find sane reasons for Susan to do the things to push it forward, and unfortunately, none of them really land.
No reasonable person who wants to stay out of drama goes uninvited to the family home and asks dramatic questions.
Period.
I personally love other people's problems, and will freely admit that if you put me between two slices of white bread, you'd have a gossip whore sandwich. But I've found that there is a very easy way not to get swept into the middle of ugly situations, and it is quite simply to remain in my seat. This allows for me to be far enough away not to get hit by the trainwreck and yet view the entire thing with binoculars from the comfort of my lawn chair.
Trainwreck-adjacent.
My point is, I don't judge nosey people. And the only way this scenario works is if Susan is a curious busybody who openly admits that she can't help herself from stirring the pot. Coming up with implausible reasons for her to fuck around in this man's personal business while claiming that she doesn't want trouble is just one of the many things that didn't work here.
The whythefuckdidthisbookhappen is explained at the end when Horowitz says that the actress Lesley Manville, who portrays Susan Ryeland in the television series, & also does a fabulous job narrating this book, told him that she would like to do one more season.
Ta-da!
So, that's what this is, and you can take it however you want to.
The one thing I did really like about this?
I thought it was a good choice to have Susan amicably split from Andreas and start her life over in London in her 50s. That she was always career-minded and independent, and had to start over, and that her sister had "done things the right way" and still had to start over, was a nice touch.
Life does not go according to anyone's best-laid plans, so do what's right for you and let the chips fall where they may.
I'm torn. I love the way Horowitz writes, but this was a bit of hot plot garbage.
Meh.
July 4, 2025
If you haven’t read the series, I highly recommend you start with book # 1, Magpie Murders, followed by book #2, Moonflower Murders.
As with all the Susan Ryeland series, this is a book within a book. Susan is an editor who is hired to work with Elliot, the writer chosen to continue the Atticus Pund series after the author, Alan Conway, died.
As Susan reads the manuscript, it becomes clear that the author based his book on the death of his grandmother, the author of a wildly popular series of children’s books. She was thought to have passed away from a heart condition but Elliot hints that it was murder.
As she reads, Susan becomes even more convinced that Elliot has used anagrams, hidden clues to his grandmother’s death within the book.
What follows is an intricate, brilliantly plotted story in the vein of Agatha Christie, an author I absolutely adore. It’s a book to sit back and savor as you watch all the puzzle pieces fall into place. I love puzzles, so this part of the story was right up my alley.
This is a longer book, but it doesn’t read as one.
I do hope this isn’t the last Susan Ryeland book, but at least I have the continuation of the tv series to look forward to.
Narrated by Lesley Manville, who plays Susan Ryeland in the tv series, and Tim McMullen, who plays Atticus Pund. It was fun to see the characters in my mind’s eye as I listened to their narration. Excellent!
As with all the Susan Ryeland series, this is a book within a book. Susan is an editor who is hired to work with Elliot, the writer chosen to continue the Atticus Pund series after the author, Alan Conway, died.
As Susan reads the manuscript, it becomes clear that the author based his book on the death of his grandmother, the author of a wildly popular series of children’s books. She was thought to have passed away from a heart condition but Elliot hints that it was murder.
As she reads, Susan becomes even more convinced that Elliot has used anagrams, hidden clues to his grandmother’s death within the book.
What follows is an intricate, brilliantly plotted story in the vein of Agatha Christie, an author I absolutely adore. It’s a book to sit back and savor as you watch all the puzzle pieces fall into place. I love puzzles, so this part of the story was right up my alley.
This is a longer book, but it doesn’t read as one.
I do hope this isn’t the last Susan Ryeland book, but at least I have the continuation of the tv series to look forward to.
Narrated by Lesley Manville, who plays Susan Ryeland in the tv series, and Tim McMullen, who plays Atticus Pund. It was fun to see the characters in my mind’s eye as I listened to their narration. Excellent!
January 20, 2025
It's what makes a murder mystery unique in the world of popular fiction. It may seem brilliant, but an awful lot depends on the last chapter. Only when you get there do you find out if the book was worth reading to begin with.
It's this kind of insight into the murder mystery genre that makes this series so much fun. Horowitz is, as ever, slightly tongue in cheek here as he gives us not one ending but two, hedging his bets mischievously.
Once again, Susan Ryeland is brought back into the world of Atticus Pund, this time through a new author's continuation of Alan Conway's series. And, of course, Eliot Crace continues the Conway tradition of hiding a real murder in his fiction - leading Susan to play both editor and detective again.
I would strongly suggest that readers of this finish Magpie Murders first as there are spoilers for that first book here and an unexpected return to that storyline.
But otherwise this feels like a darker entry than the earlier two - though there is no shortage of light heartedness as well. The whole book-within-a-book thing is managed with its usual aplomb and Horowitz finds a way to add a twist to keep the plot buoyant.
What really makes these books for me, though, is the voice and character of Susan herself: sharp, smart, biting and more than a bit spiky - and one of the best acts of ventriloquism by a male author that I can think of. From the afterword, I'm not sure if another book is planned - but I really hope it happens.
Many thanks to Random House/Cornerstone for an ARC via Netgalley
June 8, 2025
As I sat here reading the 3rd and final novel in the Susan Ryeland series, I had to ask myself the same thing Susan Ryeland, the editor was asking herself, ‘why am I here, again?”
For Susan she may have a different answer. She has a mortgage to pay. And thus, she was being asked to read and edit a manuscript that was being written by another author that would extend dead author Alan Conway’s, Atticus Pund’s mysteries. To her that would bring up tortuous memories. Was it going to be worth it? For me, would it be worth it? Especially since I didn’t like “Moonflower Murders,” the second in the series.
In this book, Susan is typically a loner, after realizing a relationship back in Crete had gone the distance. Susan and readers will learn she will be better off with the adoption of Hugo the cat. Readers will learn that Hugo will be an important relationship that doesn’t become clear to us until towards the end when something happens.
And, what did the author mean when they started the book with the following paragraph…
“Marble Hall Murders is a stand-alone novel – but it is also the third book in a series that began with Magpie Murders. Readers should be aware that the solution to Magpie Murders is revealed in this book.”
Huh? What does that mean?
I mean, I obviously loved “Magpie Murders” both as a book and a Britbox television series, even if I didn’t like “Moonflower Murders.” So, that paragraph absolutely confused me.
What I do know is that this is the third and final installment in this series. And, for that I am grateful. Because to be honest, this book within a book is underwhelming. Now that I have read all three, I think the series should have stayed with the first book, and stopped there.
As I mentioned earlier, Susan is expected to work with another author to finish off the dead author’s Atticus Pund mystery who also eventually ends up dead. Oh my! Her hope in putting herself in this regretful position will be to get a full-time editing position out of the deal. But complications obviously occur which leads her in a very unpleasant direction that also becomes rather complicated. Poor Susan! Isn’t she just supposed to be an editor?
When we first are introduced to “Magpie Murders,” it was a unique premise and concept to read a book within a book. Now, it feels old and worn out, with 130ish pages of ‘Pund’s Last Case’ also included within this story. Supposedly, if we pay close attention, this continuation novel gives us keys and clues within clues to Susan’s story of armchair sleuthing. Unfortunately though, the telling felt rather uninspiring.
Of course, for Agatha Christie fans, there will be those twisty moments, but it won’t happen until towards the end which means you have a long time to wait for it, and that may take some incredible patience because this book is 579 pages. Would it just be easier to skim through?
So, was the Pund story really necessary? And, what finally happens to Susan Ryeland? Does she get what she needs in the end? Could the story have been told just through her, without readers having to be dragged through ‘Pund’s Last Case?’
Typically, I am a Horowitz fan. But as I said earlier, I am glad this series is over. I hope you enjoy this one more than I did.
One last thing…
Remember when I said that the cat Hugo will be important to Susan when something happens towards the end? Well, I won’t give away spoilers, but I will say that, Hugo lives. I wanted to be sure you knew that much. 🐾
2.5 stars
For Susan she may have a different answer. She has a mortgage to pay. And thus, she was being asked to read and edit a manuscript that was being written by another author that would extend dead author Alan Conway’s, Atticus Pund’s mysteries. To her that would bring up tortuous memories. Was it going to be worth it? For me, would it be worth it? Especially since I didn’t like “Moonflower Murders,” the second in the series.
In this book, Susan is typically a loner, after realizing a relationship back in Crete had gone the distance. Susan and readers will learn she will be better off with the adoption of Hugo the cat. Readers will learn that Hugo will be an important relationship that doesn’t become clear to us until towards the end when something happens.
And, what did the author mean when they started the book with the following paragraph…
“Marble Hall Murders is a stand-alone novel – but it is also the third book in a series that began with Magpie Murders. Readers should be aware that the solution to Magpie Murders is revealed in this book.”
Huh? What does that mean?
I mean, I obviously loved “Magpie Murders” both as a book and a Britbox television series, even if I didn’t like “Moonflower Murders.” So, that paragraph absolutely confused me.
What I do know is that this is the third and final installment in this series. And, for that I am grateful. Because to be honest, this book within a book is underwhelming. Now that I have read all three, I think the series should have stayed with the first book, and stopped there.
As I mentioned earlier, Susan is expected to work with another author to finish off the dead author’s Atticus Pund mystery who also eventually ends up dead. Oh my! Her hope in putting herself in this regretful position will be to get a full-time editing position out of the deal. But complications obviously occur which leads her in a very unpleasant direction that also becomes rather complicated. Poor Susan! Isn’t she just supposed to be an editor?
When we first are introduced to “Magpie Murders,” it was a unique premise and concept to read a book within a book. Now, it feels old and worn out, with 130ish pages of ‘Pund’s Last Case’ also included within this story. Supposedly, if we pay close attention, this continuation novel gives us keys and clues within clues to Susan’s story of armchair sleuthing. Unfortunately though, the telling felt rather uninspiring.
Of course, for Agatha Christie fans, there will be those twisty moments, but it won’t happen until towards the end which means you have a long time to wait for it, and that may take some incredible patience because this book is 579 pages. Would it just be easier to skim through?
So, was the Pund story really necessary? And, what finally happens to Susan Ryeland? Does she get what she needs in the end? Could the story have been told just through her, without readers having to be dragged through ‘Pund’s Last Case?’
Typically, I am a Horowitz fan. But as I said earlier, I am glad this series is over. I hope you enjoy this one more than I did.
One last thing…
Remember when I said that the cat Hugo will be important to Susan when something happens towards the end? Well, I won’t give away spoilers, but I will say that, Hugo lives. I wanted to be sure you knew that much. 🐾
2.5 stars
July 14, 2025
Wow, I really enjoyed this one, BUT it was really LONG.
At 582 pages, it took me longer to finish. I wasn't wanting to "rush" through, but enjoy the two storylines and murder mysteries that were involved.
This is #3 in the series (which is a favorite of mine). The author weaves an excellent story with all the puzzle pieces scattered throughout to keep your own detective skills on high alert. I would only read this one if you've read the first two, as the mystery is complex and it is helpful to understand the history of these beloved characters!
I added the audio as well, which was super entertaining! 🎧❤️
At 582 pages, it took me longer to finish. I wasn't wanting to "rush" through, but enjoy the two storylines and murder mysteries that were involved.
This is #3 in the series (which is a favorite of mine). The author weaves an excellent story with all the puzzle pieces scattered throughout to keep your own detective skills on high alert. I would only read this one if you've read the first two, as the mystery is complex and it is helpful to understand the history of these beloved characters!
I added the audio as well, which was super entertaining! 🎧❤️
August 11, 2025
4 solid stars - I really did like this third outing for editor Susan Ryland & fictional detective Atticus Pund, and though I did struggle a bit with the page count, I’m still glad I read it, especially as I’d enjoyed the tw0 previous. There were three very distinct mysteries here - the “meta” one with Pund’s “book in a book”, and two in Susan’s timeline - who was trying to frame her and what happened with the Crace family. Two of the three were quite deftly plotted and rather intricate, and I enjoyed both of those reveals and I also loved Hugo cat😻 and was glad he survived it all. Recommend if you like “Golden Age” callbacks plus this series has been adapted by PBS too.
May 25, 2025
These mysteries are an intellectual FEAT, good lord.
June 19, 2025
Another Anthony Horowitz winner!
Once again, Anthony Horowitz rises to the top of my list for mystery writers who can thrill and amaze me.
In this outing with detective Atticus Pund and editor Susan Ryland, we are led into two murders it seems that occurred years apart.
Susan, a Causton Books, former employee, freelances for them and is engaged in editing a book by Eliot Crace, grandson of the famous children's author, Marian Crace, who died years ago, and who Eliot believes was poisoned.
Eliot writes a tantalizing story of a French woman named Lady Margaret Chalfont, who appears to have been poisoned.
Susan begins to realize that the Chalfont story resembles Eliot's grandmother's death. Then tragically another death occurs and Susan is pegged for the murder.
For those who loved The Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders, and of course detective Atticus Pund, this story will ignite your fondness for the age of Agatha Christie, brought to life once again by the talented Anthony Horowitz.
Once again, Anthony Horowitz rises to the top of my list for mystery writers who can thrill and amaze me.
In this outing with detective Atticus Pund and editor Susan Ryland, we are led into two murders it seems that occurred years apart.
Susan, a Causton Books, former employee, freelances for them and is engaged in editing a book by Eliot Crace, grandson of the famous children's author, Marian Crace, who died years ago, and who Eliot believes was poisoned.
Eliot writes a tantalizing story of a French woman named Lady Margaret Chalfont, who appears to have been poisoned.
Susan begins to realize that the Chalfont story resembles Eliot's grandmother's death. Then tragically another death occurs and Susan is pegged for the murder.
For those who loved The Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders, and of course detective Atticus Pund, this story will ignite your fondness for the age of Agatha Christie, brought to life once again by the talented Anthony Horowitz.
August 14, 2025
A new Anthony Horowitz crime novel is always good...but knowing that this new book follows on from the incredibly fascinating and brilliant Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders ( No" The " please) means it was a must-read !
Susan Ryeland returns and with that a final case for Atticus Pünd. Interweaving a crisis for Susan with a Pünd story set in the south of France then this is a fast paced adventure. Anthony Horowitz has this talent to pull you into a book then there is no stopping- you are gripped.
In this case, Susan Ryeland is asked to edit a new Pünd story written by a different author- Eliot Grace. Grace's grandmother Miriam Grace became globally renowned as the writer of The Little People books - a series of tales for children.
But Eliot believes his grandmother was murdered- poisoned twenty years earlier; it soon becomes clear to Susan that Eliot's new Pünd novel is giving clues to her murderer and echoing events in the family home of The Crace's - Marble Hall.- where the matriarch kept her family under a rod of iron through bullying and coercion.
As ever, the plotting is intricate and many a red herring is put into the mix leading the reader in different directions whether it be determining the murderer of Miriam Crace or the killer in the Anticus Pünd story- puzzles and anagrams pervade. As in the previous stories, Susan Ryeland finds herself in some tricky situations but her perseverance and determination never fail.
With echoes of vintage period Christie and Horowitz's genre- bending brilliance of mixing a story within a story in a contemporary setting , this third and most likely final novel in the series is excellent - do read the two previous books before this final one for full impact.
Superb - a highly recommended read- certainly going to be one of the top crime books of 2025
Susan Ryeland returns and with that a final case for Atticus Pünd. Interweaving a crisis for Susan with a Pünd story set in the south of France then this is a fast paced adventure. Anthony Horowitz has this talent to pull you into a book then there is no stopping- you are gripped.
In this case, Susan Ryeland is asked to edit a new Pünd story written by a different author- Eliot Grace. Grace's grandmother Miriam Grace became globally renowned as the writer of The Little People books - a series of tales for children.
But Eliot believes his grandmother was murdered- poisoned twenty years earlier; it soon becomes clear to Susan that Eliot's new Pünd novel is giving clues to her murderer and echoing events in the family home of The Crace's - Marble Hall.- where the matriarch kept her family under a rod of iron through bullying and coercion.
As ever, the plotting is intricate and many a red herring is put into the mix leading the reader in different directions whether it be determining the murderer of Miriam Crace or the killer in the Anticus Pünd story- puzzles and anagrams pervade. As in the previous stories, Susan Ryeland finds herself in some tricky situations but her perseverance and determination never fail.
With echoes of vintage period Christie and Horowitz's genre- bending brilliance of mixing a story within a story in a contemporary setting , this third and most likely final novel in the series is excellent - do read the two previous books before this final one for full impact.
Superb - a highly recommended read- certainly going to be one of the top crime books of 2025
April 25, 2025
EXCERPT: ' . . . they needed the money. I wouldn't say no to twenty thousand pounds myself! But they were going to get it anyway. Maybe in a few days. Maybe in a few weeks. All they had to do was wait.'
Pünd smiled. 'Ah, yes. It is the question that comes up again and again.'
'Why murder a woman who is already dying?'
'Exactly, James. And I will give you the obvious answer, because it is, I believe, the key to everything that has happened.'
'Why, then?'
'Because, my friend, it does not matter.'
ABOUT 'MARBLE HALL MURDERS': Susan Ryeland has had enough of murder.
She’s edited two novels about the famous detective, Atticus Pünd, and both times she’s come close to being killed. Now she’s back in England and she’s been persuaded to work on a third.
The new ‘continuation’ novel is by Eliot Crace, grandson of Miriam Crace who was the biggest selling children’s author in the world until her death exactly twenty years ago.
Eliot believes that Miriam was deliberately poisoned. And when he tells Susan that he has hidden the identity of Miriam’s killer inside his book, Susan knows she’s in trouble once again.
As Susan works on Pünd’s Last Case, a story set in an exotic villa in the South of France, she uncovers more and more parallels between the past and the present, the fictional and the real world – until suddenly she finds that she has become a target herself.
It seems that someone in Eliot’s family doesn’t want the book to be written. And they will do anything to prevent it.
MY THOUGHTS: As with the first two books in this series, we have another book within a book to enjoy and ponder over. It's a read where you have to keep your wits about you; it can be a little difficult to remember which timeline and which story you are in. But, as with the first two books, Marble Hall Murders (encompassing Pünd's Last Case) is a superb read.
I enjoyed both facets of the storyline: Susan Ryeland in the present time editing a 'continuation' novel of the Atticus Pünd series penned by Eliot Crace; and the story of the Chalfont family and the murder of the matriarch, Lady Margaret set in France in 1955. There is a rather useful character list for this family just as there is a family tree for the Crace family.
It's not always easy to like Susan. She can be quite sharp and tends to speak before putting her brain into gear. This tends to get her into rather a lot of trouble, and I would have thought that by now she would have learned to temper her impulses.
Actually, to be quite honest, while there aren't a lot of likeable characters in this novel there are characters, like Susan, that you will want to root for. There are characters I felt sympathy for, sometimes somewhat misguidedly, and characters that are simply so awful that you want them to be guilty.
We do have a wonderful new character, DI Blakeney, who Susan thinks is like one of those Edwardian heroes created by Erskine Childers or John Buchan, dragged into an adventure without quite wanting to be there. Of course, that opinion is only valid when he's not trying to prove her guilty of murder!
The plot is intricate with a good number of both red herrings and valid clues (none of which I picked up on). Marble Hall Murders is a compelling blend of Cluedo and Agatha Christie and I loved it. The bonus is that with two mysteries set in two different time periods, there are two endings plus a sort of epilogue which updates us on Susan's life which was, let's face it,
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#MarbleHallMurders #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Anthony Horowitz's life might have been copied from the pages of Charles Dickens or the Brothers Grimm. Born in 1956 in Stanmore, Middlesex, to a family of wealth and status, Anthony was raised by nannies, surrounded by servants and chauffeurs. His father, a wealthy businessman, was, says Mr. Horowitz, "a fixer for Harold Wilson." What that means exactly is unclear — "My father was a very secretive man," he says— so an aura of suspicion and mystery surrounds both the word and the man. As unlikely as it might seem, Anthony's father, threatened with bankruptcy, withdrew all of his money from Swiss bank accounts in Zurich and deposited it in another account under a false name and then promptly died. His mother searched unsuccessfully for years in attempt to find the money, but it was never found. That too shaped Anthony's view of things. Today he says, "I think the only thing to do with money is spend it." His mother, whom he adored, eccentrically gave him a human skull for his 13th birthday. His grandmother, another Dickensian character, was mean-spirited and malevolent, a destructive force in his life. She was, he says, "a truly evil person", his first and worst arch villain. "My sister and I danced on her grave when she died," he now recalls.
A miserably unhappy and overweight child, Anthony had nowhere to turn for solace. "Family meals," he recalls, "had calories running into the thousands. I was an astoundingly large, round child." At the age of eight he was sent off to boarding school, a standard practice of the times and class in which he was raised. While being away from home came as an enormous relief, the school itself, Orley Farm, was a grand guignol horror with a headmaster who flogged the boys till they bled. "Once the headmaster told me to stand up in assembly and in front of the whole school said, 'This boy is so stupid he will not be coming to Christmas games tomorrow.' I have never totally recovered." To relieve his misery and that of the other boys, he not unsurprisingly made up tales of astounding revenge and retribution.
Anthony Horowitz is perhaps the busiest writer in England. He has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. He writes in a comfortable shed in his garden for up to ten hours per day. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he has also written episodes of several popular TV crime series, including Poirot, Murder in Mind, Midsomer Murders and Murder Most Horrid. He has written a television series Foyle's War, which recently aired in the United States, and he has written the libretto of a Broadway musical adapted from Dr. Seuss's book, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. His film script The Gathering has just finished production. And, oh yes, there are more Alex Rider novels in the works. Anthony has also written the Diamond Brothers series.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for providing an e-ARC of Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Pünd smiled. 'Ah, yes. It is the question that comes up again and again.'
'Why murder a woman who is already dying?'
'Exactly, James. And I will give you the obvious answer, because it is, I believe, the key to everything that has happened.'
'Why, then?'
'Because, my friend, it does not matter.'
ABOUT 'MARBLE HALL MURDERS': Susan Ryeland has had enough of murder.
She’s edited two novels about the famous detective, Atticus Pünd, and both times she’s come close to being killed. Now she’s back in England and she’s been persuaded to work on a third.
The new ‘continuation’ novel is by Eliot Crace, grandson of Miriam Crace who was the biggest selling children’s author in the world until her death exactly twenty years ago.
Eliot believes that Miriam was deliberately poisoned. And when he tells Susan that he has hidden the identity of Miriam’s killer inside his book, Susan knows she’s in trouble once again.
As Susan works on Pünd’s Last Case, a story set in an exotic villa in the South of France, she uncovers more and more parallels between the past and the present, the fictional and the real world – until suddenly she finds that she has become a target herself.
It seems that someone in Eliot’s family doesn’t want the book to be written. And they will do anything to prevent it.
MY THOUGHTS: As with the first two books in this series, we have another book within a book to enjoy and ponder over. It's a read where you have to keep your wits about you; it can be a little difficult to remember which timeline and which story you are in. But, as with the first two books, Marble Hall Murders (encompassing Pünd's Last Case) is a superb read.
I enjoyed both facets of the storyline: Susan Ryeland in the present time editing a 'continuation' novel of the Atticus Pünd series penned by Eliot Crace; and the story of the Chalfont family and the murder of the matriarch, Lady Margaret set in France in 1955. There is a rather useful character list for this family just as there is a family tree for the Crace family.
It's not always easy to like Susan. She can be quite sharp and tends to speak before putting her brain into gear. This tends to get her into rather a lot of trouble, and I would have thought that by now she would have learned to temper her impulses.
Actually, to be quite honest, while there aren't a lot of likeable characters in this novel there are characters, like Susan, that you will want to root for. There are characters I felt sympathy for, sometimes somewhat misguidedly, and characters that are simply so awful that you want them to be guilty.
We do have a wonderful new character, DI Blakeney, who Susan thinks is like one of those Edwardian heroes created by Erskine Childers or John Buchan, dragged into an adventure without quite wanting to be there. Of course, that opinion is only valid when he's not trying to prove her guilty of murder!
The plot is intricate with a good number of both red herrings and valid clues (none of which I picked up on). Marble Hall Murders is a compelling blend of Cluedo and Agatha Christie and I loved it. The bonus is that with two mysteries set in two different time periods, there are two endings plus a sort of epilogue which updates us on Susan's life which was, let's face it,
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#MarbleHallMurders #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Anthony Horowitz's life might have been copied from the pages of Charles Dickens or the Brothers Grimm. Born in 1956 in Stanmore, Middlesex, to a family of wealth and status, Anthony was raised by nannies, surrounded by servants and chauffeurs. His father, a wealthy businessman, was, says Mr. Horowitz, "a fixer for Harold Wilson." What that means exactly is unclear — "My father was a very secretive man," he says— so an aura of suspicion and mystery surrounds both the word and the man. As unlikely as it might seem, Anthony's father, threatened with bankruptcy, withdrew all of his money from Swiss bank accounts in Zurich and deposited it in another account under a false name and then promptly died. His mother searched unsuccessfully for years in attempt to find the money, but it was never found. That too shaped Anthony's view of things. Today he says, "I think the only thing to do with money is spend it." His mother, whom he adored, eccentrically gave him a human skull for his 13th birthday. His grandmother, another Dickensian character, was mean-spirited and malevolent, a destructive force in his life. She was, he says, "a truly evil person", his first and worst arch villain. "My sister and I danced on her grave when she died," he now recalls.
A miserably unhappy and overweight child, Anthony had nowhere to turn for solace. "Family meals," he recalls, "had calories running into the thousands. I was an astoundingly large, round child." At the age of eight he was sent off to boarding school, a standard practice of the times and class in which he was raised. While being away from home came as an enormous relief, the school itself, Orley Farm, was a grand guignol horror with a headmaster who flogged the boys till they bled. "Once the headmaster told me to stand up in assembly and in front of the whole school said, 'This boy is so stupid he will not be coming to Christmas games tomorrow.' I have never totally recovered." To relieve his misery and that of the other boys, he not unsurprisingly made up tales of astounding revenge and retribution.
Anthony Horowitz is perhaps the busiest writer in England. He has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. He writes in a comfortable shed in his garden for up to ten hours per day. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he has also written episodes of several popular TV crime series, including Poirot, Murder in Mind, Midsomer Murders and Murder Most Horrid. He has written a television series Foyle's War, which recently aired in the United States, and he has written the libretto of a Broadway musical adapted from Dr. Seuss's book, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. His film script The Gathering has just finished production. And, oh yes, there are more Alex Rider novels in the works. Anthony has also written the Diamond Brothers series.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for providing an e-ARC of Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 27, 2025
Not as strong as the previous 2, but still highly enjoyable & a fitting end to the trilogy
August 20, 2025
I absolutely ADORE the Susan Ryeland mysteries, by far my favorite book-within-a-book series. I cannot recommend them enough. They seem to be getting better with every subsequent book.
While I enjoy a good traditional whodunnit, this book is the perfect blend of achieving that immersion into the 1900s intellectual detective's investigation, and building a modern mystery around the story, author, and entire publishing process, all the while providing a unique and entertaining insight into the writing craft.
The plot is intuitive, interesting, intricately constructed, and flawlessly executed. There are mysteries and riddles galore, and I even solved one, which usually leaves me annoyed at the end of a mystery. I want to be surprised by the twist! Fortunately, there are so many of them in this one that I didn't care. It's like finding one piece of a jigsaw puzzle—fun, but someone has fit in the rest of the 999 pieces meticulously.
Also, tell me why I, an ardent fan of this series, who awaited every detail of this book, wasn't aware of the amazing TV series based on it? Perhaps the biggest twist this book pulled on me, in the acknowledgment section. I'll be heading off to watch it, and recommending everyone to give this series a try if they like traditional murder mysteries. Horowitz has absolutely nailed them. Start with Magpie Murders! Here's my brief pitch for this series as a whole:
Drum roll for the reveal for my favorite character: Hugo, and yes, I cried a little at that scene.
While I enjoy a good traditional whodunnit, this book is the perfect blend of achieving that immersion into the 1900s intellectual detective's investigation, and building a modern mystery around the story, author, and entire publishing process, all the while providing a unique and entertaining insight into the writing craft.
The plot is intuitive, interesting, intricately constructed, and flawlessly executed. There are mysteries and riddles galore, and I even solved one, which usually leaves me annoyed at the end of a mystery. I want to be surprised by the twist! Fortunately, there are so many of them in this one that I didn't care. It's like finding one piece of a jigsaw puzzle—fun, but someone has fit in the rest of the 999 pieces meticulously.
Also, tell me why I, an ardent fan of this series, who awaited every detail of this book, wasn't aware of the amazing TV series based on it? Perhaps the biggest twist this book pulled on me, in the acknowledgment section. I'll be heading off to watch it, and recommending everyone to give this series a try if they like traditional murder mysteries. Horowitz has absolutely nailed them. Start with Magpie Murders! Here's my brief pitch for this series as a whole:
Susan Ryeland, an editor with experience publishing bestselling murder mysteries, finds that a draft of a whodunnit book she is reading has some hidden details around a mystery she starts dealing with in real life.
Drum roll for the reveal for my favorite character: Hugo, and yes, I cried a little at that scene.
paused-intend-to-finish
May 3, 2025On Hold. Will read at a later date!
I’ve had so many distractions the past few weeks that I’ve barely had any time to give this novel the attention it deserves, so I’m putting it on hold for now. And when I do pick it up again I think I’m going to have to start from the beginning, as I think I’ve been missing details while reading.
The only thing I will say is that the book blurb gives so much away, so if you haven’t read it, I’d avoid it.
I’ve had so many distractions the past few weeks that I’ve barely had any time to give this novel the attention it deserves, so I’m putting it on hold for now. And when I do pick it up again I think I’m going to have to start from the beginning, as I think I’ve been missing details while reading.
The only thing I will say is that the book blurb gives so much away, so if you haven’t read it, I’d avoid it.
April 22, 2025
In my opinion, Anthony Horowitz should have stopped at two books. Marble Hall Murders, the third Susan Ryeland novel, feels like a rehash of what came before—clever in parts, sure, but ultimately too formulaic and far less compelling than Magpie Murders or Moonflower Murders. It’s no secret that this third installment only exists because actress Lesley Manville wanted another go at playing Susan, and unfortunately, it reads that way: more like a vehicle than a fully realized novel.
There’s even a moment of self-awareness in the book when Susan notes, “With Magpie Murders, there had only been one chapter missing. It was now more difficult this time.” That quote sums it up well—Horowitz is working harder here to recapture the novelty of the original, but the strain shows. The nested story-within-a-story device that was so fresh in the first book now feels overused. The structure is too familiar, the twists too expected.
It’s not a bad read in the sense that Horowitz always writes with flair, and the Atticus Pünd pastiche remains enjoyable in doses. But there’s a sense of going through the motions. At one point, Susan muses, “The problem with fiction is that it has to make sense.” Sadly, this book makes too much sense—neatly tied up, but with none of the spark that made the earlier books so satisfying.
A disappointing third act to what should have remained a duology.
There’s even a moment of self-awareness in the book when Susan notes, “With Magpie Murders, there had only been one chapter missing. It was now more difficult this time.” That quote sums it up well—Horowitz is working harder here to recapture the novelty of the original, but the strain shows. The nested story-within-a-story device that was so fresh in the first book now feels overused. The structure is too familiar, the twists too expected.
It’s not a bad read in the sense that Horowitz always writes with flair, and the Atticus Pünd pastiche remains enjoyable in doses. But there’s a sense of going through the motions. At one point, Susan muses, “The problem with fiction is that it has to make sense.” Sadly, this book makes too much sense—neatly tied up, but with none of the spark that made the earlier books so satisfying.
A disappointing third act to what should have remained a duology.
August 27, 2025
Loved this!! Golden age and modern murder all wrapped up together! Horowitz is the king of golden age homage!
February 15, 2025
ARC for review. To be published May 13, 2025.
3.8 stars, rounded to 4.
So, editor Susan Ryeland had done what we’ve all seen coming; she’s left Greece and Andreas and returned to England for good (it was becoming hard to keep inventing reasons to go back for long periods of time.). Now she’s freelancing and has a job working on…wait for it…PUND’S LAST CASE with a writer named Eliot Crace, the grandson of famous children’s author Miriam Crace who died twenty years ago. Eliot believes his grandmother was poisoned and it becomes clear he placed clues in his manuscript. Someone is unhappy about that, murder results and Susan is a suspect.
Horowitz’s books are always entertaining and here we have the book within the book to enjoy. I guessed correctly about where Susan’s future cases may come from and even guessed the identity of the killer before the reveal, so I’m feeling quite proud of myself (there is one clue partway through that points in the right direction, but it could also mean nothing.) Anyway, I enjoy this series and the publishing aspects, so I’m anxious to see what comes next. It would be nice if Susan had people in her life who weren’t nuts.
3.8 stars, rounded to 4.
So, editor Susan Ryeland had done what we’ve all seen coming; she’s left Greece and Andreas and returned to England for good (it was becoming hard to keep inventing reasons to go back for long periods of time.). Now she’s freelancing and has a job working on…wait for it…PUND’S LAST CASE with a writer named Eliot Crace, the grandson of famous children’s author Miriam Crace who died twenty years ago. Eliot believes his grandmother was poisoned and it becomes clear he placed clues in his manuscript. Someone is unhappy about that, murder results and Susan is a suspect.
Horowitz’s books are always entertaining and here we have the book within the book to enjoy. I guessed correctly about where Susan’s future cases may come from and even guessed the identity of the killer before the reveal, so I’m feeling quite proud of myself (there is one clue partway through that points in the right direction, but it could also mean nothing.) Anyway, I enjoy this series and the publishing aspects, so I’m anxious to see what comes next. It would be nice if Susan had people in her life who weren’t nuts.
June 5, 2025
Does Horowitz ever write a bad mystery? In my opinion, he does not and he continues to pull me into his amazingly complex and clever books. This is his latest and I have now read all of his books except for The House of Silk which is on my tbr.
This is his third in the Susan Ryeland series and, as he states on the overleaf, do not read this book before you read The Magpie Murders, as the ending of that story is revealed in this book.
This is a story within a story and has a multitude of characters. The author lists the characters of both narratives and I put a bookmark on that page in case I couldn't remember who was who. (I only had to refer to it once!) No problem!
To attempt to provide some information about the plot would be very difficult since it is extremely complicated as people aren't exactly who they say they are or who you think they are. Just let me say that if you like an excellent mystery full of twists and turns, Horowitz is the author for you. He certainly is for me. Highly recommended.
t
This is his third in the Susan Ryeland series and, as he states on the overleaf, do not read this book before you read The Magpie Murders, as the ending of that story is revealed in this book.
This is a story within a story and has a multitude of characters. The author lists the characters of both narratives and I put a bookmark on that page in case I couldn't remember who was who. (I only had to refer to it once!) No problem!
To attempt to provide some information about the plot would be very difficult since it is extremely complicated as people aren't exactly who they say they are or who you think they are. Just let me say that if you like an excellent mystery full of twists and turns, Horowitz is the author for you. He certainly is for me. Highly recommended.
t
May 8, 2025
Almost lost the will to live. Very slow and repetitive to make sure you didn’t miss any clues or meta cleverness. More a guide to constructing a mystery than a real novel. Predictable and full of one-dimensional irritating characters. Oh and very very long.
May 10, 2025
When you try to milk a template, it loses it's novelty. Now the pun was unintentional, but then the series is a force fit, the way probably, publishers try to build on the fame of a hit.
For this book, Susan's life and relationship in Greece has to end and she has to come back to her familiar surrounding of publishers to even the same people. She has been asked to edit a continuation novel of Atticus Pund to be written by a character from the previous novels. The book then builds the mystery within the book format revealed in multiple tranches till a real murder happens. Susan has to solve both the mysteries to keep herself out of jail.
I had multiple problems with this book in particular - both the crimes were actually solvable and the clues were not so ingeniously hidden. There are obvious misses when she is set to be framed which I found logically faulty. The book also tests your patience since the story buildup is needlessly slow and there are too many arbitrary characters. Aside, the main mystery lacks any character you can feel sorry about.
Overall, this was an effort to finish since it loses an interest.
For this book, Susan's life and relationship in Greece has to end and she has to come back to her familiar surrounding of publishers to even the same people. She has been asked to edit a continuation novel of Atticus Pund to be written by a character from the previous novels. The book then builds the mystery within the book format revealed in multiple tranches till a real murder happens. Susan has to solve both the mysteries to keep herself out of jail.
I had multiple problems with this book in particular - both the crimes were actually solvable and the clues were not so ingeniously hidden. There are obvious misses when she is set to be framed which I found logically faulty. The book also tests your patience since the story buildup is needlessly slow and there are too many arbitrary characters. Aside, the main mystery lacks any character you can feel sorry about.
Overall, this was an effort to finish since it loses an interest.
June 17, 2025
This book really did test my patience. Susan is an absolute doormat in this book – apologizing to the man who murdered one man and nearly murdered her, apologizing to a cop for using a law to search her flat (Horowitz uses the cop to go on a cop-aganda tirade on how hard they have it and how hard it is to no longer have the trust and respect of the public, but whose fault is that mate?!), working with a spoiled rotten moron who lashes out at everyone… but don’t call a woman fat in a book. That is not very nice of you. Susan really did say she can excuse cruelty and domestic violence, but I draw the line at fat-shaming. Grow a bloody spine, Susan.
Susan is rather horrible in this book, too. Based on the ramblings of a spoiled, rich idiot she basically sticks her nose where it does not belong, somehow traveling all over (using the salary of a freelance, independent editor) to talk to every Crace family member and asking rather bizarre, hurtful questions (is this when you discussed killing your grandmother? Tell me about the worst memories of your grandmother, pretty please) at the worst possible times. Susan is rather stupid in this book too. Did you tell anyone you were going to Bellmarsh? Nope. WOMAN. I know you are in shock but the clues were right there. There goes Hugo (the cat) running away from the doorbell, wonder why that is anyway… Hey, villain, I was recording the conversation the entire time here is my phone HAHAHA OH NO WAIT IS THAT A KNIFE!? Thank goodness the cop decided to drive by otherwise Susan would have gotten herself shishkabobbed.
Horowitz is overly fond of trotting out the same motifs over and over again: how authors hate being trapped by their own creations, facts about Arthur Conan Doyle, gosh isn’t Garamond such a wonderful font, how hard it is to run an independent publishing house, Atticus bloody Pünd (that story within a story was so dry and boring, ugh), him having it both ways with the cops (yes, they suck but they have it so hard, be nice!), etc.
A mini-rant on the cops: never, ever SASS the cops. Don’t be cute, don’t be sarcastic – always be respectful and say as little as possible. Better yet, never talk to cops without a lawyer/solicitor, etc. And don't boink them either - did we learn nothing from Bob Lambert?
For some reason I couldn’t help picture Eliot Crace as Matty Healy – the way they were described (stinky, ugly, ratty) clicked it for me. I don’t think that was intended by Horowitz, mind. Eliot’s dramatic freakout at the party made me roll my eyes so hard. Someone in this room murdered my grandmother and I know who it is (please kill me, life is unbearable and I just found out my wife cucked me). Weird how two of the Crace children were run over – one by a train and another by a car. Anway…
There are numerous Agatha Christie references in this book.
I really, really hope this is the end of Susan Ryland. Let her have her publishing house, let Alan Conway and Atticus Pünd be put away, and let Hugo have all the space on the bed the feline desires.
Susan is rather horrible in this book, too. Based on the ramblings of a spoiled, rich idiot she basically sticks her nose where it does not belong, somehow traveling all over (using the salary of a freelance, independent editor) to talk to every Crace family member and asking rather bizarre, hurtful questions (is this when you discussed killing your grandmother? Tell me about the worst memories of your grandmother, pretty please) at the worst possible times. Susan is rather stupid in this book too. Did you tell anyone you were going to Bellmarsh? Nope. WOMAN. I know you are in shock but the clues were right there. There goes Hugo (the cat) running away from the doorbell, wonder why that is anyway… Hey, villain, I was recording the conversation the entire time here is my phone HAHAHA OH NO WAIT IS THAT A KNIFE!? Thank goodness the cop decided to drive by otherwise Susan would have gotten herself shishkabobbed.
Horowitz is overly fond of trotting out the same motifs over and over again: how authors hate being trapped by their own creations, facts about Arthur Conan Doyle, gosh isn’t Garamond such a wonderful font, how hard it is to run an independent publishing house, Atticus bloody Pünd (that story within a story was so dry and boring, ugh), him having it both ways with the cops (yes, they suck but they have it so hard, be nice!), etc.
A mini-rant on the cops: never, ever SASS the cops. Don’t be cute, don’t be sarcastic – always be respectful and say as little as possible. Better yet, never talk to cops without a lawyer/solicitor, etc. And don't boink them either - did we learn nothing from Bob Lambert?
For some reason I couldn’t help picture Eliot Crace as Matty Healy – the way they were described (stinky, ugly, ratty) clicked it for me. I don’t think that was intended by Horowitz, mind. Eliot’s dramatic freakout at the party made me roll my eyes so hard. Someone in this room murdered my grandmother and I know who it is (please kill me, life is unbearable and I just found out my wife cucked me). Weird how two of the Crace children were run over – one by a train and another by a car. Anway…
There are numerous Agatha Christie references in this book.
I really, really hope this is the end of Susan Ryland. Let her have her publishing house, let Alan Conway and Atticus Pünd be put away, and let Hugo have all the space on the bed the feline desires.
May 21, 2025
Все пытаюсь придумать валидную шкалу оценок на гудридз, но всегда получается — «по сравнению с предыдущей прочитанной книгой», и горе тем, кого я читаю параллельно с «Гордостью и предубеждением». Тут, на удачу, вклинился «Золотой мальчик», поэтому — сюжетные линии не провисают, прослушала за сутки, значит, четыре звезды заслужены. То, что я угадала половину преступников, считаю неприличным, но beggars can’t be choosers.
August 14, 2025
4.75 🌟
Mood/Seasonal Reading: anytime at all works
He’s done it again. Another masterpiece!
I’m so glad to say that the 3rd instalment in the series might be just as good as the one that started it all. In this edition, the mixing of present day and novel felt near seamless as we were reintroduced to the detective. I especially enjoyed how we switched between Susan and the novel, each section revealing important clues for us readers to collect.
Susan’s perspective was likely the most vivid of the series. Having gotten to know the character over three books now I found myself throughly enjoying her voice and attitude. She had a spunk that is difficult to get right in novels without coming across negatively to readers. While in the previous book I found her a little bogged down, this was a fresh and new Susan I was happy to get back on board with.
The mystery was so well woven as well. While I did manage to guess it for the most part, the clues felt purposeful and interesting. It was a real page turner, I flew through it and not just because my mom was waiting in the wings to snatch my copy up (I highly recommend the audiobook version by the way!)
I also really loved how much of the first book was woven back into this with perfectly timed call backs and information that excelled this novel’s plot. If you haven’t read the first in the series it’s a must before this one as many spoilers are found in its pages but it’s well worth starting from book one to get the full impact from this novel.
While I hope this isn’t the last we see of this fantastic series; I can rest assured that Marble Hall would be an outstanding ending to what is one of the most interesting and timeless set of mystery books that has been created since Agatha Christie was alive and writing.
Mood/Seasonal Reading: anytime at all works
He’s done it again. Another masterpiece!
I’m so glad to say that the 3rd instalment in the series might be just as good as the one that started it all. In this edition, the mixing of present day and novel felt near seamless as we were reintroduced to the detective. I especially enjoyed how we switched between Susan and the novel, each section revealing important clues for us readers to collect.
Susan’s perspective was likely the most vivid of the series. Having gotten to know the character over three books now I found myself throughly enjoying her voice and attitude. She had a spunk that is difficult to get right in novels without coming across negatively to readers. While in the previous book I found her a little bogged down, this was a fresh and new Susan I was happy to get back on board with.
The mystery was so well woven as well. While I did manage to guess it for the most part, the clues felt purposeful and interesting. It was a real page turner, I flew through it and not just because my mom was waiting in the wings to snatch my copy up (I highly recommend the audiobook version by the way!)
I also really loved how much of the first book was woven back into this with perfectly timed call backs and information that excelled this novel’s plot. If you haven’t read the first in the series it’s a must before this one as many spoilers are found in its pages but it’s well worth starting from book one to get the full impact from this novel.
While I hope this isn’t the last we see of this fantastic series; I can rest assured that Marble Hall would be an outstanding ending to what is one of the most interesting and timeless set of mystery books that has been created since Agatha Christie was alive and writing.
April 18, 2025
I have to say, whilst I’m generally a big fan of Anthony Horowitz, I’m not sure this third book was really needed - he reveals in his author note at the end that this only came about after Lesley Manville (who plays the main character superbly in the tv adaptations) said she’d love to play Susan again. I think this says a lot - an author generally knows what the story is and how much of it there is, fans however very often just want more.
Does it really make sense to stretch the Alan Conway thing out again? Does it really make sense to loop in a whole new set of characters who have some mysterious backstory? The answer is … sometimes yes, sometimes no. The ultimate reveal is, as ever, clever and satisfying. There’s an element of the book that resolves earlier than the main denouement, and personally it felt as though that conclusion took away a bit from the final reveal - made it a little lacklustre, a little less interesting - something of an afterthought.
Overall it’s a perfectly fine murder mystery, if a little twee and wrapped up with a bow at the end.
Does it really make sense to stretch the Alan Conway thing out again? Does it really make sense to loop in a whole new set of characters who have some mysterious backstory? The answer is … sometimes yes, sometimes no. The ultimate reveal is, as ever, clever and satisfying. There’s an element of the book that resolves earlier than the main denouement, and personally it felt as though that conclusion took away a bit from the final reveal - made it a little lacklustre, a little less interesting - something of an afterthought.
Overall it’s a perfectly fine murder mystery, if a little twee and wrapped up with a bow at the end.
June 10, 2025
A totally engrossing story- another book within a book! Horowitz is a master at these. This wraps up the Susan Ryeland series- and very well wrapped I may add! This definitely is my favorite of the series- loved the plot/plots, family secrets, and the story threads weaving a tapestry by the end of the book.
May 25, 2025
I don't understand how Horowitz can write such terrific adaptations of his own novels for PBS when he apparently, IMO, can't write a decent novel in the first place. I've abt had it w/Susan -- apologizing to the guy who tried to kill her??? REALLY???? Liking a moron like Elliot in spite of their bitter exchanges and enjoying working w/him when he's such a petulant baby??? REALLY??? Refusing to let the cat sleep on the bed -- THAT's where she draws the line with all the crap she's been tolerating day in and day out from the two-faced humans around her??? And she goes back for MORE??? In the last 2 Pund novels, at least the novel within the novel was decent -- this time, even that leaves a lot to be desired...and yet it's too complicated for Susan to figure out???? Time for me to stop reading Horowitz's novels (or for him to stop writing them!!!!!) and just wait patiently for his excellent PBS adaptations.
April 23, 2025
5 stars
A lot of times I wonder if it's me or the majority of the books I'm reading are just not as good (hence the lower ratings I am giving them). And then comes along an extraordinary book like this one and things make sense again. It is not me. After I had the privilege to read some of the most phenomenal books, my ratings are correct.
Beautiful, brilliant, magnificent.
I honestly think it is the first time I'm picking up a 17h audiobook and I honestly don't think it is long enough. I don't want it to end.
Anthony Horowitz is exceptionally clever, the way he builds two separate books into one and they are both equally and completely compelling and captivating.
I've recently seen Moonflower Murders the tv show season 2 which is based on the second book of this series and I have enjoyed it tremendously. Susan Ryeland is a remarkable character and
Lesley Manville did an extraordinary job not only on set, but also as a narrator for this book. She was fantastic!!!! In a way, she made the book even more enjoyable. Absolutely brilliant!
There is no point for me to go into the plot, this books needs to be read and experienced and enjoyed. Reducing it to a few sentences to sum it up would not do it justice.
I know Anthony Horowitz said in the end that this is the third and potentially the last one in this series, but I sure hope both he and Lesley Manville will continue the series.
A lot of times I wonder if it's me or the majority of the books I'm reading are just not as good (hence the lower ratings I am giving them). And then comes along an extraordinary book like this one and things make sense again. It is not me. After I had the privilege to read some of the most phenomenal books, my ratings are correct.
Beautiful, brilliant, magnificent.
I honestly think it is the first time I'm picking up a 17h audiobook and I honestly don't think it is long enough. I don't want it to end.
Anthony Horowitz is exceptionally clever, the way he builds two separate books into one and they are both equally and completely compelling and captivating.
I've recently seen Moonflower Murders the tv show season 2 which is based on the second book of this series and I have enjoyed it tremendously. Susan Ryeland is a remarkable character and
Lesley Manville did an extraordinary job not only on set, but also as a narrator for this book. She was fantastic!!!! In a way, she made the book even more enjoyable. Absolutely brilliant!
There is no point for me to go into the plot, this books needs to be read and experienced and enjoyed. Reducing it to a few sentences to sum it up would not do it justice.
I know Anthony Horowitz said in the end that this is the third and potentially the last one in this series, but I sure hope both he and Lesley Manville will continue the series.
April 16, 2025
This is the first time Horowitz has disappointed me. I’ve been waiting for this book, or any new book by this author, for ages! So when I don’t love it, it’s a let down. The four star rating is because he is just that much better than anyone else.
Susan Ryeland is back in London and editing a new Atticus Pund mystery that will be written by Eliot Crace. His grandmother was a world famous children’s book writer. We have a book-within-a-book as we get to take part of the Atticus Pund investigation. At the same time it’s clear that he is writing about the death of his grandmother, which wasn’t quite so innocent after all.
This book feels like repetition of the last Magpie Murder installment and I had moments where I had to pause the audiobook in exasperation. However, I only had the separate mysteries partly figured out and it’s exceedingly clever and quite entertaining for most part.
It just felt so extreme. Plus, it had a couple of elements that I particularly detest: the main character being dragged into the investigation and the hurting of animals. Do what you like to people, but do not hurt the dog or the cat!
Susan Ryeland is back in London and editing a new Atticus Pund mystery that will be written by Eliot Crace. His grandmother was a world famous children’s book writer. We have a book-within-a-book as we get to take part of the Atticus Pund investigation. At the same time it’s clear that he is writing about the death of his grandmother, which wasn’t quite so innocent after all.
This book feels like repetition of the last Magpie Murder installment and I had moments where I had to pause the audiobook in exasperation. However, I only had the separate mysteries partly figured out and it’s exceedingly clever and quite entertaining for most part.
It just felt so extreme. Plus, it had a couple of elements that I particularly detest: the main character being dragged into the investigation and the hurting of animals. Do what you like to people, but do not hurt the dog or the cat!
August 16, 2025
Of the three books in this trilogy, this one is the absolute best. Just a superb read. I liked the other two well enough -- it's Anthony Horowitz, after all -- but this one was easier to follow and get immersed in. The voice of Lesley Manville as Susan Ryland, again editing an Atticus Pund book (so we get two books to read at the same time), is perfect for this character. She also starred in the PBS television series of Books one and two. Manville told Horowitz she thought she could do one more series, so he wrote this book for her!
Did you all like the tv series? I found I enjoyed the books so much more. I think it's due to my instant dislike of Atticus Pund on the screen. He just turned me off. I think I watched all the shows but didn't get very involved in them. But now I am eagerly anticipating this book's transfer to the screen.
Did you all like the tv series? I found I enjoyed the books so much more. I think it's due to my instant dislike of Atticus Pund on the screen. He just turned me off. I think I watched all the shows but didn't get very involved in them. But now I am eagerly anticipating this book's transfer to the screen.
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