Play Book Tag discussion

The Twist of the Knife - Horowitz
Audio performance by Rory Kinnear
3 stars

It’s possible that Horowitz was right when he refused further book collaborations with Daniel Hawthorne. The ‘author as Watson’ gimmick of the first three books is getting tired.

This book finds Anthony Horowitz accused of murder; an obvious set up. He is actually arrested by the two officers who were thoroughly embarrassed in a previous book. Arrested for murder, but allows himself to be harrassed and humiliated while refusing an opportunity to call a lawyer…. I understand that these books are intended to be spoofs, but this was too painfully overdone for humor.

I think there was a good mystery with a surprise ending. It was well buried with distractions. These were not the usual red herring distractions. Horowitz continues his usual self publicity, but also stages a late night meeting with a Native American character to give a white author’s opinion of the ethical difficulties with cultural appropriation. I’m sure that Horowitz, the author, does have valid arguments on this topic. It was out of place and overly contrived to give Horowitz, the character, a soap box to expound from.

I’m feeling as grumpy as Daniel Hawthorn. Sadly, a week after finishing this book, I can’t remember which character was the murderer. The mystery and its solution got lost in the gimmick.

You have good points. I have enjoyed all these on audio. I also noticed right away that the character never called a lawyer, and that he answered police questions without a lawyer present!. But maybe it was supposed to play up how dim the "Anthony Horowitz" character is. Although he keeps mentioning how he knows police procedure from his mystery writer.

I was willing to suspend a lot of disbelief, the whole series pretty much demands that, with Hawthorn and Horowitz doing all kinds of extralegal things outside of authority. My favorite part was the scathing review of Horowitz' fictional play. I'm sure he had so much fun writing it.

I think I just wasn’t in the right mood for the exaggerated humor.