Narrated by Rory Kinnear
Death, deception, and a detective with quite a lot to hide stalk the pages of Anthony Horowitz's brilliant murder mystery, the second in the bestselling series starring Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne.
“You shouldn’t be here. It’s too late . . . ”
These, heard over the phone, were the last recorded words of successful celebrity-divorce lawyer Richard Pryce, found bludgeoned to death in his bachelor pad with a bottle of wine—a 1982 Chateau Lafite worth £3,000, to be precise.
Odd, considering he didn’t drink. Why this bottle? And why those words? And why was a three-digit number painted on the wall by the killer? And, most importantly, which of the man’s many, many enemies did the deed?
Baffled, the police are forced to bring in Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and his sidekick, the author Anthony, who’s really getting rather good at this murder investigation business.
But as Hawthorne takes on the case with characteristic relish, it becomes clear that he, too, has secrets to hide. As our reluctant narrator becomes ever more embroiled in the case, he realizes that these secrets must be exposed—even at the risk of death . . .
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“Horowitz succeeds on all levels with book two in the Detective Daniel Hawthorne series…The overall voice of the series is fresh and original, Horowitz writing with the effortless élan that distinguishes all of his work.”
— Booklist (starred review)
“A clever and well-written crime story.”
— Washington Post“There are twists and turns and unexpected developments. The fact-fiction blurring continues to the last page.”
— Minneapolis Star Tribune“Superb…Fans of traditional puzzle mysteries will be enthralled.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Except for Jeffery Deaver and Sophie Hannah, no one currently working the field has anywhere near this much ingenuity to burn.”
— Kirkus ReviewsAnthony Horowitz is the author of mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, fantasy, children’s fiction, and young-adult fiction, including the New York Times bestselling Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders. He has written nine stand-alone novels and novels in more than a dozen series. His novel Trigger Mortis features original material from Ian Fleming. His bestselling Alex Rider series for young adults has sold more than nineteen million copies worldwide. As a TV screenwriter, he created both Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA-winning Foyle’s War on PBS. He regularly contributes to a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines. In January 2014 he was awarded an OBE.
Rory Kinnear, an Earphones Award–winning narrator and a renowned theater actor, won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor for his performances as Angelo in Measure for Measure and the title role in Hamlet, and he gained an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Sir Fopling Flutter in The Man of Mode. His TV credits include Count Arthur Strong, Lucan, Women in Love, and Black Mirror, and he played Bill Tanner in the Bond films Quantum of Solace and Skyfall.