The Twist of a Knife: A Novel

Detective Daniel Hawthorne fans rejoice! Anthony Horowitz has completed the fourth installment of this clever mind-bending series written from the author’s point of view. Horowitz quickly establishes the characters for new readers. He and former police detective Daniel Hawthorne are the protagonists. While Hawthorne is fictional, as are many of the characters, Horowitz inserts numerous autobiographical and historical references that are true.

The Twist of a Knife begins with the play Mindgame (a real play written by Horowitz, a writer of many talents). After a few performances out of town, the play is set to open in a London West End theater. Opening night proves to be nerve-wracking for Horowitz. The after-party is where the intrigue begins. Party crasher and nasty theater critic, Harriet Throsby, makes comments to the cast and playwright that are puzzling to most but sharply pointed at others. The following morning Ms. Throsby is dead with a dagger stuck in her chest.

The plot is an homage to Dame Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The series is of their genre, and yet it exists firmly today. Readers new to prolific author Horowitz’s wit and timing will have many wonderful books from which to choose.