Moonflower Murders

A Novel

De: Anthony Horowitz

Narrado por: Lesley Manville, Allan Corduner

Narrated by Lesley Manville

New York Times Bestseller • Soon to be a MASTERPIECE mystery series on PBS!

Bestselling author Anthony Horowitz brings back his famous literary detective Atticus Pund and Susan Ryeland, hero of Magpie Murders, in an inventive, labyrinthine story that is “catnip for classic mystery lovers” (Time magazine).

Retired publisher Susan Ryeland is living the good life. She is running a small hotel on a Greek island with her long-term boyfriend Andreas. It should be everything she's always wanted. But is it? She's exhausted with the responsibilities of making everything work on an island where nothing ever does, and truth be told she's beginning to miss London.

And then the Trehearnes come to stay. The strange and mysterious story they tell, about an unfortunate murder that took place on the same day and in the same hotel in which their daughter was married—a picturesque inn on the Suffolk coast named Farlingaye Hall—fascinates Susan and piques her editor’s instincts.

One of her former writers, the late Alan Conway, author of the fictional Magpie Murders, knew the murder victim—an advertising executive named Frank Parris—and once visited Farlingaye Hall. Conway based the third book in his detective series, Atticus Pund Takes the Cake, on that very crime.

The Trehearne’s, daughter, Cecily, read Conway’s mystery and believed the book proves that the man convicted of Parris’s murder—a Romanian immigrant who was the hotel’s handyman—is innocent. When the Trehearnes reveal that Cecily is now missing, Susan knows that she must return to England and find out what really happened.

Brilliantly clever, relentlessly suspenseful, full of twists that will keep readers guessing with each revelation and clue, Moonflower Murders is a deviously dark take on vintage English crime fiction from one of its greatest masterminds.

Just spectacular! As usual!

Anthony Horowitz is quite probably the best writer of whodunnits currently working. I eagerly await each of his new books being released!

His plots are excellent, the prose is quite enjoyable, and the characters are well fleshed-out.

And once again, we are not let down. The framed-story of a murder mystery novel set within and against the backdrop of a separate but related murder mystery makes for an enjoyable ride.

The narrators do a wonderful job with the book as well.

Did someone say Poirot?

The book was incredibly clever and in an era where I have to search hard for a good mystery that’s not torture, kidnapping, child or animal abuse, or blood and guts gory - I find that delightfully refreshing!!

I too was a bit confused going from the book to the novella but I got to listen to it again. I love a book of this length that is this much fun as the enjoyment lasts long

I miss Agatha’s Hercule, but the clever Atticus has so many of his qualities I felt like I had come home!

Loved Cordunder as a narrator

In an article for the New York Times, author Anthony Horowitz said that “The Magpie Murders” took five months of planning, and that it was a difficult book to write because the second part has to connect with the first. In addition, the characters have two identities, and he has strong feelings about providing clues and red herrings.

The overall structure of the novel is a murder mystery inside another murder mystery. It’s like two mysteries in one, but more complicated. A murder occurs in a London hotel room while a murder mystery author, Alan Conway, is staying there. He is inspired by the murder, and writes a novel called “Atticus Pund Takes the Case” in which multiple murders take place in a hotel very similar to the hotel he’s staying at. Plus, he writes characters who are remarkable similar to the actual hotel employees.

Alan Conway’s editor, Susan Ryeland, publishes his novel without realizing he based the story upon a real murder. Years later, Susan is dragged back to the hotel of the crime to solve a missing person’s case. One of the women working at the hotel is missing, and her parents ask Susan to come and attempt to find her. The family feels that she would be intimate of the story and might see the clues that they do not.

After Susan re-reads the book, she sees multiple suspects who resemble the novel. She suspects that there are more true clues in the novel than expected, and that perhaps the person who was arrested for the murder is wrongly accused.

I listened to the audible production narrated by Samantha Bond and Allan Corduner. I am not a huge fan of Ms. Bond’s narrations. She didn’t have a “male” voice for her male characters. She did a great job of the Irish brogues though. She narrated the current-day story. Mr. Corduner narrated the embedded novel of “Atticus Pund Takes the Case”. I thoroughly enjoyed his narration. So, the novel is told by Ms. Bond, and then Mr. Corduner, and then Ms. Bond wraps it up. It sounds complicated, but I thought it a clever use of two narrators. I just wish Ms. Bond used a male voice for her male characters.

That said, it’s 16 hours long, which could be too much. But with the two narrators, it held me captive. I felt the murder mystery sleuthing was a fun listen.

Another great Horowitz novel!!

I just realized that I don’t compare one mystery writer to another. I enjoy well written mysteries for themselves. Anthony Horowitz spins a good yarn!! The narration is excellent as well.

Moonflower murders

Once again Anthony Horowitz weaves a captivating tale complete with all the “twists and turns” we love.