Magpie Murders
Compelling
Complex
Clever

Magpie Murders A Novel

From the New York Times bestselling author of Moriarty and Trigger Mortis, this fiendishly brilliant, riveting thriller weaves a classic whodunit worthy of Agatha Christie into a chilling, ingeniously original modern-day mystery. When editor Susan Ryeland is given the manuscript of Alan Conway’s latest novel, she has no reason to think it will be much different from any of his others. After working with the bestselling crime writer for years, she’s intimately familiar with his detective, Atticus Pünd, who solves mysteries disturbing sleepy English villages. An homage to queens of classic British crime such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, Alan’s traditional formula has proved hugely successful. So successful that Susan must continue to put up with his troubling behavior if she wants to keep her job. Conway’s latest tale has Atticus Pünd investigating a murder at Pye Hall, a local manor house. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but the more Susan reads, the more she’s convinced that there is another story hidden in the pages of the manuscript: one of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition, and murder. Masterful, clever, and relentlessly suspenseful, Magpie Murders is a deviously dark take on vintage English crime fiction in which the reader becomes the detective.
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Reviews

Photo of Patrick Book
Patrick Book@patrickb
3 stars
Jul 5, 2024

Theres a decent book inside this book, but it’s not this book. Too clever by half, don’t be embarrassed if you just want to write an Agatha Christie story!

Photo of Laura Mauler
Laura Mauler@blueskygreenstrees
5 stars
Dec 25, 2023

** spoiler alert ** I thought that having the boyfriend randomly show up to drag her out of the burning building was lame. There was no logical reason for him to be there and to look for her in someone else's office, of all places. Very weak plot point in an overall strong and smart book.

Photo of Lara Engle
Lara Engle@bzzlarabzz
4 stars
Aug 23, 2023

Magpie Murders is clever in a way I would think I would find annoying, but I didn't. I found it fun and original. I enjoyed both the classic Agatha Christie-ish country house mystery and the modern day publishing house mystery. It was like Agatha Christie and P.D. James decided to co-write a book. There are multiple distinct voices represented in the writing, and it is done well. I found it delightfully entertaining.

Photo of Rohit Arondekar
Rohit Arondekar@rohitarondekar
4 stars
Jul 23, 2023

I enjoyed the book and loved the setting of 1950s England. The nested plot is not just a gimmick and the two plots are connected nicely. Everything comes together in the end and makes the book a satisfying read.

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rumbledethumps@rumbledethumps
2 stars
Jun 26, 2023

Didn't do much for me. The frame story felt gimmicky, and I found myself skimming pages at a time and not missing anything. I never got hooked into either story, and reading felt like a chore after a while.

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archie@1895sherlock
4.5 stars
Jun 12, 2023

i spent two nights staying up reading this. it’s certainly a enthralling and captivating read and i fucking enjoyed the formatting of book. unlike ahorz, i have no problem using swear words. and i deeply loved he unreliable narrative used with susan that unhinged spiralling really feels like what happens when i try to solve something


although for a sort of queer narrative (for atticus pund’s story) it’s so very painfully obvious it’s written by a cishet man (anthony). also for (alan) to put james as fraser partnering and having a close relation to a ‘cunt’ is. an interesting choice???

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Adeline@reliures
5 stars
May 17, 2023

4.5

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Courtney@courtacademia
5 stars
Apr 28, 2023

I read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie ages ago and hadn’t picked up a mystery novel since! Magpie Murders has served as a gateway back into a world of intrigue and mystery for me! I was in gripping suspense throughout this whole novel! I really liked the novel within a novel aspect of this story as well! I’ll definitely be picking up more mysteries within this year because of reading this!

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Colleen@mirificmoxie
3 stars
Apr 15, 2023

3.5 Stars *This review contains general spoilers about the setup of the book.* Anthony Horowitz is the first author to be authorized by the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate to write official Sherlock Holmes books. Magpie Murders is completely separate from that series, but knowing that fact gave me high expectations for this book. On the one hand, Magpie Murders is a new take on a traditional murder mystery. On the other hand, there were certain aspects about the writing that failed to meet my expectations. This is a Mystery within a Mystery. The story starts in present times with a prologue about Editor Susan Ryeland who begins by reading a manuscript of Mystery writer Alan Conway, author of a successful Mystery series. The series stars a man named Atticus Pünd who, other than being German, completely follows the model of other literary murder investigators such as Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot right down to the awestruck sidekick. So with some ominous foreshadowing about how (little did she know) her life would never the same, Susan begins reading Magpie Murders (which is also the title of the book-within-the-book; not to confuse you…) I’m explaining this because I myself was a bit confused about how the different parts tied together. After that, the first half of the book is the story of Magpie Murders (the book-within-the-book). That story follows Atticus Pünd through a typical English house murder mystery and is set in 1955. It borrows heavily from Agatha Christie. The narration will even tell you that it is heavily borrowed from Agatha Christie. While interesting, it did have a generic feel to it. Which, I suppose, was the point. The second half goes back to the story of Susan. Just after turning in his manuscript, Conway is found dead of apparent suicide. But aspects of his death are reminiscent of the manuscript she just read. So Susan suspects foul play and decides to play amateur sleuth. Both parts kept me guessing, but I thought the solution would mirror the story more. Instead, I was disappointed in the ending. After the intricate layers of the rest of the book, the solution to Susan’s part of the story was rather anticlimactic. There were two parts of the writing that frustrated me. First, at times it felt like the story was too clever for itself and therefore the author felt the need to explain everything in the most basic terms to the audience. And not just the typical wrap-up at the end of the case where the whodunit is explained. No, every little joke and reference to other mysteries is blatantly spelled out. Easter Eggs are not must fun when the narrator feels the need to point them all out and explain them in dumbed down verbiage. It felt condescending at times. Second, there was far too much heavy-handed foreshadowing. Lots of “If only I knew then…” and “Little did I know how it would all change…” Once or twice in a book is ok, but lines like that were used relentlessly throughout the book. They set my teeth on edge. It’s like an obnoxious, blinking neon sign saying “RED HERRING!” It really pushed me out of the story. Magpie Murders was an interesting twist on traditional mystery but not a mind-blowing story in the end. It was well-written but heavy-handed. I’m still interested in reading some of Horowitz’s other works at some point, but I’m not going to rush out and buy them. RATING FACTORS: Ease of Reading: 4 Stars Writing Style: 3 Stars Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars Level of Captivation: 4 Stars Originality: 3 Stars

Photo of Sarah Selvaratnam
Sarah Selvaratnam @sarahashley
5 stars
Feb 8, 2023

A wonderful blend of the golden age of mysteries and the modern whodunnit! The pacing for the dual narrative was exquisite, never slow or mundane, and always interesting. I couldn’t read this book fast enough and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Photo of Arturo Hernández
Arturo Hernández@artthh
3 stars
Jan 3, 2023

This is a fun mystery novel. I listened to it on Scribd. Got enough to pass the time…

Photo of Cheri McElroy
Cheri McElroy@cherimac
3 stars
Sep 5, 2022

This is a book within a book, which is a hit or miss trope for me. I liked the book itself, reminiscent of the Agatha Christie era. I didn’t much care for the surrounding mystery of the author who was killed, and his editor, who solved that crime. But, it was a fine read and I would pick up more from this author.

Photo of Celeste Richardson
Celeste Richardson@cecereadsandsings
5 stars
Aug 11, 2022

Actual rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up. Magpie Murders is another of those books that I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about, to the point that I was a bit nervous to pick it up even though I had high hopes and the physical book sitting on my shelf, waiting for me to give it a shot. I’m so glad I have friends like TS and Eon to talk me into biting the bullet and finally reading things that I’ve been excited but trepidatious about for so long. This was an absolute delight. Magpie Murders is the first book I’ve read from Horowitz, but it certainly won’t be the last. I’m a sucker for a story within a story, and Magpie Murders delivers that more than anything else I’ve ever read. It’s actually two entire books that could, in my opinion, stand on their own. But thankfully, they don’t have to, because they’re even stronger together. The story begins at Crouch End, where Susan, our narrator, is snuggling down to read Magpie Murders, the newest installment in a series she edits for Cloverleaf Books. As she digs in, we get lost in Alan Conway’s newest Atticus Pünd mystery right alongside her. I love how it’s presented as its own separate book, complete with a brief bio of the author and praise for his earlier works. Pünd finds himself pulled into a murder investigation at Saxby-on-Avon, a quaint little English village housing quite an eclectic cast of characters. I was incredibly impressed at the nuance of characterizations here, and completely caught up in all of the small dramas surrounding the greater mystery. The crime itself is multifaceted, as well. I was reminded so strongly of classic whodunnits by Doyle and Christie, especially. The characters, the setting, the crime, and Pünd himself gave me strong Holmes and Poirot vibes, as did the writing itself. I loved Pünd and could happily read the other eight novels in his fictitious series. I was so invested, as a matter of fact, that I completely forgot that it was in fact a fictitious novel within another novel until I was jerked out of the story with our narrator. It was a jarring transition, as I’m positive Horowitz intended it to be. From here, Susan must not only find the missing chapters of the book, but solve another murder, this one in her reality. While this mystery was also compelling, it didn’t have quite the same sparkle as the unfinished Pünd novel. But that’s okay, because it forced me to share Susan’s obsession with finding the rest of the book. I was also very impressed by how different the two stories were in style and voice, which has to be a difficult balance to strike. The writing was brilliant, and not only did it make me deeply respect Horowitz as a craftsman, it made me far more enthusiastic about reading more of his work. The only reason this book isn’t a full 5 stars is that I wanted to rush through Susan’s story in hopes of getting back to Pünd. But that’s a me thing, not a failing on Horowitz’s part in any way, which is why I had not a single qualm about rounding up my rating. Magpie Murders impressed me in a multitude of ways. Not only did I find by stories compelling, the inclusion of an entire book within another made for an incredibly immersive reading experience. I deeply wish that the entire fictional Pünd series existed, because I feel like Pünd could absolutely hold his own with Holmes and Poirot. I found Magpie Murders , in a word, classy. Which isn’t a term I generally equate with more recently published mystery novels, but it absolutely suits this book. I can see why Horowitz was sanctioned by the Conan Doyle estate to continue the legacy of Sherlock Holmes, and after reading Magpie Murders I am even more excited to see what he does with the fictional detective I love most in the world. If you’re a love of Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle, I can’t recommend this book enough.

Photo of Cindy Lieberman
Cindy Lieberman@chicindy
5 stars
Mar 26, 2022

A mystery wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a mystery! This wonderfully plotted murder mystery pays homage to Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur’s Conan Doyle and other writers whilst being its own unique and entertaining novel. Or two novels, really. One set in the late 1940s and the other present day. As with The Word is Murder, the only other of his books I’ve read so far, there are enjoyable insights into the literary world and the life of a writer woven into the stories. So glad to have found his books!

Photo of Rucha Phatak
Rucha Phatak@inkblots_and_coffeerings
5 stars
Jan 10, 2022

Loved this stunning novel within a novel!

Photo of Santosh Singh
Santosh Singh@santosh
4 stars
Jan 6, 2022

A brilliant whodunit. Very intelligent and you get to read two brilliant whodunits in one books which are so brilliantly linked..

Photo of Jordan Robinson
Jordan Robinson@jordalinereads
4 stars
Nov 17, 2021

4.5🌟 This was so fun!

Photo of Katrina White
Katrina White@katrinareads
4 stars
Nov 17, 2021

My husband questioned why I gave this 4 stars instead of 5. I said my criteria for 5 is that I'll want to go back to the world and visit (like I do with Game of Thrones, The Magicians, and Outlander or recommend to everyone. He said I had come back to this world (I read the second book first accidentally). That made me pause. But I don't know if continuing in a series means the sames as comfort rereading a series. And so I think this still gets an excellent 4 star... Maybe 4.5. If you love Old fashioned Who Dunnits (Agatha Christie's grandson even shows up as a character in this story) , books within books, English country sides with lots of murder (like Midsomer Murders) layered more modern type mysteries and drama... This is the book (series) for you.

Photo of Lynn
Lynn@lynncornelissen
2.5 stars
Nov 1, 2021

So this was a book in a book - which I still am unsure whether I enjoyed. Also the auhtor is a man writing a female voice - which he doesn’t do a bad job at but it’s still very noticeable. There is two whodunnits solved in this book, which some may find satisfying, yet it felt a bit like overachieving to me. Because of this the book was long, however it never dragged - so props for that. It has nicely wrapped up endings, and interesting but not surprising plotlines. This did have me staying up late to finish the last 80 pages. But I personally think there’s better mysteries out there. 3 stars for the effort, detail and originality, but lacking the two stars for authenticity and shock factor.

+6
Photo of Virginia Su
Virginia Su@virginiasu
3 stars
Oct 28, 2021

3.5 stars

Photo of Valentina Cherednichenko
Valentina Cherednichenko@naptown
4 stars
Oct 25, 2021

"I had been the detective and now I was the murderer. And do you know? I think I liked it more." Don't. Be. Fooled. I picked up this book, looked at the page count "236, huh? I can do that quick." No. No its not 236 pages. Double that. It's a book within a book. Magpie Murders by Conway was 241 pages and Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz was 236, making this book nearly 500 pages. You fooled me, you sneaky bastard. Anyways, rant over. This is a fantastic whodunnit murder book (well, two of them actually) with a few minor weaknesses in my opinion. All of the characters are great, but I kept picturing Sarah as a 25 year old, not in her 40s. She was written a bit young for her age. Also, I really had to drag myself thru the mud at some points that just never ended. I guess that's what you get when there's TWO BOOKS IN ONE. Okay, I'm done now. Not salty at all. I feel like this book could have been shorten by like 10% and it would have been a 5. A lot of time was spent on things that really didn't add much to the story. Also, wow, way to make me hate a whole village. Also, the priest plot reveal, ehh, weak. Do I recommend this book? Sure, if you have the time. Otherwise, get yourself an Agatha Christie novel and you'll be just as pleased.

Photo of Judy Hudgins
Judy Hudgins@knottyneedle
4 stars
Oct 18, 2021

Horowitz writes Magpie Murders as a book within a book. Kind of a Neverending Story approach. The premise of the book is fairly simple - to start. Alan Conway is a best selling author and Susan, his editor. Problem is, he is more than a bit of a jerk, but a huge money maker for her publishing house. Susan settles down to read his latest manuscript. And then the trouble begins! The 'book' within the book is a great tribute to the Christie style. Set after WWII in a small village in England, it comes complete with the lord of the manor, the village busybody, a foreign detective with troubles of his own, and a couple of murders. That story alone is worth reading the book for. At the end of the book (or is it), Susan discovers fiction is mirroring life and is soon on her way to solving her own mystery. Since the page count is different based on which 'story' you are reading, I can't tell you the page count, but it's probably about 500 pages. So not a one day read. Which is just fine. You'll want to draw this out. The book within the book makes me want to go back and reread Agatha this summer if nothing else. Of course, a cup of tea would be required.

Photo of Heather
Heather@heidens
4 stars
Oct 14, 2021

Great detective novel. A crime mystery within another. Cannot wait to read more from Anthony Horowitz !

Photo of Ben Nathan
Ben Nathan@benreadssff
3 stars
Sep 15, 2021

Fun little murder mystery with an extra murder mystery within it. I enjoyed it, but it won't really stick with me.

Highlights

Photo of Jemima Scott
Jemima Scott@readwithmims

‘Whodunnits are all about truth: nothing more, nothing less.’

Page 181
Photo of Jemima Scott
Jemima Scott@readwithmims

Fiction merely allows us a glimpse of the alternative. Maybe that's one of the reasons we enjoy it.

Page 3
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

Life may imitate art - but it usually falls short of it.

Page 233
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

It was as if my new life was an anagram of my old one and I would only learn what shape it had taken when I began to live it.

Page 233
Photo of Lynn
Lynn@lynncornelissen

He wanted to write about the space race, seen from the British perspective. The world is getting smaller and smaller,' he said. 'And at the same time we're getting smaller within it.

Page 125
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

You know, they say in America that the average child sees eight thousand murders before they leave elementary school.

Page 111
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

There was nothing about friendship, generosity, humour, personal mannerisms, small kindnesses, special moments... all those things we actually miss when somebody dies.

Page 105
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

Even living authors find it hard to stay on the shelves; there are too many new books and too few shelves.

Page 104
Photo of Lynn
Lynn@lynncornelissen

The two of us had always had a face-to-face relationship. That is, I would meet him in his office and he would be on one side of the desk and I would be on the other. We would eat together, facing each other in restaurants. We were often on opposite sides of the conference table. But here we were, unusually, side-by-side.

Page 97
Photo of Lynn
Lynn@lynncornelissen

It had always amused me how much she had come to hate Hercule Poirot by the time she finished writing about him. What had she famously called him? A detestable, bombastic, tiresome, egocentric little creep. Hadn't she once said that she wanted to exorcise herself of him?

Page 93
Photo of Lynn
Lynn@lynncornelissen

I had devoted my whole life to books; to bookshops; to booksellers; to bookish people like Charles and Alan. And in doing so, I had ended up like a book: on the shelf.

Page 66
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

She talked in the way that someone with a punctured lung mịght breathe.

Page 56
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.

Page 53
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

I held out the packet and suddenly we were friends. That's one of the only good things about being a smoker these days. You're part of a persecuted minority. You bond easily.

Page 35
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

At that moment, Fraser was utterly aware of the smallness of the room, the hopelessness of a life broken.

Page 263
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

Speak in haste, repent at leisure as the old saying goes.

Page 195
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

Her handwriting managed to be cramped and spidery yet very neat - as if she were some sort of accountant of evil.

Page 179
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

But he was a man without a shadow - or perhaps a shadow without a man.

Page 168
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

That was the most frightening thought - that thought itself might become no longer possible.

Page 154
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

He did not just arouse antipathy ; he almost seemed to cultivate it.

Page 136
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

But there was something about the pace of change that concerned him, the sudden onrush of machines in every shape and size.

Page 105
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

But if there was one thing that life had taught him, it was the futility of making plans. Life had its own agenda.

Page 100
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Lynn@lynncornelissen

Rumours and malicious gossip are like bindweed. They cannot be cut back, even with the sword of truth.

Page 69
Photo of Lynn
Lynn@lynncornelissen

It is true that we have many ways of coping with loss, he said. And grief is never rational.

Page 64