Moonflower Murders: A Novel

Anthony Horowitz

Nov 2020 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

New York Times Bestseller • Now 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.  

Ratings and reviews

Anthony Horowitz once again displays his admirable talents and razor-sharp wit with Mayflower Murders, the second of his Susan Ryeland/Atticus Pund Mysteries. As in the first of the series, Magpie Murders, Horowitz generously offers two mysteries in one in this sequel. This outing reintroduces Susan Ryeland, a former book editor who worked with famous author Alan Conway, now serving as a small hotel owner in Crete. She is exhausted by the daily grind of her new life and uncertain about her future relationship with co-owner and lover Andreas. As she is pondering her options and regretting leaving the publishing world, she is approached by a couple with an intriguing proposition. The Trehearnes are looking for their missing daughter, whose last known activities included discovering something revelatory in one of Conway’s books. Apparently, Conway’s “Atticus Pund Takes the Cake” is a mystery heavily influenced by a true crime that took place eight years ago at their hotel, Farlingaye Hall. Their daughter, Cecily, was married on the same day as a murder took place on the property in Suffolk. The case was quickly closed with the arrest of an immigrant employee. Cecily hinted that she was researching something she found in the fictional story that convinced her that it was a wrongful conviction. She disappeared before she could tell anyone what she had discovered. Since Conway is deceased, the Trehearnes hope that Susan might be able to help them uncover what Cecily may have deduced from the Pund novel. Her curiosity piqued, Susan views this timely invitation as way to take some time to re-evaluate her choices, make some much-needed cash, and learn a bit more about her former irascible author. She is also moved by Cecily’s story and wants to help find out what has happened to the young woman. Upon arriving at Farligaye Hall, Susan feels distinctly unwelcome. As she digs into the history of the true crime, she also begins poring through the Atticus Pund novel searching for clues. At this point, Horowitz inserts the Pund novel in its entirety. The fictional tale seems at first glance to offer little connection to the other storyline, but through Susan’s eyes the reader shares in her revelation about what is hidden there. Written in the mode of the best of Agatha Christie’s works, Moonflower Murders updates the humor and allusions for a modern audience. Both mysteries are captivating and satisfyingly complex, and the Susan Ryeland character is well-portrayed and realistic. This series would be perfect for lovers of the golden age mysteries, and those familiar with that genre will be rewarded with many winks and easter eggs. Horowitz certainly seems like he was having fun writing these books, and his fans will share in this enjoyment when they pick up these titles. Thanks to the author, Harper and Edelweiss for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

A smile slips onto my face as I sit down in anticipation of another delightful Anthony Horowitz book. I know I won't be disappointed and as I proceed, I'm not. I'm never sure if I should read quickly to find out the twists and turns or more slowly so as to savor it. So I do both.

About the author

Anthony Horowitz is one of the UK’s most prolific and successful writers, unique in being active in both adult and YA fiction, TV, theater, and journalism. Several of his previous novels were instant New York Times bestsellers. His bestselling Alex Rider series for young adults has sold more than nineteen million copies worldwide and has become a hugely successful show on Amazon Prime TV. His breakthrough murder mystery, Magpie Murders, was adapted into a miniseries for PBS. He lives in London with his wife and dog.