I got to the end of my library books just in time, whizzing through loads in February. One of the best was read over last weekend. It was The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz.
This is the 4th book in which Horowitz writes himself into the book as one of the main characters. He is again helping Daniel Hawthorne who is a private investigator but this time it's Horowitz himself who is accused of the crime of murder. The woman killed is a theatre critic who has written a very savage piece about his latest play. A excellent story where it becomes difficult to decide between fact and fiction.
The play in question is called Mindgame and he really did write it and it toured around the country before going into London to the Vaudeville Theatre. It also had mixed reviews.
That's where the fact is seamlessly replaced by the fiction. On the opening night much hated critic Harriet Thorsby turns up at the First Night Party and makes several pointed remarks to the actors, producer and to the writer. Later some of the cast go onto another party where they get to hear about the review she is writing for the next days newspaper. They all drink far too much and some are heard to wish her dead.
The next morning Thorsby is found murdered by one of the ornamental daggers which everyone was given as a first night gift by the producer. Unfortunately the only finger prints on the dagger are those of Anthony Horowitz.
Finding himself in a police cell (there is much antagonism between Horowitz, Hawthorne and this particular police woman from previous encounters) he calls Hawthorne, even though he'd already decided not to work with him anymore and not to write anymore books about their shared cases after finishing working on the third.
Thank goodness Hawthorne answers the phone and manages to get Horowitz released and together they set about finding the real murderer. Does this crime come from something that happened many years ago?
I really enjoyed this book and avoided cheating so had no idea of who the murderer was until Hawthorne did a Poirot type reveal at the end, gathering everyone together in the theatre. It's so real that I found myself googling to see if the actress he mentions actually exists ?.........Of course she doesn't!
Next meal from the Experiment.
The 3rd piece of quiche with the rest of the potatoes made into a potato salad using mayo and my own parsley - The chives I have in pots are just showing but not big enough to cut to add yet. Eaten with more of the frozen mixed vegetables. (I don't get fed up with eating quiche 4 days running - always have different things with it)
It would have been Col's 66th birthday today - only now qualifying for his State Pension. Thank goodness he retired from the County Council at 55 and we had a few years doing what we always wanted to do - that is to live off the smallholding, campsite and odd jobs. It was the best time and went well until his heart problems and then the lymphoma just a few years later.
Back Briefly Tomorrow even though it's Sunday.
Sue
