‘Magpie Murders’ is an excellent mystery novel- comprising of memorable characters, a compelling embedded narrative and a well worked storyline. The novel begins with an unfinished murder mystery novel- ‘Magpie Murders’- written by the fictional Alan Conway. After this, we are introduced to our narrator, publisher Susan Ryeland- a likeable but occasionally frustrating character- and the news that the writer Conway has been found dead. What follows is an investigation by the sleuthing Ryeland- and a thrilling plot twist at the end.
I found the mystery novel enjoyable and intriguing, especially with author Anthony Horowitz’s choice of embedded narrative. I thought ‘Magpie Murders’ itself was fantastic- despite missing an ending it is well written and the characters are excellent. It is set in the 1950s in a sleepy Somerset village with little going on except gossip amongst the villagers- until the mysterious death of old Mary Blakiston causes her adult son Robert to become the main suspect amongst the villagers. Robert’s fiancé Joy Sanderling involves famous detective Atticus Pünd in an attempt to prove her lover’s innocence- he declines as there is no criminal investigation. However, the violent death of wealthy Magnus Pye causes Pünd to take the case.
The characters in Magpie Murders include the wealthy Magnus Pye and his sister Clarissa, the enigmatic Robert Blakiston, the isolated groundsman Brent and the untrustworthy Osbornes and Whiteheads. The set of characters are perfect for a murder mystery- they’re all very peculiar and each have their reasons for involvement.
In the second half of the novel, the characters largely mirror those in the novel- this was Conway’s intention- but at times the connections and similarities between the novel and Conway’s life can be tenuous and hard to believe.
One of the most intriguing features of Magpie Murders is the embedded narrative- the story within the story. I haven’t read any novels written in this style before and I found it to be an enjoyable and effective way to structure the story. The narrative style linked the backstory of Conway’s life and relationships to the actual story of Magpie Murders and the parallels between the two were a key feature of Horowitz’s novel.
I listened to the audiobook on Audible- which was a lovely experience. The narration was excellent and the storyline was easy to follow- though the ending was slightly drawn out and I don’t think the book should be as long as it is. However, Horowitz’s writing is wonderful and he maintains good control of the story throughout. The novel is a joy to listen to and I would recommend it to anyone- whether you are a murder-mystery superfan or a complete beginner- this mystery will be sure to entertain you. 5*
Sounds like a good read Harry, thanks for the recommendation