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Hawthorne and Horowitz books in order
Eccentric police detective Daniel Hawthorne and writer Anthony Horowitz make the perfect mismatched detective pair in this classic cosy crime whodunit series.
Set in England, it takes you from London to Alderney, with a colourful cast of characters and an abundance of clever red herrings.
Witty, wry and marvellously mysterious, if you love a thriller with a good sense of humour then this series is a joy from start to finish.
When is the next Hawthorne and Horowitz book coming out? Close to Death will be released in March 2024.
Here are the Hawthorne and Horowitz books in order.
Anthony Horowitz’s Hawthorne and Horowitz books in order:
The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
A woman is strangled six hours after organising her own funeral. Did she know she was going to die? Did she recognise her killer?
Daniel Hawthorne, a recalcitrant detective with secrets of his own, is on the case, and he’s found himself a sidekick – popular crime novelist Anthony Horowitz, who’s struck a deal with Hawthorne to turn his latest case into a true crime bestseller.
But the case is twistier and bloodier than Hawthorne had bargained for, and the unlikely duo of detective and writer find themselves neck deep in danger. When the written word is your only defence, you know you’re in trouble when the word is murder…
The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz
‘You shouldn’t be here. It’s too late…’
These were Richard Pryce’s last words, overheard moments before the celeb divorce lawyer was bludgeoned to death with a £3,000 bottle of wine.
Strange circumstances pile up. Pryce was teetotal, so why this bottle? Why those words? Why did the killer paint a number on his wall? And, most importantly, which of the man’s many, many enemies did the deed?
Baffled, the police are forced to bring in Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and his sidekick, the author Anthony, who’s really getting rather good at this murder investigation business.
But as Hawthorne takes on the case with characteristic relish, it becomes clear that he, too, has secrets to hide. Anthony knows they must be exposed – even at the risk of death…
A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz
There has never been a murder on Alderney. It’s a tiny island, just three miles long and a mile and a half wide. The perfect location for a brand-new literary festival. Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne has been invited to talk about his new book. The writer, Anthony Horowitz, travels with him.
Very soon they discover that all is not as it should be. Alderney is in turmoil over a planned power line that will cut through it, desecrating a war cemetery and turning neighbour against neighbour.
The visiting authors – including a blind medium, a French performance poet and a celebrity chef – seem to be harbouring any number of unpleasant secrets.
When the festival’s wealthy sponsor is found brutally killed, Alderney goes into lockdown and Hawthorne knows that he doesn’t have to look too far for suspects.
There’s no escape. The killer is still on the island. And there’s about to be a second death…
The Twist of A Knife by Anthony Horowitz
‘I’ve written three books and our deal is over.’ That’s what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward meeting. The truth is that Anthony has got other things on his mind.
His new play, a thriller called ‘Mindgame’, is about to open at the famous Menier Chocolate Factory in Shoreditch. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne declines a ticket to the opening night.
The play is not enjoyed by the critics. In particular, Sunday Times critic Margaret Throsby gives it a savage review, focusing particularly on the writing. The next day, Throsby is stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger which, it turns out, belongs to Anthony, and which has his fingerprints all over it.
Anthony is arrested by an old enemy… Detective Inspector Cara Grunshaw. She’s still smarting from her failure to solve the case described in the second Hawthorne adventure: The Sentence is Death. She blames Anthony for her failure. And now she’s out for revenge.
Thrown into prison and brutally interrogated, Anthony is the prime suspect in Throsby’s murder and as a second theatre critic is found to have died in mysterious circumstances, the net closes in. Ever more desperate, he realises that only one man can help him. But will Hawthorne take the call?
Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
5. Close to Death (2024)
The residents of a quiet, gated community in London are appalled by the arrival of Giles Kenworthy. With his noisy children, parties, and plans for a swimming pool in his garden, Giles makes plenty of enemies when he moves to the neighbourhood. So, when he is found dead, everyone becomes a suspect. Retired Detective Daniel Hawthorne is on the case. But even with his sharp eye for clues, he is stumped: how can you solve a murder when everyone has the same motive?
This is the latest book in the Hawthorne series, and it sparkles with Horowitz’s characteristic wit. It’s a locked-room murder mystery (well, a locked garage, to be exact) that will keep you guessing until the very end – we’ll be shocked if you predict whodunnit…
There you have it – all Anthony Horowitz’s Hawthorne and Horowitz books in order! How many have you read? Let us know in the comments below…
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Love all four books and eagerly waiting for book 5
First class entertainment. Convincing and involving. My wife listens to them, I prefer to read in book form. Probably the only time we have kept secrets from each other!
On for book 4.
Hawthorne I want to yell at. Be nice to Anthony. Finding it hard to remember these are fiction books. Feel so sorry for Anthony and frustrated he is so stupid. Love the books.
My favorite fiction books in a long time. Brilliant. Can’t wait to follow more of this pair.
Excellent,All of them ,I couldn’t stop listening to them once I started them . The best read / listen I’ve had in a very long time. Thoroughly enjoyed them .
Christine March 2023
I loved the 4th, well crafted, witty and addictive. PLEASE keep going and fast track #5
Loved all four books, have devoured them and I’m waiting impatiently for book five !
I wish I’d had knowledge of the two books ie “The Word is Murder” & The “Sentence is Death” prior to reading “A Line to Kill” followed by “The Twist of a Knife” which was gratifying when I realised those two followed on, but wasn’t aware of the earlier two. Need to check if my library has them.
Only recently come across Anthony’s work, truly excellent author.
I love this modern day take on Sherlock Holmes with ‘Tony’ as the hapless new Dr Watson.
Doyle was himself a Doctor so its ‘author as biographer’ element is spot on.
When can we expect book 5 in the series? I enjoy the Hawthorne novels immensely.
I like the mental dissonance caused by trying to include a real person and context into a fiction. Sometimes I wonder if the subtext is the author trying to identify his protagonist and whether these books are about the process of writing a novel more than anything. I find this both intriguing and distancing and found that I have enjoyed the fourth book best because in worrying about Anthony’s predicament I experienced an emotional engagement more complex than the frustration that he expressed in the earlier novels. I am interested to see where this goes next.
I love this series, please
Hurry up and write book 5!
Read the first two and love them. Like AH in the book, I miss all the the clues and have to get to the end to find out whodunnit. Will read 3&4 asap.