‘You shouldn’t be here. It’s too late… ’
These, heard over the phone, were the last recorded words of successful celebrity-divorce lawyer Richard Pryce, found bludgeoned to death in his bachelor pad with a bottle of wine – a 1982 Chateau Lafite worth £3,000, to be precise.
Odd, considering he didn’t drink. Why this bottle? And why those words? And why was a three-digit number painted on the wall by the killer? 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. As our reluctant narrator becomes ever more embroiled in the case, he realises that these secrets must be exposed – even at the risk of death…
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
✼
I previously read and reviewed Anthony Horowitz's first instalment in the Detective Hawthorne series, The Word is Murder. Although I enjoyed it, I had some fundamental issues with the books, namely that Hawthorne himself was not a particularly likeable detective, and I often found the story difficult to read. I said in my review of The Word is Murder that I didn't think I would enjoy reading more books in this series.
Nevertheless, I persevered!
And I'm glad I did. I felt that The Sentence is Death was a far more enjoyable read. It was never up for debate that Anthony Horowitz is able to create an interesting and well constructed plot, and this was no exception. However, what impressed me more was the way the characters were improved. The detective was a far more likeable personality, and the character of Horowitz was also more interesting to read about. I enjoyed this instalment far more than the first, and would definitely recommend other readers persevere with this series as well.
Rating: ✫✫✫✫
SPOILER ALERT
The Story
"Hawthorne was undoubtedly brilliant. He had solved the first mystery in a way that made it seem child's play even though I had missed every one of the clues that had been presented to me. But on a personal level I found him extremely trying. He was dark and solitary, refusing to tell me anything about himself even though I was supposed to be his biographer. I found some of his attitudes disconcerting to say the least. He swore all the time, he smoked and he called me 'Tony'. If I had chosen to pluck a hero from real life, it certainly wouldn't have been him."
Okay - I should start by talking about the elephant in the room. When I read the first Hawthorne novel, The Word is Murder, I really hated Detective Hawthorne. I thought he was rude, obnoxious and the exact opposite of a character that I would warm to. I know that often fictional detectives have idiosyncrasies that make them stand out; Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot, for example, were not written to be likeable characters, although they are beloved by many. Yet the characters have to have some redeeming features, and I originally could not see any in Hawthorne.
I did say in my last review, however, that the only justification for writing the detective in this way was to give him substantial character development over a series of books. Funnily enough, that's exactly what I saw in The Sentence is Death, and what I imagine will be even more prominent in the inevitable third book. We see less of the abrasive qualities that Hawthorne was originally written with, and there is more mystery surrounding his background and personal life. I can definitely see progression, and I found that I actually really liked him in this novel.
✼
As for the actual story, that was impeccable.
"But actually, what you wrote was pretty helpful. The thig about you, Tony, is you write stuff down without even realising its significance. You're a bit like a travel writer who doesn't know quite where he is."
The development of Hawthorne's character meant that the dynamic between the two investigating characters was really interesting. They bounced off each other well, and it made for a really enjoyable story. Horowitz is the 'sidekick', and narrates very well, leaving all the clues but without giving anything away until the very end.
I thought the story itself had a lot of layers to it as well. The murder of Richard Pryce, a hot-shot lawyer who seemed to have few enemies; it's a classic beginning to a modern murder mystery. Howveer, what makes the story is the way the plot progresses so steadily. Not at any point in the story did I feel that the story was simply plodding along, and I loved discovering all the different elements of the plot. The way the background of the caving accident was revealed was great, as it was gradual but at the same time kept the reader intrigued. I think Horowitz really nailed this plot, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every detail.
I especially loved reading the ending, where Horowitz believes he has solved the mystery and announces this to the police officer that has been undermining him (which, by the way, I thought was a great added dimension to the plot!). Hawthorne lets Horowitz run away with his own ideas, and allows him to mislead the police officer, later revealing, amusingly, that the solution was entirely wrong. I loved the back and forth between the two, and I was kept on the edge of my seat as the real culprit was revealed.
I never underestimated how great the actual story would be, and I was really thrilled to find that the characters were a lot more likeable this time around.
The Verdict
"When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth"
When compared to The Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death feels like a far more considered book. The story was fantastic, with a lot of very clever and subtle details that I loved, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It felt very much like the kind of novel that I love to read, and I felt very at home when immersed in this book.
What impressed me most was the development of the character of Hawthorne, and his interactions with Horowitz in the story. The previously abrasive and unlikeable detective was now only mysterious, and there were no longer any really detestable qualities about him. I actually really enjoyed reading the interactions between Horowitz and Hawthorne, and it felt a lot more like successful crime fiction.
I started this book fully prepared to dislike it, and I found myself very pleasantly surprised.
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