The author of the famous Alex Rider series has struck again! Writing adult fiction in more recent years, Anthony Horowitz redefined the ideals for the British “whodunit,” in his book, Magpie Murders, while still nodding his head in appreciation for Agatha Christie’s classic novels.

            Magpie Murders is a book about a book called Magpie Murders. That’s right—it’s a book within a book! It’s a little reminiscent of the InkHeart series by Cornelia Funke. Unlike Funke’s story, however, Magpie Murders includes both the story surrounding the book and the book itself written by the fictional Alan Conway. In short, it’s “book-ception.” It may sound confusing, but Horowitz masterfully keeps a balance between the two worlds.

The book begins with Alan Conway’s editor, Susan Ryland, as she looks back on when she first read the mystery novel Magpie Murders. She gives an ominous warning in her introduction, however, and tells readers that the book changed her life—not in the way some books are wont to do within a person, but quite physically in her case, as she no longer lives in London or possesses her editing job. With this warning ringing in her reader’s mind, the mystery novel Magpie Murders begins, and the reader experiences an incredibly woven, well-written “whodunit,” following Atticus Pund, a detective consultant to match Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, many other British literary heroes.

Both sets of characters in this book are well- rounded and intriguing. They each have a role to play in this mysterious, murderous dance. The setting—1955, an English Village where everybody knows everybody’s secrets (or do they?)—is a perfect stage for tested loyalty, innocence, and suspicion. There are couples you root for! Couples you’re suspicious of! And yes, a power couple or two to shift the story. Both plots have engaging twists and turns (as all good whodunits should), and keep the reader on her toes till the very last chapter.

 I listened to the audiobook version of Magpie Murders, and the two narrators, Samantha Bond and Allan Corduner, do a fantastic job performing the story with distinct voices and excellent tone.

So close the door on the rain outside, curl up with your favorite blanket, and prepare for a beautifully written, addicting story of murder, secrets, and an editor-turned-detective when her world starts to parallel the one she’s reading about…