Moonflower Murders

 Of course I must review Anthony Horowtiz's newest mystery, Moonflower Murders without delay!!

Horowtiz is an amazing writer.  His newest mystery novels I think may be the beginning of a new genre completely.  Each of these quirky, witty, entertaining mysteries are really a novel within a novel.  

We again meet the now retired book editor, Susan Ryeland.  She was the editor for the late Alan Conway who wrote the Atticus Pund mystery series.  Ryeland has retired with her boyfriend, Andreas to help him run his small hotel on a Greek island.  This is a wonderful relaxing lifestyle with sun, beaches, delicious food and island time.  But is becoming all too much for Susan who was used to the busy schedule and noise of London traffic and congestion. So when a couple shows up on the Greek island inviting her back to England to their hotel to help solve the mystery of their daughter's disappearance, Susan is off for the adventure.

Cecily, disappearance is linked to a murder that happened at the hotel eight years prior, where possibly now the wrong man is serving time for a crime he did not commit.  Cecily may have figured out the real answer to the mystery by reading a Atticus Pund novel written by Alan Conway.  This is where Anthony Horowtiz uses all his creative abilities and writes a full Atticus Pund mystery within the main storyline, which links to the answer to the current mystery.  

As a reader you are trying to figure out the answers to two mysteries at once, because one discovery leads to the second.  Of course they are both impossible to figure out but when you see each detective bring the culprits into the room for the big reveal you are amazed at how the facts pull together.

And this time even after the crimes are all wrapped up neatly with a bow, Horowitz has Ryeland revealing more and more little touches that were placed in the mystery that he wants to make sure the reader notices.  Because what author does not want the reader to see how much creative hard work goes into building an incredible mystery novel.