Close To Death by Anthony Horowitz

 

When Anthony Horowitz talks with his agent, she reminds him that he is due to turn in a book by Christmas.  He doesn't have anything in progress and his agent suggests that he write up one of Hawthorne's, the private detective he partners with, old cases when Hawthorne was working with his old partner who Horowitz has always been curious about.

Hawthorne, of course, hates the idea but gives in.  He dumps case files and recordings on Horowitz and leaves him to it.  The case took place in an upscale community called Riverside Close.  It has only a few houses so when the latest resident, Giles Kentworthy, is found dead the suspects are limited.  Kentworthy and his family had moved in a few months before and no one cared for him.  He blared his music, his kids were terrors and his parking blocked the other residents.  It was suspected he was a racist.  Worst of all, if anyone talked to him, he blew them off.

The suspects include two elderly women who had been nuns before coming to Riverside, a GP, a dentist, a retired barrister and a chess grandmaster.  Most of these had spouses although some had lost their mates as they are all getting older.  The superintendent in charge goes for the most likely suspect as there is another death with a locked room plot and it appears that this was the culprit.  Horowitz had come in and solved the murder but wasn't pleased with the result.

Anthony Horowitz is an English author who has been successful in several genres.  He is best known for his mysteries and has several series that are ongoing there.  He was the screenwriter for the respected TV series, Foyle's War and is also a successful children's author.  In this series, he makes fun of himself as a bumbling sidekick and the reader knows as little about Hawthorne as Horowitz has managed to learn.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.