‘Marble Hall Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz

Published by Penquin,
25 September 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-80494300-7 (PB)

Susan Ryeland thought that she and Andreas would make their life together in Crete. The olive groves, the tinkle of the goats’ bells, the perfect sunsets and dining with friends on a long trestle table beneath the bougainvillea. 

But her head was in London, even when she was in Crete and so at 55 years old, she went back to Crouch End in the north of London. Having settled back in a flat in London, she takes a call from her boss Michael Flynn, the publisher of Causton Books. She had previously edited two novels by Alan Conway, about the famous detective, Atticus Pünd, and both times come close to being killed, so she is not that keen when Michael persuades to work on a third book in the series.

The new novel featuring Atticus Pünd is by Eliot Crace, grandson of Miriam Crace who was the biggest selling children’s author in the world until her death twenty years ago. Eliot believes that Miriam was deliberately poisoned. And when he tells Susan that he has hidden the identity of Miriam’s killer inside his book, Susan knows she’s in trouble once again. 

After her meeting with Michael Flynn Susan headed back to Crouch End. She didn’t want to do the job, but she needed the money. The memories of editing the Alan Conway books which she initially thought were entertainments turned out to be more like dangerous weapons, loaded with malevolence and launched to cause maximum damage. She would have been happy never to have heard of Alan Conway. However, she needed to pay the mortgage and so poured herself a glass of wine and sat down to read the typescript. After all what harm could it do? 

The book is set in 1955. Atticus Pünd has been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Waiting to see Doctor Benson in Harley Street, he encounters Lady Margaret Chalfont along with her daughter Judith Lyttleton in the wating room. Later with the doctor the conversation turns to the UK’s bad weather how lovely it would be in the south of France where Lady Chalfont is going for a holiday.  Some days later he receives a letter from her saying she needs his help. Will you come to Chateau Belmar in France? And I will explain everything. 

Set partly in a villa in the South of France, as Susan commences editing this final book in the Atticus Pund series, she discovers parallels between past and present. The real world and the fictional world. A book within a book. A puzzle within a puzzle. Susan ploughs on but when a death occurs, is it just in the book or is it real? Has she again become a target, as someone clearly doesn’t want this book to be published.

Incredibly cleverly plotted, with twists and turns, this intriguing and fascinating book will keep you reading.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett 

Anthony Horowitz is one of the most prolific and successful writers working in the UK – and is unique for working across so many media. Juggling writing books, TV series, films, plays and journalism. Anthony has written over 40 books. Anthony was commissioned by the Conan Doyle Estate and Orion Books to write two new Sherlock Holmes novels. The House of Silk was published in November 2011 and was internationally lauded as the top title of the autumn. The sequel, Moriarty, was published in October 2014 with similar success. Most recently he was commissioned by the Ian Fleming Estate to write the James Bond novel Trigger Mortis, which was published on 8th September 2015.  Anthony is responsible for creating and writing some of the UK’s most beloved and successful television series, producing the first seven episodes (and the title) of Midsomer Murders. He is the writer and creator of award-winning drama series Foyle’s War, which was the Winner of the Lew Grade Audience award for BAFTA.  Anthony's latest show New Blood will premiere on BBC iPlayer later this year. Anthony is on the board of the Old Vic Theatre. He regularly contributes to a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines on subjects ranging from politics to education and currently has a travel column in The Telegraph. He has been a patron to East Anglia Children’s Hospices and the anti-bullying charity, Kidscape, since 2008. Anthony was awarded an OBE for his services to literature in January 2014.

http://www.anthonyhorowitz.com