Are you ready for a new spy novel? Whether you’re looking to read an adult fiction work or one for young readers, try these 12 best Anthony Horowitz books.
If you are looking for the best book to read that will send you into a world of spies and mysteries, then you will want to look for one by Anthony Horowitz. This prolific author has been compared to Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, two of the world’s most famous crime and detective writers.
He has written over 40 books, including the young adult series Alex Rider, the children’s book series the Diamond Brothers Detectives for Hire, and new books for both the Ian Fleming Estate and the Conan Doyle Estate to honor the style of their patriarchs.
Horowitz was born in 1955 in England, and from his early childhood, he knew he wanted to be a writer. He did not fit in well or work very hard in school but found reading to be his escape. He attended the University of York and studied literature before publishing his first book, The Sinister Secret of Frederick K. Bower, in 1979.
He had great success as a children’s writer and did not move into the adult literary world until the late 1990s. Today, he continues to write for audiences of all ages while composing screenplays for film and television.
Looking for books to read? Take a look at some of the best spy thriller books you should explore. Dive into a world of espionage, intrigue, and suspense with these top picks. Discover thrilling plots and unforgettable characters in the best spy thrillers available!
Contents
Anthony Horowitz’s Most Popular Books
1. The Word Is Murder
The Word Is Murder introduces Daniel Hawthorne, a disgraced police detective who finds himself amid a murder investigation. He has to hire a ghostwriter to document his life while working on the case and chooses Anthony Horowitz. This sets the stage for the Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery series, a rare instance where an author writes himself into a new book.
“But the thing is, you see -and to be honest, I don’t like to mention this- I’m a bit short. There just aren’t enough people getting murdered.”
Anthony Horowitz
2. The Sentence Is Death
Book number two of the Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery series, The Sentence Is Death, was published in 2018 and is one of the top-rated Anthony Horowitz books. In this novel, Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and his sidekick Anthony Horowitz set out to find out who killed a successful celebrity divorce lawyer. Readers learn through this book that Hawthorne has some secrets worth hiding.
“He wasn’t being deliberately offensive. It was just that offensive was his default mode.”
Anthony Horowitz
3. Alex Rider: Stormbreaker
Not only does Anthony Horowitz write books for adults, but he has also written the Alex Rider series for young adults. Stormbreaker is book number one of the series, introducing Alex and telling how he gets started in the spy world. The first book sends Alex on a mission to discover the truth behind his uncle’s death, putting him in the fire of a group of terrorists bent on killing all English children in cold blood. He published this book in 2000.
“Believe me, It would be better if we didn’t meet again. Go back to school. Go back to your life. And next time they ask you, say no. Killing is for grown-ups and you’re still a child.”
Anthony Horowitz
4. The House of Silk
The House of Silk was published in 2011 and is the first Sherlock Holmes novel authorized by the Arthur Conan Doyle estate in 125 years and the first Horowitz Holmes novel. In this mystery tale, Horowitz brings back the famous detective in a conspiracy mystery that runs from Boston to London. Horowitz’s love for the detective made him the perfect author to bring back the famous detective.
“Show Holmes a drop of water and he would deduce the existence of the Atlantic. Show it to me and I would look for a tap. That was the difference between us.”
Anthony Horowitz
5. Raven’s Gate
Raven’s Gate is the first book in the Power of Five young adult series. This series follows Matt Freeman, a teenager on the wrong side of the law. In foster care, he discovers a mythical mystery that has something to do with his guardian and the village that is fostering him. The rest of the series involves his fight to find someone to believe him and discover the truth about the strange world he finds himself in.
“You are meant to be here. There are no coincidences. It’s all happening the way it was meant to be.”
Anthony Horowitz
6. A Line to Kill
Book three in the Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery series, A Line to Kill, sends the inspector and his writer to a literary festival on a quiet island, only to send them into a murder investigation. Not only do they need to find the killer, but they also need to find their way off the island where they are trapped with the unknown murderer. With many suspects and not a lot of clues, the story keeps readers guessing until the very end. This book was newly published in 2021.
“I’m surrounded by silence but at the same time I’m drowning in words and it hardly ever leaves me, that sense of disconnection.”
7. Forever and a Day
Forever and a Day is a James Bond novel that Horowitz published in 2018. This serves as the prequel to Casino Royale, and it sends Bond on a search for the killer of a British agent. Like most Bond books, it includes fast cars, luxury boats, and a love interest, but it also has a dangerous criminal network to fight. This book is number two in the Horowitz Bond line but number 48 in the entire James Bond extended series.
“Bond had always had a loathing of opera; its absurdly large women, its histrionics, its noise. The fact that Larsen was spending his last night there was somehow fitting. He was on his way from one hell to another.”
Anthony Horowitz
8. Magpie Murders
Magpie Murders is book number one of the Susan Ryeland series. It follows bestselling crime writer Alan Conway and his editor Susan Ryeland as they unravel a crime written within the pages of a manuscript. This particular book, which he published in 2016, is quite dark, but fans of Horowitz enjoy his dark tale. Many readers have found similarities between this writing style and that of Agatha Christie.
“As far as I’m concerned, you can’t beat a good whodunnit: the twists and turns, the clues and the red herrings and then, finally, the satisfaction of having everything explained to you in a way that makes you kick yourself because you hadn’t seen it from the start.”
Anthony Horowitz
9. Moonflower Murders
Moonflower Murders is the second book in the Susan Ryeland series. It opens with Ryeland living the life of a retiree on a Greek island, where she meets up with the Trehernes family, who bring to the island a story of murder. Ryeland finds herself intrigued. Like the Magpie Murders, Moonflower Murders tells a story with a book-within-a-book format, which makes it even more engaging. This book was published in 2020.
“Everything in life has a pattern and a coincidence is simply the moment when the pattern becomes briefly visible.”
Anthony Horowitz
10. Alex Rider Scorpia
Scorpia was published in 2004 and is book number five of the Alex Rider series. It takes the teen spy into the world of Scorpia, a powerful terrorist organization trying to recruit him. When Rider learns of the organization’s plot, which would lead to the slaughter of thousands of people, he tries to get on the inside to stop it.
“Alex listened as the two men argued, neither really listening to what the other had to say. So this was how the government worked!”
Anthony Horowitz
11. Trigger Mortis
Trigger Mortis is the first James Bond book by Anthony Horowitz. The book includes some writing from the original James Bond author, Ian Fleming, and it pits Bond against the Soviet Union and SMERSH. This book proved to the world that Horowitz was the right one to continue the Bond legacy for another generation. It was published in 2015.
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“Fangio had once said: ‘You should never think of a car as a piece of metal. It’s a living being with a heart that beats. It can feel happy or sad. It all depends on how you treat it.”
Anthony Horowitz
12. Groosham Grange
Groosham Grange is a children’s book about a monstrous school. Anthony Horowitz published this book in 1988, and readers continue to get caught up in the odd school where David Eliot, the main character, finds himself. Readers find themselves wondering if Eliot will be able to get out alive.
If you are looking for more books about detectives to binge on a weekend, check out our round-up of the best Rex Stout books! You can also use the search bar at the top right of the page to search for the best authors.
“You think ghosts and witches and vampires and ghosts and two-headed monsters are bad. Why? Do you know what that is, David? It’s prejudice. Racial prejudice!”
Anthony Horowitz