A Deadly Episode – The 6th Book In The Hawthorne and Horowitz Series – Another Cracker!

Last Updated on April 22, 2026

I’ve reached the point with the Hawthorne and Horowitz books where a new release feels like meeting up with old friends, even if one of those friends is famously hard to like.

A Deadly Episode is the sixth book in the series, and from the opening pages, it is clear that Anthony Horowitz has no interest in playing it safe.

This is another clever, self-aware mystery that leans into what makes the series stand out.

Horowitz is still writing himself as a character, still following the prickly former detective Daniel Hawthorne, and still struggling to keep up while also trying to make sense of the man he is supposed to be chronicling.

If you already enjoy the mix of classic whodunit plotting and behind-the-scenes commentary on publishing, fame, and ego, this book fits neatly into that pattern.

From my point of view, this is a strong addition to the series. It is funny, sharp, and often slyly critical of the very industry it is playing with.

It is also, at times, deliberately confusing in the way only a book this self-referential can be, but that feels like part of the fun rather than a flaw.

A Murder on a Movie Set

The central idea this time is wonderfully simple. The first book in the series, The Word Is Murder, is being turned into a film.

The cast has been hired, the script is locked in, and filming is already underway in Hastings.

Horowitz and Hawthorne visit the set, partly out of curiosity and partly because Daniel Hawthorne never misses a chance to keep an eye on how he is being portrayed.

Almost at once, it becomes clear that the production is not a happy one.

The director is difficult, the screenwriter is more interested in causes than craft, the two lead actors barely tolerate each other, and the producer is scrambling for money.

It is the sort of tense environment where grudges feel close to the surface. Then one of the leading actors is stabbed during filming.

That single moment flips the book into something much darker and much more playful at the same time.

With a man dead in the middle of a movie based on his own life, the real Hawthorne has little choice but to investigate.

The question at the heart of the mystery is not just who did it, but who the killer actually meant to kill.

Was the target the actor, or was Hawthorne himself supposed to be next?

The suspects are limited to the cast and crew, the motives are plentiful, and nearly everyone had a reason to dislike the victim.

Horowitz does a good job of keeping the clues coming while also letting the chaos of a film set add noise and distraction.

Playing With Reality and Fiction

One of the pleasures of this series is how comfortable Anthony Horowitz is with blurring the line between real life and fiction.

In A Deadly Episode, that idea is pushed further than before. A fictional crime becomes a real book which becomes a fictional movie that becomes another real book.

There are moments where you have to stop and remind yourself which version of events you are following, but that is part of the appeal.

It mirrors Horowitz’s own position in the story, always trying to keep up, always one step behind Hawthorne.

The pacing is steady rather than frantic. This is not a book that rushes from twist to twist.

Instead, it lets the tension build through interviews, small reveals, and uncomfortable conversations.

Fans of traditional mystery novels will recognize the structure, even if the setting is more modern and playful.

Hawthorne, Horowitz, And A Strained Partnership

The relationship between Hawthorne and Horowitz remains the heart of the series, and it is also where I had my main issue with this book.

Horowitz continues to describe Hawthorne as a friend, or at least as someone he respects and values. Reading this installment, I struggled to see why.

Hawthorne comes across as more smug and dismissive than before. He withholds information, talks down to Horowitz, and seems almost amused by how little his partner understands.

In earlier books, there were moments of warmth or decency that softened his edges. Here, those moments felt thin on the ground.

That does not ruin the book, but it does shift the tone slightly. Horowitz, the character, keeps insisting on a bond that the story itself does not always support.

It left me feeling more sympathetic to Horowitz than ever, and more distant from Hawthorne than I expected to be at this stage of the series.

Still, the tension between them is clearly intentional. Horowitz is edging closer to Hawthorne’s hidden past, and the lack of openness feels like a wall that will eventually have to crack.

With more books promised, there is room for that relationship to change again.

Another Cracker From Horowitz

Despite my reservations about Hawthorne himself, A Deadly Episode is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

The mystery is well constructed, the setting is fun, and the commentary on filmmaking and fame adds an extra layer without taking over the story.

This is not the place to start the series. The book assumes you already understand the strange dynamic between its two leads and the unusual premise behind it.

For readers who have followed along from the beginning, though, it feels like a confident step forward.

For me, this was another reminder of why I keep coming back to these books. They are smart without being heavy, funny without turning into parody, and always willing to take small risks with structure and voice.

Even when a character frustrates me, I am still keen to see where Horowitz takes them next.