It is not in my nature to publicly speak ill of another author. As a rule, when I read a book I find less than enjoyable, I tend to move on without comment and find something else to read. That’s been my rule up to this moment. What follows is a notable and necessary exception.
The plot of Moriarty by British author Anthony Horowitz takes place after Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective Sherlock Holmes and nemesis Professor Moriarty struggle over Reichenbach Falls and disappear into its depths as described on the book’s cover:
“Days after Holmes and Moriarty disappear into the waterfall’s churning depths, Fredrick Chase, a senior investigator at New York’s infamous Pinkerton Detective Agency, arrives in Switzerland. Chase brings with him a dire warning: Moriarty’s death has left a convenient vacancy in London’s criminal underworld. There is no shortage of candidates to take his place—including one particularly fiendish criminal mastermind.”
No spoilers intended but don’t believe a word of it. Not. One. Word.
This work drags the reader down the proverbial garden path where they are thrown into the deep well of disappointment and left drowning in a dark pool of unforgivable author deceit.
The attempt at constructing a clever plot fell woefully flat and unsatisfying, torturing this reader for some 300+ pages of a 362 page work as I struggled chapter after chapter to find something enjoyable. In the end, the reading experience left me exhausted, day after miserable page-turning day.
The entire work is overloaded with a multitude of pretentious and unnecessary descriptive elements and tedious dialogue both of which slowed the story down so much its equivalent wretched sluggish experience would be attempting to swim the Thames with an iron ball and chain on each leg.
Did I like the book? No. Would I recommend it? No.
I purchased Moriarty because of my familiarity with the televised work of Mr. Horowitz. Most notably, his screenplays on Midsomer Murders, Poirot, and Foyle’s War—three of my favorite television series and all are delights. He also authors the Alex Rider books for young adults. I have not read that series but after slogging through Moriarty, I won’t.
In my opinion Mr. Horowitz may be best suited to screenplays.
Well, color me disappointed in Horowitz. I assumed this work would mirror the quality I’ve seen in Foyle’s War, one of my favorite series. Appreciate you taking the time to post your review.
“Disappointed” would be a compliment concerning this work by Horowitz. Thanks for the post, Susan.
In the end, the reading experience left me exhausted, day after miserable page-turning day.
Yikes! Sounds as much fun as an algebra textbook.
Ha! Yes, Mike, and if we cheated on an algebra test like Horowitz cheated his readers in this one, we would have flunked out. Thanks for posting.
Yikes! Must be bad to have riled you so! Warning duly taken. 😊
🙂 Just my opinion, Ali, but this is my first ever negative review of a book…ever. I expected more from such an esteemed writer.
Sometimes a famous trad pubbed author writes to maintain a lifestyle rather than because they have a story to tell, relying on the blind faith of existing fans. It always backfires on them in the end.
Certainly did in this case.