this is an absolutely outstanding cozy mystery, especially when it comes to the mystery in the novel within the novel, which is very satisfying and makes a lot of sense. the outside story, too is very interesting and the way the two are interwoven is compelling and just ads to the suspense.

both murderers have a kind of inherent evil that i think is ok for once but which i wouldn't want to see done too often, because i think it is a little unrealistic maybe? not sure.

there are many interesting characters in this, even though horowitz doesn't quite have christie's wit and sense for detail when it comes to characterisation. however, i think he did a great job especially with the main characters (pünd (ridiculous and very non-german name but for a funny reason) and the lector whose name i have already forgotten because i am a bad writer of reviews). they both had quite some depth, pünd in his knowledge of life, his melancholy and self-determination, the lector in her relationships, especially with her partner at the publishing house, her love interest and her sister. i loved seeing a middle aged woman as a main character, i liked that she could be somewhat sad about not having settled down while also seeming content with her decision, although at one point i felt like it might turn a strange way for a sec.

absolutely going to listen to the second novel right now. the narrators were both great btw! (the fraser thing was funny, because i listened to so many agatha christie audiobooks read by him, though i have never seen him in a film)

side note: all of this doesn't mean that the author is a nice dude, he has some strange views on so-called cancel culture and stuff, but i didn't notice anything showing through so THIS IS ME VERY MUCH NOT CANCELLING YOU ANTHONY HOROWITZ DID YOU SEE THE FIVE STARS I AM LITERALLY A RADICAL LEFTIST THANK YOU VERY MUCH