‘Magpie Murders’ has everything you want in a British mystery, and plenty more to look forward to in a sequel.
In the first book of the Magpie Murders trilogy, our heroine, Ellie, was faced with the possibility of losing the best friend she had ever had. But what does a teenage girl really need in life to be happy? What is happiness anyway, if you have to chase it? If you have to sacrifice your own happiness in the pursuit of a stranger’s?
“The story is a good one, with a satisfying climax.”
– The Times
“The perfect combination of characters and plot. Ellie is an intelligent, strong character with a heart of gold.”
-The Times
“Magpie Murders is a perfect combination of romance and crime thriller. There are enough twists and turns of the plot to keep the reader turning the pages.”
-The Bookseller
“This is the first book in a series of books I hope will become the best murder mystery series ever written. It’s pure entertainment right from the off.”
-The Sunday Telegraph
“A very well crafted, very believable mystery. This isn’t a murder mystery for those who expect a novel without moral ambiguities and it certainly isn’t one that the average teen can even begin to solve.”
– The Times
“I had to read it in one sitting, I had to see how the story ended because it was a story that I wanted to understand. I liked the story and the characters, and I enjoyed reading it. Just wish I could find a bookseller in Manchester rather than in Oxford who would read a book to my children. They would appreciate it.”
– Mrs Beekman, from the Magpie Murders
Awards
Wins
Won the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction, and the Best Crime Book for Children and Youth Award at the 2003 British Book Awards and 2003 New Zealand Book Awards.
Won the New Zealand Literary Award for Children’s Writing and Fiction for Ellie, and the New Zealand Book Award for Non-Fiction for Ellie.
Nominations
Dorothy L. Sayers Memorial Award for Crime Writing, The Dorothy L. Sayers Memorial Prize
This book has been published to celebrate the life of Dorothy L. Sayer,