Anthony Horowitz Interviewed by Matthew Stadlen

One of the UK’s most prolific and successful writers Anthony Horowitz talks about his writing life and about his new book, The Twist of a Knife, a crime thriller that blurs the lines between reality and fiction.

In The Twist of a Knife, the fictional author Anthony Horowitz has called time on ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne, the character at the heart of a series of novels. Horowitz’s new play is about to open and Hawthorne unsurprisingly declines a ticket. The play, and particularly the writing, gets a savage review from critic Harriet Throsby on opening night. The next day she is found stabbed through the heart with an ornamental dagger bearing Anthony’s fingerprints. Arrested and charged with murder, he realises only one man can help him.

The drama in Horowitz’s real life is generally in his books. He is a popular novelist and screenwriter for both adults and children. His many credits include writing two new Sherlock Holmes novels at the request of the Conan Doyle estate and a James Bond novel at the request of the Ian Fleming estate. His writing has featured in some of the most popular television series of recent decades including in Midsomer Murders and Poirot. He is writer and creator of the drama series Foyles War, winner of BAFTA’s Lew Grade Audience Award. He is also well known for his bestselling Alex Rider series for teenagers, which he adapted into a movie, and which has sold 19 million copies worldwide. Here Horowitz talks to former LBC radio host and BBC presenter Matthew Stadlen.