Close to Death Summary, Characters and Themes
“Close to Death” (2024) is the fifth installment in Anthony Horowitz’s gripping Hawthorne and Horowitz mystery series, which began with the bestselling “The Word is Murder” in 2017.
This novel brings together two timelines—one in the present, narrated by Horowitz himself, and another five years in the past, set in the small, gated community of Riverview Close. The story revolves around the murder of a troublesome neighbor, Giles Kenworthy, and the tangled web of secrets among the residents, all under the scrutiny of the enigmatic detective Daniel Hawthorne.
Summary
“Close to Death” alternates between two distinct timelines, each unraveling pieces of a complex mystery. In the present, author Anthony Horowitz narrates his experience writing about a cold case from five years earlier, delving into the details with help from the ever-enigmatic detective Daniel Hawthorne.
In the past, the story is set within the seemingly tranquil community of Riverview Close, where the arrival of Giles Kenworthy and his family disrupts the peace. Giles, with his loud car and unruly children, quickly becomes a nuisance to his neighbors, who grow increasingly frustrated by his antics.
After missing a crucial neighborhood meeting meant to address these grievances, tensions reach a boiling point.
Six weeks later, Giles is found dead, shot by a crossbow at his own front door. Suspicion immediately falls on the neighbors, who all had motives for wanting him gone.
The police, led by Detective Superintendent Tariq Khan, are stumped by the residents’ evasive behavior and decide to bring in Hawthorne, a brilliant but mysterious investigator who works closely with the police on complex cases.
As Hawthorne and his partner, John Dudley, dig into the lives of the Riverview Close residents, it becomes clear that they are all hiding something.
The neighbors openly express their resentment toward Giles, recounting incidents like his children destroying a chess set belonging to Adam Strauss and terrorizing Andrew Pennington’s garden.
Additionally, May Winslow and Phyllis Moore suspect Giles of poisoning their dog. The final straw came when Giles announced plans to build a swimming pool, which would disturb the entire community.
These grievances, however, seem too obvious to Hawthorne, who believes there is more to the story.
As the investigation deepens, another tragedy strikes. Roderick Browne, one of the neighbors, is found dead in his garage in what appears to be a suicide.
His death, occurring in a locked room with no apparent escape route for a murderer, and a letter confessing to Giles’s murder seems to close the case for DS Khan. But Hawthorne is unconvinced, suspecting that Roderick was framed by the real killer.
In the present, Horowitz, intrigued by the case, conducts his own investigation, trying to uncover the truth about what happened at Riverview Close and learn more about Hawthorne’s elusive partner, Dudley.
Horowitz’s inquiries lead him to unsettling discoveries, including the deaths of several residents shortly after the murders, and ultimately to a chilling revelation about the case.
Back in the past, Hawthorne continues to investigate, focusing on a second, secret neighborhood meeting that took place the night before Giles’s murder.
It turns out that during this meeting, the neighbors drunkenly fantasized about killing Giles, even drawing straws to decide who would do the deed, with Roderick drawing the short straw. Though they claim it was all in jest, Hawthorne is not convinced.
In a final twist, Hawthorne accuses Adam Strauss of orchestrating both Giles’s and Roderick’s deaths.
Adam, a chess grandmaster, allegedly killed Giles to cover up the murder of his first wife, Wendy, whose body is buried in the Kenworthys’ garden. The impending pool construction would have exposed his crime.
Adam tries to disprove the accusation by presenting evidence that Wendy is still alive, but Hawthorne is certain that Adam planned this deception long ago. Although the police refuse to reopen the case, Hawthorne and Dudley remain convinced of Adam’s guilt.
In the present, Horowitz confronts the lingering suspicion that Hawthorne might have taken justice into his own hands by killing Adam.
However, he soon realizes that it was actually Dudley who ensured Adam’s death, believing that justice had been served. In the end, Horowitz decides to let sleeping dogs lie, leaving Hawthorne and Dudley to their secrets
Characters
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz, the author and narrator of the present timeline, is a fictionalized version of the real-life author. In “Close to Death,” Horowitz is portrayed as a somewhat reluctant participant in the mysteries he writes about, often finding himself caught between his curiosity and his apprehension about the darker side of human nature.
His role in the novel is twofold: he is both the chronicler of Hawthorne’s investigations and an active investigator in his own right. Horowitz is portrayed as meticulous and dedicated to his craft, but also prone to doubt and self-reflection.
His journey throughout the novel is one of discovery, not only about the case at hand but also about his enigmatic partner, Hawthorne, and the moral complexities of justice. His realization that Dudley, not Hawthorne, might have taken justice into his own hands adds a layer of tension to his relationship with Hawthorne, leaving him with unresolved questions about the ethics of their work together.
Daniel Hawthorne
Daniel Hawthorne is the enigmatic and brilliant private investigator who is central to the series. In “Close to Death,” he remains an elusive figure, keeping much of his personal life and past shrouded in mystery.
Hawthorne’s methods are unconventional, often bordering on the ruthless, but his sharp intellect and deep understanding of human psychology make him a formidable detective. He is a man driven by a strong sense of justice, although his interpretation of justice can be morally ambiguous.
In this novel, his belief that Adam Strauss is the true murderer drives the investigation, even when the evidence appears to exonerate him. Hawthorne’s interactions with Horowitz are marked by a mix of respect and frustration, as he navigates the challenges of working with someone who is both his chronicler and, at times, his moral conscience.
Hawthorne’s ultimate decision to let Horowitz draw his own conclusions about Dudley’s role in Adam’s death suggests a complex understanding of justice and loyalty. This decision leaves his true feelings and motivations open to interpretation.
John Dudley
John Dudley is Hawthorne’s partner in the investigation and a key figure in the resolution of the novel’s central mystery. Dudley is portrayed as a loyal and capable partner, though he remains somewhat in Hawthorne’s shadow throughout much of the novel.
His character is marked by a strong sense of duty and an unwavering commitment to justice, even if it means crossing moral or legal boundaries. Dudley’s role becomes crucial in the novel’s climax, where it is implied that he took matters into his own hands by killing Adam Strauss, whom he believed to be guilty of both Giles Kenworthy’s murder and the earlier murder of Adam’s first wife.
This revelation adds a darker dimension to Dudley’s character, suggesting that while he operates within the law, he is willing to step outside it to ensure that justice is served. His actions create a moral dilemma for Horowitz, who is left to grapple with the implications of Dudley’s vigilante justice.
Giles Kenworthy
Giles Kenworthy is the central victim in the past timeline, whose murder sets off the chain of events in Riverview Close. He is portrayed as a disruptive and disliked figure within the gated community, known for his inconsiderate behavior and the disturbances caused by his family.
Despite his negative portrayal by the neighbors, Giles’s character is more complex than just a nuisance. He becomes a focal point for the community’s frustrations and fears.
His murder, shot with a crossbow at his own front door, is the catalyst for the investigation that follows. While Giles himself is not deeply explored, his role as the victim highlights the tensions and underlying conflicts within Riverview Close, which ultimately lead to the unraveling of more sinister secrets among the residents.
Adam Strauss
Adam Strauss emerges as one of the most complex and sinister characters in the novel. A chess grandmaster, Adam is characterized by his strategic mind and cold, calculating nature.
His frustrations with the Kenworthys and his sense of responsibility for their presence in Riverview Close create a simmering tension that eventually boils over into murder. Adam’s true nature is gradually revealed through Hawthorne’s investigation, as it becomes clear that he is not only capable of murder but also of meticulously planning and executing crimes to cover his tracks.
His involvement in the deaths of both Giles and Roderick, as well as the earlier murder of his first wife, Wendy, paint him as a man who uses his intellect to manipulate those around him and evade justice. Adam’s death, which occurs off-page but is later implied to be at the hands of Dudley, serves as a form of poetic justice, though it raises questions about the morality of such an act.
Roderick Browne
Roderick Browne is a tragic figure in the novel, whose death by suicide is initially perceived as a confession to Giles’s murder. Roderick is depicted as a man under immense pressure, both from his own feelings of guilt and the suspicions of his neighbors.
His involvement in the second neighborhood meeting, where the residents jokingly plot Giles’s murder, adds to his sense of responsibility when Giles is actually killed. Roderick’s character is deeply tied to the themes of guilt and despair, as he becomes the scapegoat for the crime, with his suicide being seen as an admission of guilt.
However, Hawthorne’s belief that Roderick was framed adds a layer of complexity to his character, suggesting that he was a victim of circumstances beyond his control. His death serves as a turning point in the novel, forcing Hawthorne to delve deeper into the investigation and uncover the truth behind the murders.
Felicity Browne
Felicity Browne, Roderick’s wife, is portrayed as a woman caught in the aftermath of her husband’s tragic death. She is a secondary character who provides key information to Hawthorne and Dudley about the second neighborhood meeting, which becomes a pivotal point in the investigation.
Felicity’s character is marked by her grief and her attempts to make sense of the events that led to her husband’s death. Her interactions with the detectives reveal her confusion and her struggle to reconcile the Roderick she knew with the man who supposedly committed murder and then took his own life.
Felicity’s role in the story is to humanize Roderick and to provide a counterpoint to the darker elements of the plot, highlighting the emotional toll that the murders have taken on those left behind.
May Winslow and Phyllis Moore
May Winslow and Phyllis Moore are minor characters who contribute to the overall atmosphere of suspicion and tension in Riverview Close. They are depicted as close friends and neighbors who are deeply affected by the events in the community.
Their suspicions about Giles killing their dog, Ellery, add to the list of grievances that the neighbors have against him, making them potential suspects in his murder. May and Phyllis’s characters are representative of the broader community’s distrust and animosity toward the Kenworthys.
Their role in the novel is to amplify the sense of collective resentment that ultimately leads to tragedy. Although they do not play major roles in the resolution of the mystery, their presence helps to establish the motives and dynamics that drive the plot forward.
Andrew Pennington
Andrew Pennington is another resident of Riverview Close who becomes entangled in the investigation. His character is defined by his anger towards Giles, particularly after Giles’s children damage his garden.
Andrew’s bitterness and frustration make him a plausible suspect in the murder, and his interactions with the other neighbors suggest that he is deeply involved in the community’s conflicts. In the present timeline, Andrew is one of the few remaining residents of Riverview Close, and his willingness to speak with Horowitz provides crucial insights into the events of the past.
Andrew’s character serves as a bridge between the two timelines, linking the unresolved tensions of the past with the present investigation. His role in the story highlights the long-lasting impact of the murders on those who lived through them, as well as the difficulty of moving on from such a traumatic experience.
Tom and Gemma Beresford
Tom and Gemma Beresford are a married couple who live in Riverview Close and are part of the neighborhood group that discusses killing Giles. Their characters are not deeply explored, but they contribute to the collective animosity toward the Kenworthys.
The Beresfords’ involvement in the second neighborhood meeting, where they joke about various methods of killing Giles, adds to the dark humor and irony that permeates the novel. While they are not central to the plot, their presence in the story underscores the idea that the entire community is complicit, to some degree, in the events that unfold.
The Beresfords are representative of the ordinary people who, when pushed to their limits, can become entangled in extraordinary and dangerous situations.
Lynda Kenworthy
Lynda Kenworthy, Giles’s wife, is a character who remains somewhat in the background but whose life is profoundly affected by the events in Riverview Close. After Giles’s murder, Lynda becomes a widow and is left to deal with the fallout from the crime.
In the present timeline, she is one of the few residents who still lives in Riverview Close, and her interaction with Horowitz provides him with important information that helps advance his investigation. Lynda’s character is marked by her resilience in the face of tragedy, but also by her lingering sense of injustice.
She represents the victims left behind after a crime, those who must pick up the pieces of their lives while living in the shadow of unresolved mysteries and unanswered questions.
Themes
The Complex Nature of Justice and Moral Ambiguity
“Close to Death” delves deep into the nuanced and often morally ambiguous nature of justice. The novel presents a scenario where traditional legal procedures fail to address the underlying truth, leaving justice to be served through extrajudicial means.
The character of Adam Strauss, a chess grandmaster, embodies this complexity. His meticulous planning and cold, calculated moves are mirrored in his real-life actions, leading to the murders of Giles Kenworthy and Roderick Browne.
Hawthorne and Dudley’s pursuit of the truth reveals that the justice system, as represented by DS Khan, is not always capable of handling cases where guilt is obscured by layers of deception and strategic manipulation. The ultimate resolution, where Dudley takes the law into his own hands to ensure Adam does not escape his crimes, poses difficult questions about the legitimacy of such actions.
It raises the issue of whether true justice can sometimes only be achieved through morally questionable means, thereby challenging the reader to consider where the line should be drawn between legal justice and moral justice.
The Intersection of Reality and Fiction in the Detective Genre
Anthony Horowitz’s decision to insert himself as a character in his own novel creates a metafictional layer that examines the blurred boundaries between reality and fiction. This narrative choice forces readers to question the authenticity and reliability of the story being told.
Horowitz, in his role as both the author and a character, admits his own limitations in recounting the events of the Riverview Close murder case. He was not present during the actual investigation, necessitating a shift from his usual first-person narration to a third-person perspective, which is inherently less reliable and more distanced.
This narrative structure invites readers to scrutinize the constructed nature of crime fiction and the subjective lens through which stories are often presented. The metafictional elements of the novel underscore the detective genre’s inherent tension between the quest for objective truth and the subjective, often biased, perspectives of those involved in the investigation.
Moreover, Horowitz’s parallel investigation into Dudley and Hawthorne’s past highlights the difficulties in distinguishing between the reality of true crime and the fiction that authors weave around it. This ultimately questions the very nature of storytelling in the detective genre.
The Psychological Impact of Guilt and the Burden of Secrets
“Close to Death” intricately explores the psychological ramifications of guilt and the destructive power of hidden secrets. The residents of Riverview Close are portrayed as a tight-knit community, yet they are bound together more by shared secrets and underlying tensions than by genuine camaraderie.
The group’s collective guilt over their role in the fateful meeting, where they joked about murdering Giles Kenworthy, festers and eventually leads to tragic consequences. Roderick Browne’s supposed suicide, which is later revealed to be a murder, serves as a stark illustration of how guilt can consume an individual, driving them to desperation.
The novel portrays how the burden of secrets can erode trust and foster paranoia within a community, turning neighbors against one another and leading to further violence. The psychological unraveling of the characters is depicted through their increasingly erratic behavior, as the weight of their concealed knowledge becomes too much to bear.
Hawthorne’s ability to see through the façades presented by the residents highlights the theme that no secret can remain hidden forever. The psychological toll of carrying such burdens often leads to self-destruction.
The Role of Strategy and Calculation in Human Relationships
The novel presents human relationships as complex games of strategy, where individuals often manipulate others to achieve their own ends. Adam Strauss, the chess grandmaster, embodies this theme most explicitly.
His approach to relationships and interactions with others is marked by the same strategic thinking he applies to chess. His manipulation of events, from orchestrating Giles’s murder to covering up his past crime, reflects a cold, calculated approach to life where people are pawns to be moved and sacrificed as needed.
This theme extends beyond Adam to the other residents of Riverview Close, who, despite their outwardly normal lives, engage in subtle power plays and manipulations within their community. The residents’ interactions during the second secret meeting reveal the underlying tensions and rivalries that drive them to consider murder as a solution to their problems.
The novel suggests that, much like in a game of chess, human relationships are governed by strategy, where each move is calculated to gain an advantage or protect one’s interests, often at the expense of others. This portrayal of relationships as a series of strategic maneuvers questions the authenticity of social bonds and highlights the potential for deception and betrayal that lies beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary interactions.
The Intricacies of Social Hierarchies in Gated Communities
“Close to Death” offers a keen observation of the social dynamics and hierarchies within a gated community, presenting Riverview Close as a microcosm of larger societal structures. The residents, despite their proximity and shared environment, are depicted as being deeply divided by class, status, and personal grievances.
The Kenworthys, as newcomers who disrupt the established order with their loud car and unruly children, are immediately positioned as outsiders, challenging the existing social hierarchy. The novel explores how these social divisions lead to resentment and conflict, culminating in the eventual murder of Giles Kenworthy.
The gated community, which is supposed to offer security and exclusivity, instead becomes a breeding ground for suspicion, envy, and violence. The interactions between the residents reveal the pressures to conform to social expectations and the lengths to which individuals will go to maintain or challenge their positions within the hierarchy.
The novel critiques the notion of gated communities as safe havens. Instead, it portrays them as environments where social tensions are magnified and where the veneer of civility can quickly give way to darker impulses when the established order is threatened.