Capital Crime's Social Out Reach

As part of Capital Crime's social outreach initiative for the forthcoming crime festival 10 state-funded schools in and around the capital were asked to select two sixth form students who had an interest and ability in creative writing to take part in a seminar evening.  It was an opportunity for them to hear not only from authors but also others who work in publishing and other areas of the book world.  The event took place on Tuesday 2 April 2019 at

Photo Credit Seb Higgins (www.sebhiggins.com)

Goldsboro Books. 

The evening started off with an introduction by Adam Handy (co-organiser of Capital Crime) who explained what was planned for the evening.

Ali Land (author of Good Me Bad Me) was the first to give a talk from the perspective of an author.  As she explained her route to being publishing was rather unique and very rarely happened. She sent three chapters off to an agent who very quickly asked her for the rest of the bookend not long after that offered to represent her.  It was then pre-empted by Penguin She also explained that she initially spent over a decade working as a Mental Health nurse in the UK and Australia before her writing took off. Her work as a Mental Health  Nurse did help with her writing to the extent with her main character Milly.  Ali explained that in the end it took quite sometime before the book was finally ready to be published.  It was however well-worth it as Good Me Bad Me was not only shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger, short-listed twice for Dead Good Reader Awards, short-listed for the Glass Bell Award for Contemporary Fiction.  It was also a Richard and Judy Book Club pick.

After Ali Land talked about being a writer Ruth Tross spoke about what it was like working in publishing.  Ruth Tross currently works as Hodder and Mulholland crime and fiction publisher and publishes authors such as Erin Kelly, Vaseem Khan and Yrsa Sigurdardottir's 

Photo credit - Seb Higgins

to name a few.  Ruth's talk was about the day in the life of an editor.  She also went on to explain  that she didn't actually start out in publishing but in bookselling.  When she moved into publishing it wasn't initially as an editor.  Ruth explained that there were a number of different jobs available in publishing such as working in marketing and public relations, working on book covers, selling book rights and copy editing to name a few.  She also went on to explain that it sometimes took a bit of time to find your niche within publishing. Publishing, Ruth explained was fascinating place to work in but she accepted the fact that it did still have a way to go when it came to diversity.  There are not that many people of colour  One thing that she did highlight was the fact that you had to love books to work in publishing. 

Ruth Tross was followed by author James Swallow.  He also explained that his route to becoming a writer was very different to that of Ali Land's. James Swallow explained that before he started writing his Marc Dane series of action thriller novels that he had written a number of other genre novels and had worked in a number of different mediums.  He had written tie-in novels, written for Dr Who, 24, Star Trek, Stargate as well as doing audio drama for 2000AD to name a few.  James explained that as enjoyable as it was being a writer was not easy and one had to work hard at it.  The reason why he enjoyed writing the Marc Dane series of books was because they were the type of books that he himself enjoyed reading. 

After a brief break David Headley also spoke.  David spoke from the point of view of a literary agent and what as an agent he looks for in a book. He explained that he gets a huge number of submissions but what can be frustrating is the fact that those submitting manuscripts do not bother to read the agents websites first of all and to follow their submission guidelines. That he explained was the first rule would be writers should be following.  There was for example no point in submitting a YA. (Young Adult) book to an agent tat does not deal with YA authors.    He also expressed the view that championing books that he felt strongly about was one of the best things about being an agent.

Photo Credit Seb Higgins

Faridah Ábiké-Íyímídé was also another author that spoke at the event to the students in attendance.  A YA author Faridah Ábiké-Íyímídé is currently studying English and Chinese at university.  Her YA novel Ace of Spades is due to be published in 2020. Faridah when talking to those in attendance explained that she was conscious of the fact that whilst her family were supportive it was not what they expected her to become.  They would have preferred her to become a Doctor, Lawyer, Scientist etc as they were seen as "responsible" jobs and not work in the creative industries.  Part of the problem was the fact that the publishing world did not really think that people of colour actually read which was not true.  

Selina Walker who is a publisher also gave a publishers perspective about what she does and the different stages of a book's publication.  Selina spoke about what happens when she first receives a manuscript from an author.  Unlike many editors she prefers to print out a manuscript and work on it on paper.  To show what she does Selina brought along a manuscript that she is working on so that the students could see exactly how a manuscript is marked up with comments. Selina also brought along others stages of a manuscript amongst which included a proof copy of a book. 

There was a great amount of enthusiasm from those in attendance who had the opportunity to see the different stages.  There was also a great deal of discussion about the different areas available in publishing tat one could actually work in.  

After the talk finished there was also further opportunity to have an informal chat and mingle with those that gave presentations and ask any other questions that they had.  The Out Reach event was a spectacular success and it was great to see so many enthusiastic questions being asked.

Furthermore as part of the initiative the selected students were also given a day pass for all Capital Crime events on the Saturday and further opportunity to meet established authors and publishing professionals.

Capital Crime's Social Out Reach event was a brilliant initiative in opening up the publishing world to those who would not normally think of working in the industry.  

Photo Credit - Seb Higgins

Tickets for Capital Crime are available now and can be bought from the website. 

Running Away with Harlan Coben

After reading Harlan Coben’s latest thriller Run Away my thoughts drifted back to a pivotal point in this novelist’s career – what we term his breakthrough book. I am writing about a novel that was extraordinary. It was different from what came before, and one that would launch Harlan Coben’s career as one of the World’s most engaging thriller writers, and one that changed the direction of his writing career, as well as being one (that I firmly believe) nudged the direction of the thriller genre. The book I allude to was of course TELL NO ONE, the first of his work that would be adapted for film, and curiously it would be Europe that acclaimed his talent.

But first a little context, and also a look at the surreal happenings in this reality, that at times makes one feel as if life contains the elements, reflections and occurrences that would not be out of place in a Harlan Coben novel.

I was first introduced to the work of Harlan Coben, thanks to one of my regular visits to the long-gone Murder Ink bookstore in Dawson Street, Dublin. It was in the late 1990s, and I recall sitting with Mike Gallaher, Murder Ink’s owner and as we sipped coffee, we discussed what books we’d read. Michael asked if I had read the Myron Bolitar novels penned by Harlan Coben? As I hadn’t, Michael told me about them, and about Myron Bolitar who was involved in investigating sports……and at that point I told Gallaher, sorry I’m not interested in sports, at which Gallaher told me “trust me Ali, the sports angle is just a foil. These novels by Harlan Coben are terrific, funny and exciting”. Michael also knew of my fascination with the music of Bruce Springsteen, so he added “and he’s from New Jersey, like Bruce Springsteen”.  

I trusted Michael Gallaher as I had purchased many books from him, over the years and he was rarely off target. Never one constrained by the forces of moderation, I bought all he had in the store, the first four of the Myron Bolitar novels [Deal Breaker, Drop Shot, Fade Away and Back Spin].

To be totally honest, I had low expectations as they looked way too sports-orientated for my palate, but Michael Gallaher was my friend, so I placed them into the bag with some others I purchased. I put off reading them as they appeared (as what I term) ‘Spunkbubbles’ with tennis rackets, golf clubs, US footballs, baseball bats emblazoned on the covers. As a result, they languished for several months in my TBR [to-be-read] pile, as each time I looked at the covers, my heart sank, because I dislike sports, and the idea of a crime fiction novel set in the world of athletics made me feel nauseous, they made me feel ill. They appeared to me, like literary Ebola.

Then on one particularly rainy day, I sifted through my masses of books and stumbled upon those four books by Harlan Coben, the ones Michael Gallaher of Murder Ink recommended, the ones that were crime and mystery thrillers set in the world of sport.

I held my nose as I cracked the spine of DEAL BREAKER expecting to abandon it after a few pages; BUT following reading the first chapter I realised I had been an idiot. I failed that test, the adage - “never judge a book by its cover”.

The writing was exhilarating, I found myself laughing out aloud, and I also found myself thinking deeply for this novel provoked intense thought and introspection. Then I read the next three books, back-to-back and they were just so damned good, extraordinary writing, words that made me think. They contained a dry wit, a humour that made me laugh, as I turned the pages, but also the humour was useful, because they were in fact very, very dark books; all despite the amiable nature of Harlan’s protagonist (and alter-ego), Myron Bolitar.

The sports angle, the backdrop was just that – purely a backdrop, it provided a ‘frame of reference’ in which a thought-provoking narrative could unfold – it was the lens.

Though his work is dark, and when later I got to meet the writer, Harlan Coben, I understood that writers with the darkest and most troubling imaginations are the nicest and most life-affirming of people.

I was hooked, and at that time of my life, Harlan Coben joined my other favourite writers, on my bookshelves; novelists such as Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Thomas Harris, Michael Connelly, John Connolly, Martina Cole, Robert Crais, Jeffery Deaver, Philip Kerr among many, many others. What is impressive about these writers is the fact that despite selling books by the bucket-load, they could easily slack off and write ‘any old biff’ – but they continue to provide great and insightful novels, narratives that make the reader think deeply.

Harlan Coben is one such writer.

Harlan Coben’s work acts as a prism from which we can inspect our own lives, for his work makes us think, and that is what makes a novelist I consider to be ‘extraordinary’.

Just before Michael Gallaher closed down his shop Murder ink, we sat for a final coffee, and I thanked him for introducing me to the work of Harlan Coben.

We laughed at my initial reticence in cracking the spine of Deal Breaker, with all that Sports backdrop that had put me off. Michael amused me with an anecdote, which I will share –

“Do you remember when I told you about the work of Harlan Coben all those years ago? And as I knew the sports angle didn’t appeal to you, so I told you that Harlan Coben was from New Jersey, the same state as Bruce Springsteen?

I nodded.

“Well his guitarist Nils Lofgren was in the shop yesterday. He’s playing with Springsteen in Dublin tomorrow, and as he’s a big reader of Crime Fiction he was in the shop yesterday - and just like you, he asked for a recommendation, so I told him about Harlan Coben. Just like you, those many years ago, Nils Lofgren had never read a Harlan Coben novel before. He was intrigued due to the link to New Jersey, so he bought a few of his books here in Dublin.”

It was not long after that I noticed on Harlan Coben’s old website, before it became the ultra-slick www.harlancoben.com that there was a photo of Harlan backstage with the E-Street Band, and that a friendship developed with Nils Lofgren

But coming full circle, it would not be one of the first seven Myron Bolitar series thrillers that changed everything for me. it would be his standalone novel TELL NO ONE that would become the breakout, the novel that readers outside the confines of the crime, mystery, thriller genre would pick up, and the first that made it to film, the one that the French saw merit, and later Sky TV and Netflix would follow suit.  

When I read TELL NO ONE, I was very excited to meet Harlan Coben, and bought multiple copies of that hardcover (the one with that distinctive purple cover). Soon I found myself in a queue at the fondly remembered Crime-in-Store bookshop in London’s Covent Garden to get those books signed. For it was that year that many of my friends would receive signed copies of TELL NO ONE as gifts. It was also in that signing queue (just after the millennium) that I would first bump into Shots Blogger Ayo Onatade. I was in awe as Ayo had copies of those very rare paperbacks of Harlan’s early books Play Dead and Miracle Cure for signing.

Then over the years I would bump into Harlan at many book launches, award ceremonies as well as his appearances at Conventions such as Bouchercon, Theakstons’ Crime Writing Festival – and I applauded until my hands were red, when Harlan brought back Myron Bolitar a decade ago, as well as seeing his foray into YA fiction.

So, what were my thoughts on Harlan’s latest RUN AWAY?

Renowned for his twisty, serpentine plots, we often overlook just how great a novelist and narrative stylist Harlan Coben truly is. His latest, Run Away is a thriller but also a novel that makes you think deeply as the pages race, not unlike protagonist Simon Greene’s journey to save his daughter, and ultimately his family.

Simon and his wife Ingrid Greene maybe suffering middle-class guilt, in failing their daughter Paige who has slipped through the cracks within their picture-perfect suburban life. The three children, Sam, Anya, and Paige have all the opportunities afforded by their parents, New York professionals in paediatric medicine, and with PPG Wealth Management in the financial sector.

But something goes wrong.

Read the full review from Shots Magazine HERE because like TELL NO ONE, Harlan’s latest, decades on is extraordinary, very special.

So as Harlan launches his new thriller, as well as an upcoming visit to England as a guest of Theakston’s Crime Writing Festival 2019, In Harrogate, he kindly agreed to answering a few questions for Shots Magazine.

Ali:         Welcome back to Shots Magazine Harlan, so how exhausted are you after penning the breathless Run Away?

Harlan:      Ha!  Never! I feel more energized than ever!  (This is a lie)

Ali:        And again you mine the lives of normal families to create an extraordinary story, so what is it about the mysteries concealed in suburban life that interests you?

Harlan:          Well, the Greene’s live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan so it’s very much city rather than suburban life. Family fascinates me – the ties and bonds of blood. That was a good place to start. Throw in some of the new genealogy websites, a cult, a few killers, a drug problem….

Ali:        I felt Run Away to be perhaps your most personal book, in terms of the backdrop of Simon Greene’s wife being a Physician and having three children? The Lanford College; am I right?

Harlan:          All the books are personal, but here’s something funny. When my four kids read RUN AWAY, they all started trying to guess which one of them was supposed to be Paige, Simon’s most troubled daughter. (Answer: None – I’m remarkably lucky)

Ali:         So, tell me, was there a spark that ignited the story behind Run Away, or was it just your work ethic of needing to get your derriere onto your chair and releasing your imagination into the dark-side?

Harlan:  It’s always both. I had a few things I wanted to write about – family, religion, drugs, DNA – but nothing came together until, like Simon on the opening page, I was sitting on a bench in Central Park listening to street musician mangling out a John Lennon tune. That was the spark I needed.

Ali:         And I see you are back at Theakston’s Harrogate Crime Festival, so tell us what is it about Europe that you consider appeals to readers of your work, as Run Away, like much of your work is heavily set in America?

Harlan:          Oh, I don’t know. From what I’m told, the European reader really values thrillers with heart. I hope that’s what the appeal is, but whatever, I’m so grateful.

Ali:         I see that you are in conversation with Ian Rankin while a guest of Theakstons’ Crime Writing Festival, so what are we likely to expect?

Harlan:          A very serious, weighty, mono-toned, dry discourse that will put the audience to sleep. Or maybe the opposite. I’m not sure.

Ali:         The last time we met, was at Bouchercon New Orleans back in 2016 a wonderful party managed by Heather Graham and her team, so tell us about that time in Louisiana?

Harlan:          It was magical. Being guest of honor at a conference I first came to as a total unknown… well, wow, that was a pretty heady. Heather Graham is the best too. She’s just a great person in so many ways. I adore her.

Ali:        I hear that it was during a military assignment that Heather asked you about being one of Bouchercon’s GoH, so tell us about that assignment?

Harlan:          I traveled with Heather and several other crime writers – F Paul Wilson, Phillip Margolin, Kathleen Antrim – on a USO Tour to entertain (more like, hang with) the troops serving in Kuwait, UK, Germany and at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC. It was an incredible and poignant experience.

  

Ali:       Back to Run Away, I noticed a few subtle nods to previous work, such as Lanford College [from Six Years] being where Paige Greene’s problems may have started. So, are these references just part of the writing process, or written for fans of your work, and also nerds like me to uncover?

Harlan:  A little bit of both. I love what I think is commonly called Easter eggs in both books and TV. On the tv show THE FIVE, for example, savvy viewers/readers picked up that we named Pru’s medical clinic after Win from my Myron books. But I also do to show that I’m often working in the same world when I write my books. For that reason, overlap ends up being natural.

Ali:         And is it true that your own memories of Amherst College became fictionalised in your work and is it also true that while a student there, you met not only your wife, but an aspiring writer entitled Dan Brown? And what ever happened to that Dan Brown bloke?

Harlan:           Certainly, there are similarities between Amherst College and Lanford, but that’s true of many things, if not most things, I write about. Yes, I met my wife at Amherst College. And yes, I met Dan Brown there too. Dan and I remain friends, but meeting my wife was better. I think Dan would agree.

Ali                Can you tell us a little of what is happening to cinematic and TV adaptations of your work?

Harlan:          I just came back from Manchester where we started filming THE STRANGER, an eight-episode crime drama based off my book, starring Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, Stephen Rea, Jennifer Saunders (yes, THE Jennifer Saunders – her first dramatic role), Hannah Kamen-John, Anthony Stewart Head, Paul Kaye, Shaun Dooley… it’s a dream group.

  

Ali:      Thanks Harlan for your time, we loved Run Away, and so what’s next?

Harlan:  Oh I never talk about the next book. It takes away some of the energy. To put it another way, I would LOVE to tell you about the next book, but the only way I get that satisfaction is to WRITE it. And thanks. I really can’t wait to hear people’s reaction to RUN AWAY. It’s one of my personal favorites – but who cares what I think??

Shots Magazine would like to thank Charlotte Bush of PenguinRandomHouse for her help in organising this interview

Click HERE for video and an insightful interview feature between Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly recorded at Bouchercon 2016, New Orleans

If you’ve not read Harlan Coben, then RUN AWAY is a great place to start, more information from www.harlancoben.com

Photos © 1997 – 2019 A Karim

The Cornerstone Crime & Thriller Party

Muriel Karim, Ayo Onatade and I were delighted to receive invitations from Francesca Russell and Selina Walker to attend the very first Cornerstone Crime & Thriller Party. Cornerstone maybe a new name in the genre to some, but many of us have come to know this eclectic imprint from Penguin-RandomHouse.

We’ve known Selina for some time, as she is a renowned publisher and Ayo, Mike Stotter and I enjoyed her company over Bouchercon 2016, in New Orleans; while Francesca is one of the renowned PR Directors in Publishing. Francesca was one of the team behind the PR for Penguin’s Michael Joseph Imprint which specialises in Crime and Mystery as well.

The Cornerstone Party was remarkable, hosted in London to give Crime-Fiction Critics, Literary Commentators an opportunity to meet some of their Authors, Editorial and Public Relations / Promotional Teams – with an array of canapes, wine and eclectic conversation.

We took away their 2017 Catalogue, from which we paste the introduction from Selina Walker to give you an indication of what narratives are coming from this interesting imprint of Penguin-Randomhouse.

The guest list was equally eclectic, with Rony Cambell, Barry Forshaw, Nick Clee, Laura Wilson, Jake Kerridge, Mike Linane and many many others.

It was good to see writers Simon Kernick, John Harvey, Tony Parsons among the newer talents such as Lisa Jewel, Amy Lloyd among many others.

I particularly enjoyed having a lengthy chat with Anthony Horowitz. I thanked him for enthusing our three Children (now Adults) into reading due the thrill they got with literature; with no small thanks to his Alex Ryder novels.

I also chatted about his latest work, the curious and very elegant THE WORD IS MURDER, as well as his excellent after dinner speech at this year's Crimefest Convention held in Bristol entitled The Curious Murder of Felix Francis.

I remarked just how extraordinary his delivery in comedic terms was. Horowitz replied 'Ali, we writers are solitary souls and not usually adept at stand-up comedy'.

Though witnessing his high-wire act at the Crimefest Gala Dinner, I said he was too modest, as the five minute murder mystery he delivered was extraordinary, and he smiled.

I also thanked him for allowing me to upload and share the clip via The Shots Blog as I had found myself sitting on an adjacent table (with Peter Rozovsky) and can be viewed below and is an extremely witty five minute murder mystery; and quintessentially British.

It was soon time for Selina to take the Microphone to welcome the guests and introduce the Cornerstone Authors assembled as well as mention those not present in person, but represented by their works which were on display, such as Hollie Overton, Harlan Coben, Alison Gaylin and Lisa Gardner.

So after much mingling, Muriel, Ayo and I said our farewells and thanked Francesca, Selina and their team at Cornerstone for their hospitality. We were still recovering from the late reveling at Martina Cole’s launch party for Damaged - held the previous night, and which spilled into today, hence we needed some sleep – so we headed into the London Evening.

For more information about Cornerstone Publishing, and their Crime and Thriller List click HERE

More crime fiction splatterings

According to the Bookseller and from the London Book Fair Patrick Janson- Smith at Harper Collins imprint Blue Door has won the battle to sign Swedish trilogy by Anders de la Motte. The three linked books are entitled Geim, Buzz and Bubble.

Congratulations go to all the nominees shortlisted for the Kim Scott Walwyn prize and especially to Donna Condon senior commissioning editor at Piatkus, Little, Brown and Bethan Jones, head of Yellow Jersey Press/crime fiction and senior publicity manager at Chatto and Windus, Harvill Secker and Square Peg.  The award recognises promise among women in the industry who have worked in publishing in the UK for up to seven years, and is sponsored by the Society of Young Publishers and administered by BookTrust.  The winner of the £1,000 prize will be announced on 9th May at the Free Word Centre in north London.

In more news from the Bookseller Selina Walker has acquired for Random House imprint Hammer Books “long short stories with a paranormal twist” by Melvin Burgess, Julie Myerson and Sophie Hannah, and each are scheduled for 2013 publication.

In what is seen as a surprising move, Amazon (via their  Thomas & Mercer imprint) have bought a 10-year license for North American rights to the entire series of Ian Fleming's James Bond books in both print and e-book form from the summer.

Orion have acquired two novels from CWA Gold Dagger winner Robert Wilson.  The first title, Capital Punishment, opens a new crime series featuring Charles Boxer, ex-army, ex-police with a speciality in kidnap and rescue.  He is hired to find Alyshia D’Cruz, the kidnapped daughter of an Indian billionaire.  Capital Punishment is due to be published in January 2013.  Shots blogged here about the filming of his Javier Falcón books.

In more rights news, Harvill Secker senior crime editor Alison Hennessey has acquired Black Chalk by Christopher J Yates, a psychological thriller set in New York and Oxford University.  In the intimidating surroundings of Oxford University a group of six friends begin to play a game – an elaborate variation on truth or dare played in escalating rounds, in which losers had to perform mildly embarrassing tasks as consequences. But the game quickly assumed a life of its own: the stakes grew higher, and the consequences more humiliating, finally evolving into a vicious struggle with unpredictable and tragic results.  Now, years later, one player, who believed he had fled the Game long ago, discovers that it is far from over. Black Chalk will be published in spring 2014.

News from the London Book Fair!

Hot off the press from the London Book fair is news that Selina Walker has acquired British Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Angharard Kowal at Writers’ House in a literary thriller, The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis.  The Malice of Fortune will be published by Century will publish in hardcover in 2013.

According to the Bookseller Pan Macmillan have acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for four more novels by bestselling thriller writer David Baldacci.  The first title in the new deal, which will be the sixth in his King and Maxwell series, is scheduled for spring 2013.  The second book in the deal will be the sixth title in his Camel Club series, with plans to bring back the character of Will Robbie from The Innocent.

Agents Curtis Brown have sold the rights of the novel Line-Up to HarperCollins.  Line Up is by Israeli thriller writer Liad Shoham and is said to be a superbly plotted, uncompromising crime thriller with a mean streak that exposes the dark and treacherous underbelly of the legal system in Israel.

Gregory and Company have sold the rights to TV Scriptwriter Michele Rowe’s debut novel What Hidden Lies which is set amid the violent gang-ridden townships and the wealthy seaside resorts of Cape Town in South Africa.  They have also sold the rights of former LA based scriptwriter Evan West’s thriller High Rollers to Transworld.  In High rollers Tom Patrick risks everything in a race against time and ruthless killers before people and planes start falling out of the sky like bloody confetti.

Dead Men and Broken Hearts by Craig Russell is the latest in his series about a Canadian private investigator in 1950s Glasgow - now soon to be developed for TV

MBA Literary Agents have sold the rights to a number of books.  These include San Carlos by Neil Forsyth.  San Carlos is a thriller set in 1980a Britain where Craig Turner is a 23 year old former right-wing extremist living under the Witness Protection Scheme.  San Carlos Has been sold to Cape.  Cartoonist and satirist Barry Fantoni's debut Harry Lipkin PI introduces us to the world's oldest private detective, part Sam Spade, part Woody Allen, all mensch.  Harry Lipkin has been sold to Polygon.  Debut novelist Victoria Whitworth’s The Bone Thief has been sold to Ebury.  The Bone Thief is a detective-quest fiction in the mould of Ellis Peters and CJ Sansom and is set in 10^th C Mercia.

Agents A P Wyatt have the rights of Ben Cheetham’s thriller Blood Guilt under submission to Simon and Schuster.  Blood Guilt is a thriller about a former policeman’s fall from grace and subsequent struggle to atone.  They have also sold to Simon and Schuster Jane Thynne’s novel Black Roses which is a gripping spy thriller set in Berlin in 1933 and gives a rare view of the private lives of the Nazi wives.  To Bloomsbury where Nick Lake has drawn on all-too-real life for his thriller Hostage 3, about a yacht hijacked by Somalian pirates.

Ebury have the world rights to Sherlock: The Casebook the tie-in to the acclaimed BBC series, featuring extracts from Dr Watson's blog, Inspector Lestrade's police reports, newspaper articles about the crimes, Sherlock's detective notes, and clues from the cases. Sherlock will be published in October 2012.

Harper Fiction have the world rights to Michael Russell's novel The City of Shadows which is a murder mystery involving the Church and the Nazi party in 1930s Dublin.  The City of Shadows will be published in September 2012.

Anton Gill's The Sacred Scroll a thriller centred on the Knights Templar, and set in Constantinople in 1204 and in Istanbul in the present day will be published by Michael Joseph who have the world rights in April 2014.

Little Brown have the world rights and will publish in March 2013 The Collector od Lost Things by scriptwriter and editor for Film Four Jeremy Page.  Set in 1850, it is the story of a young researcher who finds intrigue and danger on an Arctic expedition.  Little Brown (who also have the world rights) will also publish in late 2013 the latest William Brodrick Father Anslem novel No Hurry in her Feet which is about a murder with a background in the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Orion have the world rights to Michael Marshall’s new thriller is The Forgotten, about a budding writer who finds himself pursued by "The Followers".  The Forgotten will be published in March 2013.

Random House will publish in October 2012 Silent Witnesses a history of forensic science by Nigel McCrery a former police officer and creator of the TV series Silent Witness.

Simon and Schuster will publish (with world rights) Dead Man’s Land by Robert Ryan in January 2013.  Dead Man’s Land is a literary thriller set in the trenches of the First World War and stars Dr John Watson.

Harvil Secker will publish (and have the English world rights) to Plan D Simon Urban’s bestselling German thriller set in a world in which the Berlin Wall never fell in June 2013.