Andrew Cartmel


Andrew Cartmel was born in London, where he lives today. He grew up in Canada and returned to the UK to complete his education, such as it is (Andrew attended Queen Mary University and did postgraduate studies at the University of Kent in Canterbury).

A lifelong desire to become a professional writer initially earned Andrew some television script commissions and resulted in him being hired as the script editor on Doctor Who, in the days when that role at the BBC was virtually the same as a show runner.

He served for three seasons on Doctor Who, a highly influential run which has become memorialised as the ‘Cartmel Masterplan’, before moving on to script edit a season of Casualty and then writing for and script editing Dark Knight at Channel Five.

Other television commissions include scripts for Torchwood and Midsomer Murders.

He has written novels, toured as a stand-up comedian, written plays for the stage which have been performed in London (End of the Night, Under the Eagle, and his new comedy Screwball) and also written a number of graphic novels.

Andrew writes extensively about jazz for the website London Jazz News.

He is currently collaborating with Ben Aaronovitch on the highly successful Rivers of London comic franchise.

But his primary focus is his series of crime novels about the Vinyl Detective, a jazz-loving record collector turned sleuth; and the upcoming Paperback Sleuth series. (Warning: may contain cats.)

Andrew’s blog Narrative Drive can be found here.

Andrew is also on Twitter.

Agent Contact: Stevie Finegan

titles



Paperback Sleuth

  1. DEATH IN FINE CONDITION (2023)

Vinyl Detective

  1. WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX (2016)
  2. THE RUN-OUT GROOVE (2017)
  3. VICTORY DISC (2018)
  4. FLIP BACK (2019)
  5. LOW ACTION (2021)
  6. ATTACK AND DECAY (2022)
  7. NOISE FLOOR (2024)

Books 1-3 represented by Blake Friedmann Ltd.

Rivers of London Comic Series (with Ben Aaronovitch)

  1. BODY WORK (2016)
  2. NIGHT WITCH (2016)
  3. BLACK MOULD (2016-17)
  4. DETECTIVE STORIES (2017)
  5. CRY FOX (2017-18)
  6. WATER WEED (2018-19)
  7. ACTION AT A DISTANCE (2019)
  8. THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS (2019-20)
  9. MONDAY, MONDAY (2021)
  10. DEADLY EVER AFTER (2022)

Doctor Who: Seventh Doctor Comic Series

  1. OPERATION VOLCANO (2018)

 

covers

+


  • Paperback Sleuth Series
  • Vinyl Detective Series (UK & US)
  • Vinyl Detective Series (German Translation Editions)
  • Vinyl Detective Series (Czech Translation Editions)
  • Rivers of London Comic Series - Collected Editions
  • Rivers of London Comic Series - Translated Editions
  • DOCTOR WHO 7th: OPERATION VOLCANO (w. Ben Aaronovitch)

translations

+


Paperback Sleuth Series:
- DEATH IN FINE CONDITION - Titan Books (UK/US, 2023)

Vinyl Detective Series:
- THE RUN-OUT GROOVE - Kalibr/Euromedia (Czech, 2021 - Všechny kočky milují Valerianu)
- LOW ACTION - Titan (UK/US, 2020)
- VICTORY DISC - Suhrkamp (Germany, TBC)
- WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX - Suhrkamp/Audible (Germany, Audio, 2020 - Murder Swing)
- THE RUN-OUT GROOVE - Suhrkamp (Germany, 2020 - Killer Rock)
- FLIP BACK - W.F. Howes (Audio)
- FLIP BACK - Titan (UK/US, 2019)
- VICTORY DISC - W.F. Howes (Audio)
- WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX - Suhrkamp (Germany, 2019 - Murder Swing)
- VICTORY DISC - Titan (UK/US, 2018)
- WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX - Knižní klub/Euromedia (Czech, 2017 - Poslední deska)
- THE RUN-OUT GROOVE - Titan (UK/US, 2017)
- WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX - Titan (UK/US, 2016)

Rivers of London Series (Comics)
- HERE BE DRAGONS - Panini (Germany, 2024 - Wer glaubt schon an Drachen?)
- MONDAY, MONDAY - Panini (Germany, 2022 - Ein mieser Montag)
- THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS - Panini (Germany, 2021 - Motoren, Magie und Märchen)
- ACTION AT A DISTANCE - Panini (Germany, 2021 - Mit Abstand!)
- WATER WEED - Panini (Germany, 2020 - Wassergras)
- CRY FOX - Panini (Germany, 2020 - Fuchsgeschrei)
- DETECTIVE STORIES - Panini (Germany, 2020 - Detektivgeschicten)
- BLACK MOULD - Argo (Czech, 2020 - Černá plíseň)
- THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2019-20)
- BLACK MOULD - Panini (Germany, 2019 - Die Flüsse von London: Schwarzschimmel)
- NIGHT WITCH - Panini (Germany, 2018 - Die Flüsse von London: Die Nachthexe)
- NIGHT WITCH - Argo (Czech, 2018 - Řeky Londýna: Noční kouzelnice)
- ACTION AT A DISTANCE - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2018-19)
- BODY WORK - Panini (Germany, 2018 - Die Flüsse von London: Autowahn)
- WATER WEED - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2018)
- CRY FOX - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2017-18)
- BODY WORK - Argo (Czech, 2017 - Řeky Londýna: Čarojízda)
- DETECTIVE STORIES - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2017)
- BLACK MOULD - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2016-17)
- NIGHT WITCH - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2016)
- BODY WORK - Titan Comics (UK & US, 2015-16)

Doctor Who, Seventh Doctor: OPERATION VOLCANO
- Panini (Germany, 2019 - Der Siebte Doctor: Tanz auf dem Vulkan)
- Titan Comics (UK/US, 2019)

reviews

+


    • DEATH IN FINE CONDITION
      +

      ‘Cartmel (the Vinyl Detective mysteries) has never been better than in this darkly funny series kickoff centered on London bookseller Cordelia Stanmer, a former addict who has fallen in love with vintage paperbacks and has no scruples about how she’ll feed her growing collection… Cordelia is a memorable, devilish antihero, and Cartmel’s delightfully dexterous plotting bodes well for a sequel. Fans of Lynne Truss’s Constable Twitten novels will find much to love.’Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

    • LOW ACTION
      +

      ‘… an assured, highly readable and fun story that builds on Cartmel’s well-realised characters… I hope this series will run and run.’Blue Book Ballon

      ‘The interaction between the characters is very amusing and this is certainly enhanced by the audio work of Finlay Robertson… Like any good mystery there are also a few twists and action scenes that will keep you on your toes.’SF Book Reviews

      LOW ACTION has another brilliant plot written in the first person from the view of the vinyl detective. There are moments of laugh-out-loud humour and as is usual, impending danger to the group. Andrew Cartmel has again given us some more gloriously eccentric characters including Saxon Ghost and Fanzine Frank. We also get a bit more of an insight into Nevada’s past when we visit her old school and much more.’I Love Books

    • FLIP BACK
      +

      ‘… an interesting and intriguing history for the series’ latest MacGuffin… the writing is sharp, funny and engaging throughout, and the main characters have never been more likeable… it’s wonderful; it’s a book filled with warmth and good humour – despite a touch of murder – that often feels like reacquainting yourself with old friends… The latest Vinyl Detective novel continues the series’ fine tradition of telling fictional stories that seem entirely plausible. There hasn’t been a dud note in the Vinyl Detective’s oeuvre to date and FLIP BACK is no exception; in fact, it might just be his greatest whodunnit yet.’ 9/10 — Alternative Magazine Online

      ‘Let yourself get carried away by this one. You’ll find quirky characters, adorable cats, lots of great libations (Nevada knows her wines), and of course, music… Highly recommended!’Art in Fiction

      ‘… the fourth book in the Vinyl Detective series and it’s another great addition.’Divine World of Books

    • VICTORY DISC
      +

      ‘… effectively integrates the lead’s unusual specialty of searching out rare records into an intricately constructed plot… the clever resolution of the story lines is impressive. Fair-play fans, even those without an interest in music, will be pleased.’Publishers Weekly

      VICTORY DISC works beautifully both as a sequel and as a standalone novel… The story is splendid, continuing the fine tradition of the series to date of weaving fascinating fact with thrilling fiction… Andrew Cartmel is a fine mystery (and comedy) writer, keeping his readers smiling while never letting the elements of humour obfuscate the more serious moments… if you enjoyed the first two books, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy this one too. The unsolved murder mystery is highly intriguing, the characters introduced throughout are fully formed and a delight to uncover more about, and the chemistry between the Vinyl Detective and his friends is absolutely spot on. In short, VICTORY DISC is beautifully orchestrated and well worth taking for a spin this summer.’Alternative Magazine Online

      ‘Cartmel at his best… an exciting and atmospheric mystery and a good addition to the Vinyl Detective’s casebook.’ Blue Book Balloon

      ‘This book was such a blast! It was a great addition to this hilarious series and I’m so impressed at how entertaining these books are.’Divine World of Books

    • THE RUN-OUT GROOVE
      +

      ‘Part of the fun of the series is the obsessiveness of record collectors, the contradictions between the mundane places in which they hunt their treasures — charity shops, church bazaars — and the sophisticated sound systems they have set up to play what they find… the Vinyl Detective is proving to be a very amenable companion to have on a treasure hunt. This is one vinyl nerd you won’t mind spending time with.’Kirkus

      ‘… entertaining second record-spinning mystery… Cartmel treats music and records seriously, plays his strange characters for laughs, and provides a bit of danger and some unexpected twists in this affectionate nod to the vagaries of rock stardom.’Publishers Weekly

      THE RUN-OUT GROOVE does a fantastic job of making its fictional history of music so fascinating and authentic that you’ll forget it isn’t all true… This a follow-up every bit the equal of its highly memorable predecessor, presenting a mystery you’ll be eager to solve and characters whose company you won’t want to leave. Written with infectious charm, the Vinyl Detective has more than proven he’s no one-hit-wonder.’ (9/10) — Alternative Magazine Online

      ‘Polished, fast-paced and a ton of fun, this is a fantastic read that is easy to get lost in… more polished… keeps the story rolling forward at an incredible speed – and also makes it very hard to put down… Cartmel has created an intoxicating mix of adventure, humour and mystery to lose yourself in… a truly engaging and enjoyable read. THE RUN-OUT GROOVE surpasses even the opening novel in the series for polish and fun.’The Crime Review

    • WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX
      +

      ‘This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend.’Kirkus

      ‘… fast-paced, lighthearted adventure… marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating…’Publishers Weekly

      ‘Author Cartmel has combined the tropes of the several genres into a surprising, refreshing story centered around old-fashioned records… the story delivers multiple chuckles per chapter… Based on this volume, the series will be a hit.’New York Journal of Books

      ‘The story is so charming, funny and engaging… You can really tell that Andrew Cartmel is intimately familiar with both London and the vinyl scene. There is a wonderful sense of time and place, each location filled with a varied cast of colourful characters… Even more impressive, the protagonist’s passion for vinyl never comes across as preachy or boring. There is an engaging tapestry of technical information and jazz history being woven throughout, so convincing that it would take an expert to separate fact from fiction… The Vinyl Detective has it all… intrigue, mystery, romance, action, travel, humour, music, history… It’s the perfect chilled-out read… It’s British crime fiction with an American jazz soundtrack and it’s delightful. As long as Andrew Cartmel keeps spinning these characters, I’ll keep reading.’ (9/10) — Alternative Magazine Online

      ‘[Cartmel’s] charity-shop-haunting, record-fair-regular vinyl obsessive with an encyclopaedic knowledge of jazz is a natural and welcome addition to the genre’s pantheon… a highly entertaining cast of supporting characters… a pair of utterly convincing cats which effortlessly steal every scene in which they appear… a sharp, amusing and compulsively readable detective yarn packed with witty asides dealing with everyone from Sun Ra to Elvis Presley, as enjoyably accessible to the jazz obsessive as it is to the general reader.’London Jazz News

      ‘… the first in a trilogy of mystery novels starring an amusing London record collector whose life gets turned upside down when a mysterious woman hires him to find a legendary rare jazz LP… the story keeps moving at a brisk pace, taking us from crime scenes in London to a top-secret marijuana farm in Wales, to the seamy underside of Los Angeles and nervous moments rubbing elbows with the rich and powerful in Japan. There’s also plenty of gunshots, narrow escapes and women who somehow find a fumbling record collector who lives alone with two cats to be utterly irresistible… a leisurely, enjoyable read… Music fans — and obviously record collectors — will all get a kick out of the Vinyl Detective’s exploits.’Pro Sound News

      ‘… fun mystery, alternative mystery subjects, fast paced thriller, humorous writing… This incredibly entertaining and refreshingly different mystery briskly twists its way toward an interesting conclusion. Definitely worth picking up for a fun read… It’s not often that you find this much humour in a solidly written mystery story… convoluted and winding and incredibly enjoyable. WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX should go on your list to read! Particularly if you have a dry, sarcastic, British sense of humour, it will satisfy your mystery craving and tickle your funny bone all at once.’The Crime Review