Tag: Atlantic Books

North American Edition of Alice Bell’s DISPLEASURE ISLAND out in Four Weeks!

Posted on Wednesday, August 7th, 2024

The highly-anticipated North American edition of Alice Bell‘s DISPLEASURE ISLAND is out in four weeks! Due to be published by Vintage Books, on September 3rd, here’s the synopsis…

In the hilarious follow-up to Grave Expectations, Claire and the gang are back, getting their timbers shivered by a mystery involving feuding ghost pirates, buried treasure, and murder…

Claire Hendricks can see ghosts, but she can’t see herself having a fun vacation. Yet when her new friends/found family, Basher and Alex, insist, Claire and her dead BFF, Sophie, pack themselves off to a remote Irish island. This tempest-tossed isle is indeed full of noises: not only is the hotel where the gang is staying double booked with a posh private party, the island’s crumbling old fort is being fought over by rival ghost pirates. In death, as in life, they’re vying over a legendary stash of loot, supposedly hidden somewhere on the island or in the surrounding rough seas…

… which, inevitably, are whipped up into a terrific storm, stranding everyone — living and dead — on the island. Claire is already fighting off anxious And Then There Were None vibes before one of the other guests turns up murdered. With Basher distracted by a handsome Irish seaman and Sophie stretching the limits of her tether to flirt with a dead pirate with dubious intentions, it’s up to Claire to solve the mystery of three-hundred-year-old buried treasure and figure out who’s picking off party guests — before the whole gang meets a grim, Agatha Christie-like fate.

As mentioned in the synopsis, this is the follow-up to Bell’s acclaimed debut novel, GRAVE EXPECTATIONS — which is also published in North America by Vintage Books. Both novels are also available in the UK, published by Corvus.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the series has received so far…

‘What a cracking romp of a read! A bunch of self entitled millennials, a troop of pirate ghosts, a treasure hoard, a whole slew of secrets and at its heart an engaging and satisfying murder mystery – Agatha Christie meets Ghosts came to mind! I loved the way Alice Bell effortlessly dealt with the problems that beset mystery writers today. i.e. blanket technology- the results was a sort of ‘locked island’ mystery. As before I love the main protagonist chaotic Claire, and her sardonic sidekick (who just happens to have been dead for some fifteen years) It was great to see them both back in action again.’ — J. M. Hall on DISPLEASURE ISLAND

‘Contrary to its title, Alice Bell’s second novel is a complete pleasure to read, full of witty writing, loveable characters and page-turning twists.’ — Culturefly (“Spring Reads: 14 of the best new books to read this month”) on DISPLEASURE ISLAND

‘Read this fabulous book — you will not regret it!’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core’ — Janice Hallett

‘Bell shines in her sharp, funny debut, a supernatural whodunit centered on medium-for-hire Claire Hendricks… The adroit plotting, which cannily plays with mystery tropes, is amply leavened with humor.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts – imagine a really cockeyed game of Cluedo heavily seasoned with whimsy … it’s a lot of fun’ — Stuart MacBride

‘Knives Out vibes with added ghosts. Fresh, funny and hugely enjoyable.’ — Catherine Ryan Howard

‘[T]he lightly acerbic style is a delight and the interaction between inept-but-dogged millennial Claire and eternal teenager Sophie – whose death remains a mystery – offers plenty of spooky fun. More, please.’ — Guardian

‘A great read, with great characters, lots of humour, some misty-eyed moments and lots of swearing. Utterly delightful – like the BBC show Ghosts mixed with Cluedo’ — Simon Toyne

Alice Bell’s DISPLEASURE ISLAND – Out Now in the UK!

Posted on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024

DISPLEASURE ISLAND, Alice Bell‘s follow-up to the widely-acclaimed GRAVE EXPECTATIONS, is out today in the UK! Published in hardcover and eBook by Corvus, here’s the synopsis…

‘There are apparently a lot of ghosts on Spike Island,’ said Basher. ‘So perhaps one more can’t hurt.’
Claire sighed and looked at Sophie. She was standing in the sunlight beaming through the windows, so she was washed out and almost see-through – but still very clearly sticking her tongue out at Claire. ‘Oh,’ said Claire, ‘I think you’d be surprised.’

Professional medium turned detective Claire, her best friend Sophie (a 17-year-old ghost) and their pals are enjoying a much-needed cheap holiday in an unfinished hotel on Spike Island off the coast of Ireland. Claire is flattered to be asked by the local ghost of a pirate captain to investigate the theft of treasure from the shipwreck that stranded him there several hundred years ago.

But just when she thinks she is closing in on the culprit, a murder takes place, and Claire and her friends quickly become the chief suspects. Can they recover the treasure, solve the murder and clear their names before all is lost?

The novel has received a few great early responses, too! Here’s just one example…

‘What a cracking romp of a read! A bunch of self entitled millennials, a troop of pirate ghosts, a treasure hoard, a whole slew of secrets and at its heart an engaging and satisfying murder mystery – Agatha Christie meets Ghosts came to mind! I loved the way Alice Bell effortlessly dealt with the problems that beset mystery writers today. i.e. blanket technology- the results was a sort of ‘locked island’ mystery. As before I love the main protagonist chaotic Claire, and her sardonic sidekick (who just happens to have been dead for some fifteen years) It was great to see them both back in action again.’ — J. M. Hall

DISPLEASURE ISLAND is also due to be published in North America, by Vintage, on September 3rd. (We’ll share more details and the cover, as soon as we can.) GRAVE EXPECTATIONS is out now in paperback, in the UK (Corvus) and North America (Vintage).

Here are just a few of the many great reviews the first novel received…

‘Read this fabulous book — you will not regret it!’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core’ — Janice Hallett

‘A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts – imagine a really cockeyed game of Cluedo heavily seasoned with whimsy … it’s a lot of fun’ — Stuart MacBride

‘Knives Out vibes with added ghosts. Fresh, funny and hugely enjoyable.’ — Catherine Ryan Howard

‘A great read, with great characters, lots of humour, some misty-eyed moments and lots of swearing. Utterly delightful – like the BBC show Ghosts mixed with Cluedo’ — Simon Toyne

‘This book positively lit up my weekends with its cosy, affectionate, funny, awkward brand of ghostly crime-solving. Perfect for fans of BBC’s Ghosts, Alice Bell has a keen eye for characterisation and the ridiculous, creating a story that will both send chills down your spine and wrap you up in a hug.’ — Ally Wilkes

‘Witty, addictive, and breathes some much needed (undead) life into the cosy crime murder mystery genre’ — Adam Simcox

‘Bell shines in her sharp, funny debut, a supernatural whodunit centered on medium-for-hire Claire Hendricks… The adroit plotting, which cannily plays with mystery tropes, is amply leavened with humor.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘As murder mysteries go, this one is certainly unique… A fun and surprising character-driven whodunnit.’ — Heat (UK)

‘Alice Bell weaves a fun, gripping murder mystery with a supernatural spin.’ — Woman’s Own (UK)

‘[T]he lightly acerbic style is a delight and the interaction between inept-but-dogged millennial Claire and eternal teenager Sophie – whose death remains a mystery – offers plenty of spooky fun. More, please.’ — Guardian

Alice Bell’s DISPLEASURE ISLAND Out in Four Weeks!

Posted on Monday, April 1st, 2024

The UK edition of DISPLEASURE ISLAND, Alice Bell‘s follow-up to the widely-acclaimed GRAVE EXPECTATIONS, is out in four weeks! Due to be published in hardcover and eBook by Corvus, on May 2nd, here’s the synopsis…

‘There are apparently a lot of ghosts on Spike Island,’ said Basher. ‘So perhaps one more can’t hurt.’
Claire sighed and looked at Sophie. She was standing in the sunlight beaming through the windows, so she was washed out and almost see-through – but still very clearly sticking her tongue out at Claire. ‘Oh,’ said Claire, ‘I think you’d be surprised.’

Professional medium turned detective Claire, her best friend Sophie (a 17-year-old ghost) and their pals are enjoying a much-needed cheap holiday in an unfinished hotel on Spike Island off the coast of Ireland. Claire is flattered to be asked by the local ghost of a pirate captain to investigate the theft of treasure from the shipwreck that stranded him there several hundred years ago.

But just when she thinks she is closing in on the culprit, a murder takes place, and Claire and her friends quickly become the chief suspects. Can they recover the treasure, solve the murder and clear their names before all is lost?

DISPLEASURE ISLAND is also due to be published in North America, by Vintage, on September 3rd. (We’ll share more details and the cover, as soon as we can.) GRAVE EXPECTATIONS is out now in paperback, in the UK (Corvus) and North America (Vintage).

Here are just a few of the many great reviews the first novel received…

‘Read this fabulous book — you will not regret it!’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core’ — Janice Hallett

‘A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts – imagine a really cockeyed game of Cluedo heavily seasoned with whimsy … it’s a lot of fun’ — Stuart MacBride

‘Knives Out vibes with added ghosts. Fresh, funny and hugely enjoyable.’ — Catherine Ryan Howard

‘A great read, with great characters, lots of humour, some misty-eyed moments and lots of swearing. Utterly delightful – like the BBC show Ghosts mixed with Cluedo’ — Simon Toyne

‘This book positively lit up my weekends with its cosy, affectionate, funny, awkward brand of ghostly crime-solving. Perfect for fans of BBC’s Ghosts, Alice Bell has a keen eye for characterisation and the ridiculous, creating a story that will both send chills down your spine and wrap you up in a hug.’ — Ally Wilkes

‘Witty, addictive, and breathes some much needed (undead) life into the cosy crime murder mystery genre’ — Adam Simcox

‘Bell shines in her sharp, funny debut, a supernatural whodunit centered on medium-for-hire Claire Hendricks… The adroit plotting, which cannily plays with mystery tropes, is amply leavened with humor.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘As murder mysteries go, this one is certainly unique… A fun and surprising character-driven whodunnit.’ — Heat (UK)

‘Alice Bell weaves a fun, gripping murder mystery with a supernatural spin.’ — Woman’s Own (UK)

‘[T]he lightly acerbic style is a delight and the interaction between inept-but-dogged millennial Claire and eternal teenager Sophie – whose death remains a mystery – offers plenty of spooky fun. More, please.’ — Guardian

Alice Bell’s GRAVE EXPECTATIONS Sells to Corvus!

Posted on Monday, July 25th, 2022

Today, we wanted to share the news (in case you missed it) that Alice Bell‘s GRAVE EXPECTATIONS has been acquired (in a two-book deal) by Corvus Books in the UK! Described as a murder mystery ‘full of heart and humour’, it is Bell’s debut novel. The deal was announced last week in the Bookseller.

GRAVE EXPECTATIONS will be a lead title for Corvus in May 2023 (hardback, trade paperback and e-book). The paperback will follow in October 2023. Here’s a short synopsis for the novel…

How do you solve a murder when the ghost of a 17-year-old keeps telling you you’re doing it wrong?

Claire Hendricks is a hapless 30-something true crime fan treading water in the gig economy working as a medium. When she is invited to an old university friend’s country pile to provide entertainment for a family party, her best friend Sophie tags along. In fact, Sophie rarely leaves Claire’s side, because she’s been haunting her ever since she was murdered at the age of 17.

We’ll be sure to share more information as we have it (e.g., the cover). North American rights to the novel have also gone to Knopf.

Congratulations, Alice!

Corvus Acquires UK Rights for Erika Swyler’s THE BOOK OF SPECULATION

Posted on Wednesday, February 4th, 2015

Sara O’Keeffe, Editorial Director at Corvus, an imprint of Atlantic Books, has acquired UK and Commonwealth (excluding Canada) rights to Erika Swyler’s stunning debut novel, THE BOOK OF SPECULATION.

SwylerE-BookOfSpeculationUS-BlogThe deal was negotiated by John Wordsworth at the Zeno Agency, on behalf of Michelle Brower and Melissa Sarver White at Folio Literary Management. The novel was sold to St. Martin’s Press in the United States in a six figure deal.

“Dear Mr. Watson, I came across this book at auction as part of a larger lot I purchased on speculation. The damage renders it useless to me, but a name inside it—Verona Bonn—led me to believe it might be of interest to you or your family…”

Simon Watson, a young librarian on the verge of losing his job, lives alone on the Long Island Sound in his family home – a house, perched on the edge of a bluff, that is slowly crumbling toward the sea. His parents are long dead, his mother having drowned in the water his house overlooks. His younger sister, Enola, works for a traveling carnival reading tarot cards, and seldom calls.

On a day in late June, Simon receives a mysterious package from an antiquarian bookseller. The book tells the story of Amos and Evangeline, doomed lovers who lived and worked in a traveling circus more than two hundred years ago. The paper crackles with age as Simon turns the yellowed pages filled with notes, sketches, and whimsical flourishes; and his best friend and fellow librarian, Alice, looks on in increasing alarm. Why does his grandmother’s name, Verona Bonn, appear in this book? Why do so many women in his family drown on July 24? Could there possibly be some kind of curse on his family – and could Enola, who has suddenly turned up at home for the first time in six years, risk the same fate in just a few weeks? In order to save her – and perhaps himself – Simon must try urgently to decode his family history while moving on from the past.

THE BOOK OF SPECULATION is due to be published in the US in June 2015, and Corvus will publish in the UK in February 2016. No news yet on the UK cover, but the image above-left will grace the US edition. We’ll be sure to share the UK cover here as soon as it is available.

‘The Book of Speculation is a luscious experience – dark, sweet, and wild’ — Katherine Dunn

Find out more about the author by visiting her website and following her on Twitter.