Tag: Crime

Andrew Cartmel’s WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX now available in German audio!

Posted on Thursday, April 23rd, 2020

WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, the first novel in Andrew Cartmel‘s acclaimed Vinyl Detective series is now available as an audiobook in Germany! Narrated by Oliver Siebeck, and published by Audible Germany as MURDER SWING, here’s the synopsis…

London, heute: Er ist ein Plattensammler, ein Spezialist für äußerst seltene LPs, die er kauft und verkauft. Die Jobbeschreibung auf seiner Visitenkarte lautet: “Vinyl-Detektiv”. Und manche Leute nehmen das ganz wörtlich – so wie die geheimnisvolle Nevada Warren, die ihn für eine Unsumme anheuert, um für einen anonymen Auftraggeber eine Platte zu finden, die zu der schmalen Produktion eines winzigen kalifornischen Jazz-Labels gehört, das in den 1950ern nur ein Jahr existierte.

Bald häufen sich seltsame Todesfällen, die allesamt mit dieser Platte zu tun haben könnten. Aber was könnte auf ihr zu hören sein, was sie so ungemein wertvoll macht? Und was hat einer der mächtigsten Konzerne der weltweiten Unterhaltungsindustrie damit zu tun? Zu allem Überfluss hat unser Detektiv bald auch noch die “Aryian Twins” Heinz und Heidi an der Hacke, zwei ziemlich extravagante Killer …

The first two novels in the series are published in Germany in print by Suhrkamp Verlag.

The series is published in the UK and North America by Titan Books, and the first four novels are out now. Here’s the English-language synopsis for the first novel…

He is a record collector — a connoisseur of vinyl, hunting out rare and elusive LPs. His business card describes him as the “Vinyl Detective” and some people take this more literally than others.

Like the beautiful, mysterious woman who wants to pay him a large sum of money to find a priceless lost recording — on behalf of an extremely wealthy (and rather sinister) shadowy client.

Given that he’s just about to run out of cat biscuits, this gets our hero’s full attention. So begins a painful and dangerous odyssey in search of the rarest jazz record of them all…

VICTORY DISC MMPB is Out Tomorrow!

Posted on Monday, March 30th, 2020

The mass market paperback edition of Andrew Cartmel‘s VICTORY DISC is due out tomorrow! The third novel in the acclaimed Vinyl Detective series, it’s published by Titan Books. Here’s the synopsis…

This time the search for a rare record ensnares our hero in a mystery with its roots stretching back seven decades, to the Second World War.

Three young RAF airmen played in a legendary band called the Flare Path Orchestra. When a precious 78rpm record of their music turns up in the most unexpected place the Vinyl Detective finds himself hired to track down the rest of their highly sought-after recordings.

But, as he does so, he finds that the battles of the last World War aren’t over yet—and can still prove lethal.

While fighting for his life, our hero unearths dark secrets of treason and murder, and puts right a tragic miscarriage of justice.

If all this sounds simple, it’s only because we haven’t mentioned drive-by shootings, murderous neo-Nazis, or that body in the beer barrel.

Titan Books has published the first four novels in the series: WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, THE RUN-OUT GROOVE, VICTORY DISC, and FLIP BACK. The fifth novel, LOW ACTION, is due to be published in May 2020.

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

‘This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend.’ — Kirkus on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘… fast-paced, lighthearted adventure… marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating…’ — Publishers Weekly on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on VICTORY DISC

‘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

This May, get in on the LOW ACTION…

Posted on Friday, March 6th, 2020

On May 12th, Titan Books are due to publish LOW ACTION, the highly-anticipated fifth novel in Andrew Cartmel‘s acclaimed Vinyl Detective series! Here’s the synopsis…

Semi-retired god of rock guitar and local poseur Erik Make Loud has got himself a new girlfriend. Helene Hilditch – formerly known as Howlin’ Hellbitch – of all-girl punk outfit Blue Tits is a mean guitarist, someone is trying to kill her.

With a rare pressing of their first album to find, the Vinyl Detective and Nevada are soon called into to help but this time the question is who isn’t a suspect. With a trail of grudges behind her, the list of people who could want Helene dead includes her ex-bandmates, their former producer turned record label mogul, the TV presenter that Helene got fired – even their old roadie could be in on it. The only person who isn’t a suspect is Delia Lispector, the Blue Tit’s bass player who has already been murdered…

Titan has published all four of the previous novels in the series, in the UK and North America: WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, THE RUN-OUT GROOVE, VICTORY DISC, and FLIP BACK.

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

‘This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend.’ — Kirkus on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘… fast-paced, lighthearted adventure… marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating…’ — Publishers Weekly on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on VICTORY DISC

‘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

Simon R. Green’s NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER out now in North America!

Posted on Monday, March 2nd, 2020

NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER, the eighth Ishmael Jones mystery novel by Simon R. Green is out today in North America! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis…

When a body is discovered in a locked toilet cubicle on the late-night train to Bath, Ishmael Jones is faced with his most puzzling case to date.

When Ishmael Jones is asked to escort a VIP on the late-night train to Bath, it would appear to be a routine case. Ishmael’s mission is to ensure that he arrives safely. But when a body is discovered in a locked toilet cubicle, Ishmael Jones has just 56 minutes to solve a seemingly impossible crime before the train reaches its destination.

The novel is due to be published in North America on March 1st, 2020.

Severn House has published all of the Ishmael Jones novels to-date, in the UK and North America: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR, MURDER IN THE DARK, and NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Andrew Cartmel’s KILLER ROCK out now in Germany!

Posted on Monday, February 17th, 2020

Andrew Cartmel‘s THE RUN-OUT GROOVE, the second novel in the acclaimed Vinyl Detective series, is out now in Germany! Published by Suhrkamp as KILLER ROCK, here’s the synopsis…

Valerian war eine britische Rock-Ikone der 1960er Jahre, die Leadsängerin der gleichnamigen Band Valerian. Sie hatte sich damals unter tragischen Umständen das Leben genommen, ihr Kind war verschwunden, entführt und getötet, wie viele Leute mutmaßen.

Und jetzt steht plötzlich ein mysteriöser Klient, »the Colonel«, auf der Matte und beauftragt den Vinyl-Detective, das Kind zu finden. Eigentlich nicht sein Job, aber im Hintergrund gibt es eine wertvolle LP als Lockmittel.

Zusammen mit seiner Crew – seiner Freundin Nevada, Kumpel Tinkler und der unwahrscheinlichen Taxifahrerin Clean Head – macht er sich an die Arbeit und gräbt sich tief in die Popgeschichte der Sixties, trifft einen Ex-Gitarristen von Frank Zappa und andere wunderliche Menschen aus der großen Ära des Rocks.

Drogen sind natürlich auch im Spiel, damals wie heute. Das macht die Sache entschieden ungemütlich. Hinzu kommt, dass an dem Schicksal des verschwundenen Kindes nicht nur nette Menschen interessiert sind…

The novel is published in English by Titan Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis for THE RUN OUT GROOVE…

His first adventure consisted of the search for a rare record; his second begins with the discovery of one. When a mint copy of the final album by “Valerian” — England’s great lost rock band of the 1960s — surfaces in a charity shop, all hell breaks loose.

Finding this record triggers a chain of events culminating in our hero learning the true fate of the singer Valerian, who died under equivocal circumstances just after — or was it just before? — the abduction of her two-year-old son.

Along the way, the Vinyl Detective finds himself marked for death, at the wrong end of a shotgun, and unknowingly dosed with LSD as a prelude to being burned alive. And then there’s the grave robbing…

But he does find out what happened to the missing child, and it wasn’t what anyone expected — or wanted — to hear.

Surhkamp has also published the first novel in the series, as MURDER SWING.

All of the Vinyl Detective novels are published in the UK and in North America by Titan Books, and the series currently stands at four novels: WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, THE RUN-OUT GROOVE, VICTORY DISC, and FLIP BACK.

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

‘This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend.’ — Kirkus on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘… fast-paced, lighthearted adventure… marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating…’ — Publishers Weekly on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on VICTORY DISC

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

‘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 on VICTORY DISC

STEPHEN LEEDS Gets a New UK Jacket…

Posted on Friday, February 7th, 2020

Today, Gollancz has unveiled the cover for a new edition of Brandon Sanderson‘s acclaimed THE MANY LIVE OF STEPHEN LEEDS! A collection of the author’s Legion novellas, the new edition is due to be published on June 25th, 2020. Here’s the synopsis…

Stephen Leeds is perfectly sane. It’s his hallucinations who are mad.

A genius of unrivalled aptitude, Stephen can learn any new skill, vocation, or art in a matter of hours. However, to contain all of this, his mind creates hallucinatory people – Stephen calls them aspects – to hold and manifest the information. Wherever he goes, he is joined by a team of imaginary experts to give advice, interpretation, and explanation. He uses them to solve problems… for a price.

His brain is getting a little crowded and the aspects have a tendency of taking on lives of their own. When a company hires him to recover stolen property – a camera that can allegedly take pictures of the past – Stephen finds himself in an adventure crossing oceans and fighting terrorists. What he discovers may upend the foundation of three major world religions – and, perhaps, give him a vital clue into the true nature of his aspects.

This collection includes the novellas LEGION and SKIN DEEP, published together for the first time, as well as a brand-new Stephen Leeds novella, LIES OF THE BEHOLDER.

Brandon Sanderson is also the author of a number of best-selling, acclaimed series, including Mistborn, the Stormlight Archive, the Reckoners, and a handful of stand-alone novels — all published by Gollancz in the UK.

Here is just a small selection taken from the aforementioned acclaim the collection has received…

‘Sanderson’s contemporary fantasy is populated with superb characterizations (as evidenced by the multiple depictions of Legion’s aspects) and is surprisingly thought-provoking.’ — Kirkus

‘Readers will get drawn into the fascinating world of Stephen and his friends — real and imagined — as they work together to solve the seemingly unsolvable.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Stephen Leeds is a genius with a problem with multiple personalities… This collection combines three novellas featuring this fascinating character.’ — Locus

‘THE MANY LIVES OF STEPHEN LEEDS by Brandon Sanderson was fantastically, amazingly brilliant.’ — SF Crowsnest

‘If you haven’t checked it out yet, THE MANY LIVES OF STEPHEN LEEDS is the perfect opportunity to read Brandon Sanderson’s beloved series featuring everyone’s favorite schizophrenic genius detective.’ — Bibliosanctum

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Lavie Tidhar’s World Fantasy Award-winning OSAMA now available in Russia!

Posted on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020

Lavie Tidhar‘s novel OSAMA, which won the World Fantasy Award in 2012, is now available in Russia! Published by Эксмо’s Fanzon SF imprint as Усама, here’s the synopsis…

Частного детектива Джо нанимает таинственная незнакомка для розыска исчезнувшего писателя Майкла Лонгшотта, автора культовой серии триллеров “Мститель”, повествующих о приключениях супергероя по имени Усама бен Ладен. Джо предстоят поиски в Лаосе, Франции, Америке, Афганистане, Марокко и Анг- лии — странах мира, столь похожего и столь отличающегося от нашего. Мира, в котором Вторая мировая война закончилась иначе, нет глобального терроризма, а реальность призрачна.

This Russian edition joins a growing number of translated editions of this excellent, thought-provoking novel. Here’s the novel’s English-language synopsis…

In an alternate world without global terrorism Joe, a private detective, is hired by a mysterious woman to find a man: the obscure author of pulp fiction novels featuring one Osama Bin Laden: Vigilante…

Joe’s quest to find the man takes him across the world, from the backwaters of Asia to the European Capitals of Paris and London, and as the mystery deepens around him there is one question he is trying hard not to ask: who is he, really, and how much of the books are fiction? Chased by unknown assailants, Joe s identity slowly fragments as he discovers the shadowy world of the refugees, ghostly entities haunting the world in which he lives.

Where do they come from? And what do they want? Joe knows how the story should end, but even he is not ready for the truths he ll find in New York and, finally, on top a quiet hill above Kabul nor for the choice he will at last have to make…

Here are a few of the great reviews the novel has received…

‘He is a political writer, an iconoclast and sometimes a provocateur … OSAMA is a remarkable and ambitious work.’ — China Mieville

‘Bears comparison with the best of Philip K Dick’s paranoid, alternate-history fantasies. It’s beautifully written and undeniably powerful.’ — Financial Times

‘OSAMA has ushered Tidhar into the limelight… OSAMA is the narrative symphony Philip K. Dick wished he could have composed. Not only is it beautifully written, it is expertly crafted… OSAMA is a work of art. And Tidhar is a word-painter, constructing vibrant and poetic landscapes of narrative in spite of the novel’s dark and brooding subject matter. Too often, I am surprised by works that win the World Fantasy Award, among others in the speculative genres (none more so than the Bram Stoker Award). Sometimes the quality of winners doesn’t hold up and their nominations seem to be a matter of sheer star power or nepotism. In this case, I’m happy to say, the judges got it dead right.’ — Los Angeles Review of Books

‘… fascinating and hypnotic … the writing is beautiful.’ — Jeff VanderMeer

‘A novel about the power of fantasy, about the proximity of dreams and reality, about ghost people and ghost realities. Lavie Tidhar has written a fine, striking, memorable piece of fiction here, one that deserves to be widely read.’ — Adam Roberts

‘A provocative and fast moving tale that raises good questions not only about the heritage of Al Qaeda, but about the slippage between reality and sensational fiction that sometimes seems to define our own confused and contorted experience of the last couple of decades.’ — Gary K. Wolfe, Locus

‘A roller-coaster ride… [a] fabulous opium-soaked political thriller… pulls out all the stops.’ — Rolling Stone (Germany)

Catch the NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER with Ishmael Jones!

Posted on Friday, November 29th, 2019

The eighth Ishmael Jones mystery novel by Simon R. Green, NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER is out today in the UK! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis…

When a body is discovered in a locked toilet cubicle on the late-night train to Bath, Ishmael Jones is faced with his most puzzling case to date.

When Ishmael Jones is asked to escort a VIP on the late-night train to Bath, it would appear to be a routine case. Ishmael’s mission is to ensure that he arrives safely. But when a body is discovered in a locked toilet cubicle, Ishmael Jones has just 56 minutes to solve a seemingly impossible crime before the train reaches its destination.

The novel is due to be published in North America on March 1st, 2020.

Severn House has published all of the Ishmael Jones novels to-date, in the UK and North America: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR, MURDER IN THE DARK, and NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Later this month, catch the NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER!

Posted on Monday, November 4th, 2019

On November 29th, Severn House are due to publish the eighth Ishmael Jones mystery novel by Simon R. Green: NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER! Here’s the synopsis…

When a body is discovered in a locked toilet cubicle on the late-night train to Bath, Ishmael Jones is faced with his most puzzling case to date.

When Ishmael Jones is asked to escort a VIP on the late-night train to Bath, it would appear to be a routine case. Ishmael’s mission is to ensure that he arrives safely. But when a body is discovered in a locked toilet cubicle, Ishmael Jones has just 56 minutes to solve a seemingly impossible crime before the train reaches its destination.

The novel is due to be published in North America by Severn House on March 1st, 2020. (We’ll remind everyone closer to the time about this release, of course.)

Severn House has published all of the Ishmael Jones novels to-date, in the UK and North America: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR, MURDER IN THE DARK, and NIGHT TRAIN TO MURDER.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

TILL SUDDEN DEATH DO US PART, the 7th Ishmael Jones mystery, out now in the US!

Posted on Thursday, August 1st, 2019

Today, Severn House publishes Simon R. Green‘s seventh Ishmael Jones mystery in the US! Published in the UK back in April, here’s the synopsis for TILL SUDDEN DEATH DO US PART…

Although he hasn’t seen Robert Bergin for 40 years, Ishmael feels duty bound to respond when his old friend calls for help. Robert’s daughter Gillian is about to be married, and he is afraid she’ll fall prey to the ancient family curse. Arriving in rural Yorkshire, Ishmael and his partner Penny learn that the vicar who was to perform the ceremony has been found dead in the church, hanging from his own bell rope. With no clues, no evidence and no known motive, many locals believe the curse is responsible. Or is someone just using it as a smokescreen for murder? With the wedding due to take place the following day, Ishmael has just a few hours to uncover the truth.

But his investigations are hampered by sudden flashes of memory: memories of the time before he was human. What is it Ishmael’s former self is trying to tell him…?

Severn House has also published the first six novels in the series, in both the UK and US: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR and MURDER IN THE DARK.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Andrew Cartmel’s MURDER SWING is a top 10 Crime Novel pick in Germany!

Posted on Wednesday, June 5th, 2019

We’re very happy to report that WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, the first novel in Andrew Cartmel‘s critically-acclaimed Vinyl Detective mystery series, has been selected as a top 10 crime pick by Germany’s Deutchlandfunk Kultur website! The novel is a ‘Super Mix aus Comic, Krimi und Groteske, heiter bis jazzig.’ (A superb mix of comedy, gritty crime and cheerful jazz.)

Published in Germany by Suhrkamp Verlag as MURDER SWING, here’s the synopsis…

London, heute: Er ist ein Plattensammler, ein Spezialist für äußerst seltene LPs, die er kauft und verkauft. Die Jobbeschreibung auf seiner Visitenkarte lautet: ›Vinyl-Detektiv‹. Und manche Leute nehmen das ganz wörtlich – so wie die geheimnisvolle Nevada Warren, die ihn für eine Unsumme anheuert, um für einen anonymen Auftraggeber eine Platte zu finden, die zu der schmalen Produktion eines winzigen kalifornischen Jazz-Labels gehört, das in den 1950ern nur ein Jahr existierte.

Bald häufen sich seltsame Todesfällen, die allesamt mit dieser Platte zu tun haben könnten. Aber was könnte auf ihr zu hören sein, was sie so ungemein wertvoll macht? Und was hat einer der mächtigsten Konzerne der weltweiten Unterhaltungsindustrie damit zu tun? Zu allem Überfluss hat unser Detektiv bald auch noch die »Aryian Twins« Heinz und Heidi an der Hacke, zwei ziemlich extravagante Killer…

The Vinyl Detective series is published in English by Titan Books: WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, THE RUN-OUT GROOVE, VICTORY DISC, and FLIP BACK.

Here’s some of that aforementioned critical acclaim…

‘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 Vinyl Detective FLIPs BACK into action!

Posted on Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

FLIP BACK, the fourth novel in Andrew Cartmel‘s critically-acclaimed Vinyl Detective series is out today in the US and UK! Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

At the height of their success, the electric folk band Black Dog invited journalists to a desolate island for an infamous publicity stunt: the burning of a million dollars. But the stunt backfired and the band split up, increasing the value of their final album vastly. It’s this album that Tinkler’s got his eye on, and he hires none other than the Vinyl Detective and Nevada to hunt a copy down.

Narrowly avoiding a killing spree, negotiating deranged Black Dog fans, and being pursued by hack celebrity Stinky Stamner and his camera crew, the Vinyl Detective and Nevada discover that perhaps all was not as it seemed on the island—and that in the embers of that fire are clues to a motive for murder…

Titan Books has also published the first three novels in the series: WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, THE RUN-OUT GROOVE, and VICTORY DISC.

Here’s some of that critical acclaim that the series has received so far…

‘This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend.’ — Kirkus on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘… fast-paced, lighthearted adventure… marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating…’ — Publishers Weekly on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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

‘… 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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on VICTORY DISC

‘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

Andrew is also the co-author of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London comic series, published by Titan Comics.

Simon R. Green’s TILL SUDDEN DEATH DO US PART out now in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, April 30th, 2019

The UK edition of Simon R. Green‘s seventh Ishmael Jones mystery is out today! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis for TILL SUDDEN DEATH DO US PART…

Although he hasn’t seen Robert Bergin for 40 years, Ishmael feels duty bound to respond when his old friend calls for help. Robert’s daughter Gillian is about to be married, and he is afraid she’ll fall prey to the ancient family curse. Arriving in rural Yorkshire, Ishmael and his partner Penny learn that the vicar who was to perform the ceremony has been found dead in the church, hanging from his own bell rope. With no clues, no evidence and no known motive, many locals believe the curse is responsible. Or is someone just using it as a smokescreen for murder? With the wedding due to take place the following day, Ishmael has just a few hours to uncover the truth.

But his investigations are hampered by sudden flashes of memory: memories of the time before he was human. What is it Ishmael’s former self is trying to tell him…?

The US edition of the novel is due to be published in August 2019. Severn House has also published the first six novels in the series, in both the UK and US: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR and MURDER IN THE DARK.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

In May, Andrew Cartmel’s Vinyl Detective FLIPs BACK into action!

Posted on Friday, March 29th, 2019

Andrew Cartmel‘s critically-acclaimed Vinyl Detective series returns in May with FLIP BACK! The fourth novel in the series, it is due to be published in the UK and US by Titan Books on May 14th. Here’s the synopsis…

At the height of their success, the electric folk band Black Dog invited journalists to a desolate island for an infamous publicity stunt: the burning of a million dollars. But the stunt backfired and the band split up, increasing the value of their final album vastly. It’s this album that Tinkler’s got his eye on, and he hires none other than the Vinyl Detective and Nevada to hunt a copy down.

Narrowly avoiding a killing spree, negotiating deranged Black Dog fans, and being pursued by hack celebrity Stinky Stamner and his camera crew, the Vinyl Detective and Nevada discover that perhaps all was not as it seemed on the island — and that in the embers of that fire are clues to a motive for murder…

Titan Books has also published the first three novels in the series: WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, THE RUN-OUT GROOVE and VICTORY DISC.

Here is just a small selection taken from the praise the Vinyl Detective series has received so far…

‘This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend.’ — Kirkus on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘… fast-paced, lighthearted adventure… marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating…’ — Publishers Weekly on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘… 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 on VICTORY DISC

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

Andrew is also the co-author of the Rivers of London comic series, with Ben Aaronovitch, published by Titan Comics.

Paperback RUN-OUT GROOVE out tomorrow in the US!

Posted on Monday, March 25th, 2019

The mass market paperback edition of Andrew Cartmel‘s THE RUN-OUT GROOVE is published tomorrow by Titan Books in the US! The second novel in the Vinyl Detective series, here’s the synopsis…

His first adventure consisted of the search for a rare record; his second begins with the discovery of one. When a mint copy of the final album by “Valerian” — England’s great lost rock band of the 1960s — surfaces in a charity shop, all hell breaks loose.

Finding this record triggers a chain of events culminating in our hero learning the true fate of the singer Valerian, who died under equivocal circumstances just after — or was it just before? — the abduction of her two-year-old son.

Along the way, the Vinyl Detective finds himself marked for death, at the wrong end of a shotgun, and unknowingly dosed with LSD as a prelude to being burned alive. And then there’s the grave robbing…

But he does find out what happened to the missing child, and it wasn’t what anyone expected — or wanted — to hear.

Titan Books has also published the first and third novels in the series — WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX and VICTORY DISC. Check back on Friday for details of the upcoming, fourth novel in the series!

In the meantime, here are just a few of the reviews the series has received so far…

‘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 on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘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 on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘The story is so charming, funny and engaging… There is a wonderful sense of time and place, each location filled with a varied cast of colourful characters… There is an engaging tapestry of technical information and jazz history being woven throughout… 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.’ (9/10) — Alternative Magazine Online on WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX

‘… 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 on 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 on THE RUN-OUT GROOVE

‘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

‘… 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 on VICTORY DISC

‘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 on VICTORY DISC