Crime - Zeno Agency Ltd.

New Czech edition of CANDY available now!

Posted on Monday, October 1st, 2018

We’re very happy to report that Lavie Tidhar‘s first novel for young readers, CANDY, is now available in Czechia! Published by Argo as PRO HRST LENTILEK, here’s the synposis…

Slavný soukromý detektiv Phil Marlowe má vážnou konkurentku: je jí dvanáct a jmenuje se Nelle. Je chytrá, má skvělý pozorovací talent, případy řeší s věcnou elegancí, její komentáře jsou sarkasticky trefné. Nelle žije ve městě, kde byla na všechny sladkosti vyhlášena prohibice. Jenže se zákazem čokolády a bonbonů začnou okamžitě vznikat pašerácké gangy, v policii bují korupce. Když jednoho dne vstoupí do Nelliny detektivní kanceláře (ve skutečnosti zahradní kůlny) zlopověstný gangster Eddie Mentolka a požádá Nelle, aby mu našla ztraceného plyšového medvídka, hrdinka zavětří velký případ. Ale než se jí podaří méďu vypátrat, zmizí i Eddie. Že by v tom měla prsty konkurence, drsná Fidorka nebo snad Piškot McKenzie? Proč byl medvídek pro Eddieho tak důležitý? A co se skrývá v opuštěné továrně na čokoládu? Kam se poděl její majitel? Pátrání Nelle vtahuje stále hlouběji do labyrintu intrik a podvodů čokoládové mafie, vyřešení případu je dramaticky překvapivé. Zábavná „báječně čokoládová“ parafráze na slavné detektivní romány z doby americké prohibice okouzlí nejen děti, ale i hravé dospělé.

CANDY is published in the UK by Scholastic, and is also published in Germany (Loewe — out next week!) and France (Castelmore), with more editions on the way! Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Guard your chocolate! Imagine living in a place where Mars bars are banned and sweeties are totally outlawed. Ugh – how depressing! In this miserable place, is it any wonder that gangsters trade in illegal sweeties? We can’t even blame them. Nelle Faulkner is a twelve-year-old private detective looking for her next client. So when notorious candy gangster Eddie de Menthe walks in and asks her to find a missing teddy bear, Nelle takes the case. But as soon as the teddy turns up, Eddie himself goes missing. Can Nelle track him down before all of them come to a sticky end?

Lavie’s next novel is UNHOLY LAND, due to be published by Tachyon Publications in November.

REAL MURDERS, real steal (today only)

Posted on Monday, September 10th, 2018

REAL MURDERS by Charlaine Harris is a Bookbub special deal, today! Only 99p in the UK (eBook), it is the first novel in the author’s Aurora Teagarden series of mysteries. Published in the UK by Piatkus, here’s the synopsis…

Lawrenceton, Georgia, may be a growing suburb of Atlanta, but it’s still a small town at heart. Librarian Aurora ‘Roe’ Teagarden grew up there and knows more than enough about her fellow townsfolk, including which ones share her interest in the darker side of human nature…

With those fellow crime buffs, Roe belongs to a club called Real Murders, which meets once a month to analyze famous cases. It’s a harmless pastime — until the night she finds a member dead, killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss.

As other brutal “copycat” killings follow, Roe will have to uncover the person behind the terrifying game, one that casts all the members of Real Murders, herself included, as prime suspects-or potential victims…

Piatkus has published all of the Aurora Teagarden novels to date, in the UK.

Here are just a few of the reviews the novel has received since publication…

‘Harris has a knack for writing a compelling mystery… REAL MURDERS is a fantastic start to the Aurora Teagarden series and we can’t wait to continue working our way through the rest of the books… Written in a snappy, gripping and humour-filled style, REAL MURDERS is a real page turner and the most addicted we’ve been to a book in ages.’ — Entertainment Focus

‘Clever pacing along with ample red herrings and judiciously placed clues keep the story moving briskly. Let’s hope for another fast-paced mystery featuring Aurora and her friends.’ — School Library Journal

‘Teagarden is a quirky but likeable character. Enjoyable from beginning to end.’ — Critical Mass

Piatkus are also due to publish Harris’s next new novel (and first in a new series), AN EASY DEATH, on October 2nd.

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

Ishmael Jones uncovers MURDER IN THE DARK in the UK…!

Posted on Friday, August 31st, 2018

Simon R. Green‘s sixth Ishmael Jones mystery, MURDER IN THE DARK is out today in the UK! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis…

Ishmael Jones has been despatched to assist a group of scientists who are investigating a mysterious black hole which has appeared on a Somerset hillside. Could it really be a doorway to another dimension? When one of the scientists disappears into the hole — with fatal consequences — Ishmael must prove whether it was an accident — or murder.

The novel is due to be published in the US, also by Severn House, in December 2018.

The first five novels in the series are out now in the UK and US, published by Severn House: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME and INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR.

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

‘I really enjoyed the book. If anything it was over too soon. The author captures the English Country Manor Murder Mystery feel very well, as he sets up pretty much everybody as a suspect…I look forward to finding out more in future volumes.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘[A] brisk, breezy first in a new mystery series… Convincing supernatural twists [and] witty chapter titles… readers will be anxious for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘This sequel to the wonderful THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD takes the basic structure of a traditional English country house mystery and mixes it with a bit of supernatural horror and suspense. Richard Kadrey and E.E. Knight fans will particularly relish Green’s genre-blending novel.’ — Library Journal on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘Ishmael is a wonderful character, an extraterrestrial living among humans, and the series (this is the third installment) is a clever mixture of thriller and SF-horror genres. Green is best known for the Deathstalker space operas, but give this one a few more installments to develop, and it could well become Green’s masterwork.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES

‘I recommend VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES if you are looking for a fun, scary, and entertaining read before bedtime.’ — Fantasy Book Review

‘Green’s style of sci-fi blends levity with a high body count. His target audience, reading less for the mystery than for his signature style, will doubtless find this morsel as tasty as the others.’ — Kirkus on DEATH SHALL COME

‘Green’s entertaining fourth Ishmael Jones Mystery… a comfortable country house mystery… Green once again smoothly blends science fiction with classic detection.’ — Publishers Weekly on DEATH SHALL COME

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

Simon R. Green’s Ishmael Jones uncovers MURDER IN THE DARK (soon)!

Posted on Thursday, August 23rd, 2018

MURDER IN THE DARK, Simon R. Green‘s sixth Ishmael Jones mystery is out this year! Published by Severn House in the UK (August 31st) and US (December), here’s the synopsis…

Ishmael Jones has been despatched to assist a group of scientists who are investigating a mysterious black hole which has appeared on a Somerset hillside. Could it really be a doorway to another dimension? When one of the scientists disappears into the hole — with fatal consequences — Ishmael must prove whether it was an accident — or murder.

The first five novels in the series are also published in the UK and US by Severn House: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, DEATH SHALL COME and INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR.

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

‘[A] brisk, breezy first in a new mystery series… Convincing supernatural twists [and] witty chapter titles… readers will be anxious for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘I really enjoyed the book. If anything it was over too soon. The author captures the English Country Manor Murder Mystery feel very well, as he sets up pretty much everybody as a suspect…I look forward to finding out more in future volumes.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘This sequel to the wonderful THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD takes the basic structure of a traditional English country house mystery and mixes it with a bit of supernatural horror and suspense. Richard Kadrey and E.E. Knight fans will particularly relish Green’s genre-blending novel.’ — Library Journal on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘It’s the kind of novel that reads easily, and that just as easily holds your attention from the first page to the last, making you regret the story is over and making you long for the next adventure of the characters you’ve come to love over the course of this tale… Fun, quirky and most importantly: slightly different from what you would traditionally expect in the genre.’ — The Gatehouse on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘Ishmael is a wonderful character, an extraterrestrial living among humans, and the series (this is the third installment) is a clever mixture of thriller and SF-horror genres. Green is best known for the Deathstalker space operas, but give this one a few more installments to develop, and it could well become Green’s masterwork.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES

‘I recommend VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES if you are looking for a fun, scary, and entertaining read before bedtime.’ — Fantasy Book Review

‘In Green’s entertaining fourth Ishmael Jones Mystery… Ishmael, an extraterrestrial in human form and ace British secret agent, and his earthly companion, Penny Belcourt, travel from London to Cardavan House (“a really long way from anywhere”) at the behest of the Colonel, Ishmael’s contact at his principal employer, the super-secret Organization… The story soon settles into a comfortable country house mystery: when one of the bickering family members is found bludgeoned to death in front of the empty sarcophagus, Ishmael uses his intelligence, phenomenal strength, and exquisite sense of smell to track down who—or what—is responsible. Green once again smoothly blends science fiction with classic detection.’ — Publishers Weekly on DEATH SHALL COME

‘Green’s style of sci-fi blends levity with a high body count. His target audience, reading less for the mystery than for his signature style, will doubtless find this morsel as tasty as the others.’ — Kirkus on DEATH SHALL COME

‘This fourth series adventure (after Very Important Corpses) is fast-paced, entertaining, and genre-bending…’ — Library Journal on DEATH SHALL COME

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

Lavie Tidhar’s CANDY hits the streets!

Posted on Thursday, June 7th, 2018

CANDY, Lavie Tidhar‘s latest novel and first for young readers, is out today in the UK! Published by Scholastic, here’s the synopsis…

Guard your chocolate! Imagine living in a place where Mars bars are banned and sweeties are totally outlawed. Ugh – how depressing! In this miserable place, is it any wonder that gangsters trade in illegal sweeties? We can’t even blame them. Nelle Faulkner is a twelve-year-old private detective looking for her next client. So when notorious candy gangster Eddie de Menthe walks in and asks her to find a missing teddy bear, Nelle takes the case. But as soon as the teddy turns up, Eddie himself goes missing. Can Nelle track him down before all of them come to a sticky end?

From an author best known for his award-winning science fiction novels, CANDY is a ‘madcap crime caper’ told in his distinctive film noir style. Illustrations have been provided by Mark Beech.

Ishmael Jones heads INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR…

Posted on Thursday, March 1st, 2018

Today, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR is released in the US! The novel, published by Severn House, is the fifth book in the Ishmael Jones mystery series by Simon R. Green. Here’s the synopsis…

Ishmael Jones is attending the re-opening of Tyrone’s Castle, an ancient Cornish inn originally built by smugglers. Over dinner, the guests entertain one another with ghost stories inspired by local legends. But it would appear the curse of Tyrone’s Castle has struck for real when one of their number disappears into thin air. And then another.

Severn House also publishes the series in the UK.

‘Think Scooby Doo starring a superpowered alien in human skin.’ — Kirkus

‘A fun quick read…’ — Classic Mystery

‘… those who love the series for Ishmael’s quick wit will be pleased.’ — Booklist

‘Beautifully blends horror and a country house mystery.’ — Lesa’s Book Critiques

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

Ishamel Jones heads INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR…

Posted on Thursday, November 30th, 2017

Today, Severn House publishes the fifth of Simon R. Green‘s Ishmael Jones mysteries in the UK! Here’s the synopsis for INTO THE THINNEST AIR…

Ishmael Jones is attending the re-opening of Tyrone’s Castle, an ancient Cornish inn originally built by smugglers. Over dinner, the guests entertain one another with ghost stories inspired by local legends. But it would appear the curse of Tyrone’s Castle has struck for real when one of their number disappears into thin air. And then another.

INTO THE THINNEST AIR is also due to be published in the US by Severn House, on March 1st, 2018. The first four novels in the series are also published by Severn House in the UK and US: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES and DEATH SHALL COME.

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

‘I really enjoyed the book. If anything it was over too soon. The author captures the English Country Manor Murder Mystery feel very well, as he sets up pretty much everybody as a suspect…I look forward to finding out more in future volumes.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘[A] brisk, breezy first in a new mystery series… Convincing supernatural twists [and] witty chapter titles… readers will be anxious for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘It’s the kind of novel that reads easily, and that just as easily holds your attention from the first page to the last, making you regret the story is over and making you long for the next adventure of the characters you’ve come to love over the course of this tale… Fun, quirky and most importantly: slightly different from what you would traditionally expect in the genre.’ — The Gatehouse on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘Ishmael is a wonderful character, an extraterrestrial living among humans, and the series (this is the third installment) is a clever mixture of thriller and SF-horror genres. Green is best known for the Deathstalker space operas, but give this one a few more installments to develop, and it could well become Green’s masterwork.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES

‘In Green’s entertaining fourth Ishmael Jones Mystery… Ishmael, an extraterrestrial in human form and ace British secret agent, and his earthly companion, Penny Belcourt, travel from London to Cardavan House (“a really long way from anywhere”) at the behest of the Colonel, Ishmael’s contact at his principal employer, the super-secret Organization… The story soon settles into a comfortable country house mystery: when one of the bickering family members is found bludgeoned to death in front of the empty sarcophagus, Ishmael uses his intelligence, phenomenal strength, and exquisite sense of smell to track down who—or what—is responsible. Green once again smoothly blends science fiction with classic detection.’ — Publishers Weekly on DEATH SHALL COME

Zeno represents Simon R. Green on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency.

Cover Reveal: Latest Ishmael Jones novel, INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR!

Posted on Monday, October 9th, 2017

The fifth Ishmael Jones novel is on the way! Simon R. Green‘s INTO THE THINNEST OF AIR is due to be published in November (UK) and March (US), by Severn House. Here’s the synopsis…

Ishmael Jones is attending the re-opening of Tyrone’s Castle, an ancient Cornish inn originally built by smugglers. Over dinner, the guests entertain one another with ghost stories inspired by local legends. But it would appear the curse of Tyrone’s Castle has struck for real when one of their number disappears into thin air. And then another.

Severn House has published the other four novel in the series, as well: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, and DEATH SHALL COME.

Here’s just a handful of reviews the series has received so far…

‘[A] brisk, breezy first in a new mystery series… Convincing supernatural twists [and] witty chapter titles… readers will be anxious for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘I really enjoyed the book. If anything it was over too soon. The author captures the English Country Manor Murder Mystery feel very well, as he sets up pretty much everybody as a suspect… I look forward to finding out more in future volumes.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘This sequel to the wonderful The Dark Side of the Road takes the basic structure of a traditional English country house mystery and mixes it with a bit of supernatural horror and suspense. Richard Kadrey and E.E. Knight fans will particularly relish Green’s genre-blending novel.’ — Library Journal on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘Ishmael is a wonderful character, an extraterrestrial living among humans, and the series (this is the third installment) is a clever mixture of thriller and SF-horror genres. Green is best known for the Deathstalker space operas, but give this one a few more installments to develop, and it could well become Green’s masterwork.’ — Booklist on VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES

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

Peter Grant reaches the THE FURTHEST STATION in the UK tomorrow!

Posted on Wednesday, September 27th, 2017

Ben Aaronovitch‘s highly-anticipated first Peter Grant novella, THE FURTHEST STATION is out tomorrow in the UK! Published by Gollancz, here’s the synopsis…

Commuting ghosts, a kidnapping, and a superb new London mystery!

There’s something going bump on the Metropolitan line and Sergeant Jaget Kumar knows exactly who to call.

It’s PC Peter Grant’s speciality…

Only it’s more than going ‘bump’. Traumatised travellers have been reporting strange encounters on their morning commute, with strangely dressed people trying to deliver an urgent message. Stranger still, despite calling the police themselves, within a few minutes the commuters have already forgotten the encounter — making the follow up interviews rather difficult.

So with a little help from Abigail and Toby the ghost hunting dog, Peter and Jaget are heading out on a ghost hunting expedition.

Because finding the ghost and deciphering their urgent message might just be a matter of life and death.

THE FURTHEST STATION is published in the US by Subterranean Press, in limited hardcover and eBook.

Gollancz has also published the first six novels in the series: RIVERS OF LONDON, MOON OVER SOHO, WHISPERS UNDERGROUND, BROKEN HOMES, FOXGLOVE SUMMER, and THE HANGING TREE. The series is published in the US by Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-6), in Germany by DTV, and has been translated widely across the globe.

‘An excellent entry point to the Peter Grant series for newcomers who like their urban fantasies rendered with a light touch… The story is intriguing enough to pull readers along, and Peter’s dry humor will linger in the memory.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘So entertaining that I’d readily recommend it to newcomers and old fans alike… perfect for someone who just wants to dip their toes into the world before deciding to take the plunge into the novels… a wonderful book.’ — Bibliosanctum

‘Thoroughly enjoyable, and thoroughly recommended.’ — SF&F Reviews

SLEEP LIKE A BABY tomorrow in the UK…

Posted on Monday, September 25th, 2017

Tomorrow, Piatkus will release the print and eBook editions of Charlaine Harris‘s SLEEP LIKE A BABY! The latest novel in Harris’s beloved Aurora Teagarden series, here’s the synopsis…

In Sleep Like a Baby, the latest installment of Charlaine Harris’s Aurora Teagarden mystery series, Robin and Aurora’s newborn Sophie is proving to be quite a handful. They hire a partially trained nurse, Virginia Mitchell, to come and help the new parents for a few weeks when Robin has to leave town for work and Roe is struck with a bad case of the flu.

One particularly stormy night, Roe wakes to hear her daughter crying and Virginia nowhere to be found. Searching for her reveals a body outside… but it isn’t Virginia’s. Now, not only does Roe have a baby to care for but a new puzzle to contend with — who is this mystery woman dead in their backyard, and what happened to Virginia?

Earlier this year, Piatkus also published the previous novel in the series, ALL THE LITTLE LIARS. The first eight novels in the series are published in the UK by Orion.

‘Harris’s engrossing 10th Aurora Teagarden novel… Harris smoothly weaves together several seemingly unrelated threads to create a richly layered tale of how the bad choices people make in life can come back to haunt them.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This is Charlaine Harris, who is the equal of the legendary Shirley Jackson in conveying the sinister lurking beneath the everyday. Slyly, quietly, she keeps the suspense building.’ — Booklist

‘A heroine as capable and complex as P. D. James’s Cordelia Gray.’ — Publishers Weekly on the series

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

Simon R. Green’s DEATH SHALL COME out in the US!

Posted on Friday, September 1st, 2017

Simon R. Green‘s fourth Ishmael Jones mystery, DEATH SHALL COME is out today in the US! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis…

Ishmael Jones is faced with a dead body and a missing mummy in this highly entertaining, genre-blending mystery.

Ishmael and Penny go to Cardavan House for the unveiling of an Egyptian mummy. When a body is found, Ishmael doesn’t believe the mummy’s curse is to blame. He sets out to find the human killer, but how can he explain the odd footsteps creeping along the corridors? Who is playing games with them and why?

Severn House has also published the first three novels in the series, in the US and UK: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING and VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES.

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

Discover THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE in paperback today!

Posted on Tuesday, June 13th, 2017

The US paperback edition of Simon Kurt Unsworth‘s critically-acclaimed THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE is out today in the US! Published by Anchor, here’s the synopsis…

Thomas Fool is a detective from Hell – literally. Having survived the wrath of both angel and demon, and still without memory of his life on earth, Fool is currently spending his damnation as a bureaucrat heading up the Information Office of Hell. But when mysterious fires begin spooking higher-ups in the Bureaucracy – homicidal arson, it’s believed–and a series of unexplained murders plagues Heaven, Fool is dispatched north to investigate.

But Heaven is not what Fool imagines. In fact, it’s not so different from Hell. And friction between the two afterworlds is only beginning to mount as Fool conducts his investigation. The Devil’s Evidence is a thrilling ride through the spiritual realm, and a welcome return for the dead’s most endearing private eye.

Anchor also published the first in the series, THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE. Both novels are published in the UK by Del Rey. Here are some of the great reviews the series has received so far…

‘Unsworth’s conception of a spiritual universe where deeper understanding may itself be the greatest curse is as nuanced and ingenious as his depiction of “poor little Fool,” perhaps the most oddly endearing sleuth to come along in years. The scales are tipped a tad more toward gaudy savagery and gratuitous cruelty than toward more intellectual digressions and plot twists. Still, one suspects Thomas Fool will return, with more respect from readers than from his spiritual jailers. It’s less a whodunit than a ripsnorter, with an emphasis on the ripping. Or maybe the snorting.’ — Kirkus on THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE

‘Unsworth’s imagination soars! THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE is a twisted journey into the afterlife, a dark labyrinth of mystery, and a brilliant contemplation on identity, transgression, and our struggle to recognize that we each make our own heaven and our own hell. A fresh new voice in dark fiction. Don’t miss this series!’ — Christopher Golden

‘The ultimate solution is a fairly clued surprise, and Unsworth’s creative worldbuilding leaves plenty of room for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE

‘Do you love Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series? How about the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch? Like a bit of John Le Carre intrigue? If so, you will love THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE. A hybrid between horror fantasy and crime procedural, Simon Kurt Unsworth’s novel had this writer hooked from its first opening, fiery lines… Unsworth has built a very horrible, yet believable universe with characters who you can hate as well as root for. While you don’t need to read the first novel to enjoy the second in the series, we really do recommend you start at the beginning. There’s a lot to take in and a great deal of character development to enjoy. A real page turner.‘ 10/10 — Starburst

‘Dark and luminous, compelling and insidious, THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is a novel that transcends genre.’ — Michael Marshall Smith

‘Inventive and intriguing – Unsworth turns a journey through Hell into a heavenly read.’ — Alison Littlewood

‘I think this might be the most whimsical murder story ever told. THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is relentlessly creative, fearlessly witty, and completely twisted. Naturally, I loved it.’ — Chelsea Cain

‘Hell as the setting for a noir investigation turns out to be as fun as it sounds in THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE. Inventive and pacy, Simon Kurt Unsworth has created a world – underworld? – distinctly his own.’ — Andrew Pyper

‘The debut novel from prolific short story writer Simon Kurt Unsworth depicts a very modern hell. There’s still suffering but it’s mostly to be found in the drudgery of the daily grind. Gruesome medieval tortures have given way to endless toil, confounding bureaucracy and arbitrary cruelty. Once you accept the logic of this underworld, what follows is an entertaining Dantean spin on the police procedural… Appropriately awash with gore and bodily fluids, THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is damned good.’ — Financial Times

‘THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE grips. Unsworth’s storytelling is taut and lean, avoiding any lapses into potboiler… When he writes about Hell, he makes it downright hellish… The book eventually spins all this admittedly sumptuous horror into thought-provoking notions about salvation, hope and free will.’ — NPR

Charlaine Harris’s SLEEP LIKE A BABY out next month in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, March 14th, 2017

Next month, Piatkus will published Charlaine Harris‘s latest, tenth Aurora Teagarden novel, SLEEP LIKE A BABY. Here’s the synopsis…

Robin and Aurora have finally begun their adventure in parenting. With newborn Sophie proving to be quite a handful, Roe’s mother pays for a partially trained nurse, Virginia Mitchell, to come help the new parents for a few weeks. Virginia proves to be especially helpful when Robin has to leave town for work and Roe is struck with a bad case of the flu.

One particularly stormy night, Roe wakes to hear her daughter crying and Virginia nowhere to be found. Roe’s brother Philip helps her search the house and they happen upon a body outside… but it isn’t Virginia’s. Now, not only does she have a newborn to care for and a vulnerable new marriage to nurture, Roe also has to contend with a new puzzle — who is this mystery woman dead in their backyard, and what happened to Virginia? This heart-pounding and exciting next installment of the Aurora Teagarden series will leave fans happy and hungry for more.

Last week, Piatkus published the ninth novel in the series, ALL THE LITTLE LIARS. The first eight novels in the series are published in the UK by Gollancz.

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

VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES now available in the US…

Posted on Tuesday, February 28th, 2017

Simon R. Green‘s third Ishmael Jones novel, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES is out now in the US! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis…

The Organisation has despatched Ishmael and his partner Penny to the shores of Loch Ness where the secretive Baphamet Group are holding their annual meeting. It’s believed an imposter has infiltrated the Group and Ishmael must find out who it is, and also discover who killed his fellow agent and why.

Severn House has also published all of the novels in the series, in the UK and US: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD and DEAD MAN WALKING.

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

‘Ishmael is a wonderful character, an extraterrestrial living among humans, and the series (this is the third installment) is a clever mixture of thriller and SF-horror genres. Green is best known for the Deathstalker space operas, but give this one a few more installments to develop, and it could well become Green’s masterwork.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES

‘I recommend VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES if you are looking for a fun, scary, and entertaining read before bedtime.’ — Fantasy Book Review

‘[A] brisk, breezy first in a new mystery series… Convincing supernatural twists [and] witty chapter titles… readers will be anxious for a sequel.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘I really enjoyed the book. If anything it was over too soon. The author captures the English Country Manor Murder Mystery feel very well, as he sets up pretty much everybody as a suspect…I look forward to finding out more in future volumes.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD

‘Not to be taken too seriously, this meld of SF and traditional hard-boiled spy fiction hints at plenty of further adventures.’ — Publishers Weekly on DEAD MAN WALKING

‘This sequel to the wonderful THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD takes the basic structure of a traditional English country house mystery and mixes it with a bit of supernatural horror and suspense. Richard Kadrey and E.E. Knight fans will particularly relish Green’s genre-blending novel.’ — Library Journal on DEAD MAN WALKING

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

Charlaine Harris’s ALL THE LITTLE LIARS out today in UK eBook!

Posted on Thursday, October 13th, 2016

The long-awaited ninth novel in Charlaine Harris‘s Aurora Teagarden Mysteries series is out today in eBook in the UK! Published by Piatkus, here’s the synopsis…

Aurora Teagarden is basking in the news of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small Georgia town: four kids vanish from the school soccer field in an afternoon. Aurora’s 15-year-old brother Phillip is one of them. Also gone are two of his friends, and an 11-year-old girl who was just hoping to get a ride home from soccer practice. And then there’s an even worse discovery at the kids’ last known destination, a dead body.

While the local police and sheriff’s department comb the county for the missing kids and interview everyone even remotely involved, Aurora and her new husband, true crime writer Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. Could the death and kidnappings have anything to do with a group of bullies at the middle school? Is Phillip’s disappearance related to Aurora’s father’s gambling debts? Or is Phillip himself, new to town and an unknown quantity, responsible for taking the other children? But regardless of the reason, as the days go by, the most important questions remain. Are the kids still alive? Who could be concealing them? Where could they be?

With Christmas approaching, Aurora is determined to find her brother… if he’s still alive.

The print edition of the novel is due to hit shelves on December 1st, 2016. (Just in time for Christmas! In case you needed inspiration…)

The first eight books in the series are published in the UK by Gollancz:

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