Mystery - Zeno Agency Ltd.

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.

Backlist Plug: Elizabeth Hand’s CASS NEARY series…

Posted on Friday, June 16th, 2017

Today, we turn back the clock a few years, and spotlight Elizabeth Hand‘s cult-classic, critically-acclaimed Cass Neary duology: GENERATION LOSS and AVAILABLE DARK. The novels are published in the UK by Constable & Robinson. Here’s the synopsis for the first novel…

The secrets of small-town life can be more deadly than fist fights and dead junkies…

Cass Neary is not afraid of living on the edge. A photographer whose shots of New York’s punk scene in the seventies earned her fame, caché, and a cultish kind of cool, Cass has spent much of her life in the dark, watching and waiting. But thirty years later she is alone, adrift and falling rapidly into oblivion. So when an old acquaintance asks her to interview a fellow photographer — a notorious recluse who lives on an island off the Maine coast — she accepts.

There, she learns about a decades-old crime that is still claiming new victims — and comes to realise that her days of living dangerously are not over yet: amid this inhospitable hinterland, Cass comes to realise that her final shot might also be a shot at redemption.

The series has been described as ‘Patricia Highsmith meets Patti Smith’ and as a ‘mesmerizing literary thriller’. Here are some more reviews…

‘Cass Neary… makes Lisbeth Salander seem like a model of mental stability… Stunning.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘In the spirit of Stieg Larsson”s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo… As the dark Nordic forest thickens, so does the plot. Larsson fanatics may be unable to resist.’ — New York Post

‘Pulsing with tension throughout… charged with its own chilling luminosity.’ — Washington Post

‘A brilliant sequel to Hand”s acclaimed literary thriller GENERATION LOST… Stunning.’ — Booklist (Starred Review)

‘Fiercely frightening yet hauntingly beautiful, with a startling heroine you”ll never forget… Shimmers with gorgeous writing even as it scares the dickens out of you.’ — Tess Gerritsen

‘Intense and atmospheric, Generation Loss is an inventive brew of postpunk attitude and dark mystery. Elizabeth Hand writes with craftsmanship and passion.’ — George Pelecanos

‘A skin blistering crime novel as edgy and black as dried blood on a moonlit night.’ — Robert Crais

Elizabeth Hand’s latest novel, WYLDING HALL, was published recently by Open Road Media.

Zeno represents Elizabeth Hand in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Martha Millard at Sterling Lord Literistic.

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

DEATH SHALL COME tomorrow in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, May 30th, 2017

Tomorrow, Severn House publish the fourth novel in Simon R. Green‘s Ishmael Jones mysteries is out tomorrow in the UK! Here’s the synopsis for DEATH SHALL COME…

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 will also published DEATH SHALL COME in the US in September 2017. Severn House have also published the first three novels in the series on both sides of the Atlantic: THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, DEAD MAN WALKING and VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES.

Here are some 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

‘Genre-blending author Green introduces another wisecracking protagonist, Ishmael Jones…Fans of the British TV series Torchwood will enjoy the irreverent, otherworldly protagonist.’ — Booklist 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

‘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

Simon R. Green is the author also of the Nightside, Secret Histories and Ghost Hunters series, published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books.

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

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.

Aurora Teagarden returns in print!

Posted on Thursday, March 9th, 2017

Charlaine Harris‘s highly-anticipated new Aurora Teagarden novel, ALL THE LITTLE LIARS, is now available in print! Published by Piatkus in the UK, here’s the synopsis…

Librarian Aurora Teagarden is basking in the news of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small town: four children, including her fifteen-year-old brother, Philip, have vanished from the school football field. What’s even more worrisome is the dead body found at their last known location.

While the local police comb the county for the missing children, Aurora and her new husband, true crime writer Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. Could the two incidents have something to do with a group of school bullies? Are Aurora’s father’s gambling debts related to the disappearance of her brother? Or could it be that Philip himself, new to town and relatively unknown, is the one responsible?

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

ALL THE LITTLE LIARS is the ninth novel in the series, and has been very well received so far. Here are some sample reviews…

‘Harris weaves a complex tale of difficult family dynamics that highlights the horrors of being a teenager. Aurora, a smart and witty protagonist, possesses all the Southern charm necessary to carry this entertaining series.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘As she does so well, Harris deftly explores the human dynamics of a small town and incorporates the sadly common phenomenon of bullying. Fans will be delighted to have intrepid Roe back on the case once again!’ — RT Book Reviews

‘The energetic, highly entertaining novel is like seeing a dear friend and picking up the relationship.’ — Daily Mail

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.

Simon R. Green’s VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES arrive in the UK

Posted on Wednesday, November 30th, 2016

Simon R. Green‘s third Ishmael Jones mystery is out today in the UK! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis for VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES…

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 the first two novels in the series (in both the UK and US): THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD and DEAD MAN WALKING.

Here are a few 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

‘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.

New print cover for Charlaine Harris’s ALL THE LITTLE LIARS!

Posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2016

We shared news about the eBook release of Charlaine Harris‘s new Aurora Teagarden novel a few weeks ago. Today, we have are able to share with you the print cover for ALL THE LITTLE LIARS. Due to be published by Piatkus in March 2017, 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.

Piatkus unveiled the cover on their Facebook page, complete with a comment from the author:

‘Aurora, my first series character, is close to my heart. She’s gone through life with some of the same problems I’ve encountered, and she’s overcome them with grace. Aurora is a pleasure to know and spend time with, but there is always going to be a death and a disaster somewhere in her landscape. Luckily, she’s bright and resourceful, and she manages to solve mysteries in her own intelligent way. Roe doesn’t scorn the police or think she’s more efficient than they are; but the crimes that come her way are personal, and she has unique insight into their solution. When her stepbrother is missing, no one has a better reason than Roe to find him; but Phillip isn’t the only missing kid in Lawrenceton. Who would abduct a group of teenagers? And why? Roe wants Phillip home for Christmas, and she’ll do anything to make that happen.’

The first eight novels in the series were 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.

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.

Simon R. Green’s VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES Coming Soon!

Posted on Thursday, September 29th, 2016

Simon R. Green‘s third novel starring Ishmael Jones is due to hit shelves in the UK on November 30th, 2016! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis for VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES…

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.

The novel is due out in the US on March 1st, 2017, also published by Severn House. The first two novels in the series — THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD and DEAD MAN WALKING — are also out now, published by Severn House. Here are some of the reviews the first two novels have 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

‘Genre-blending author Green introduces another wisecracking protagonist, Ishmael Jones… Fans of the British TV series Torchwood will enjoy the irreverent, otherworldly protagonist.’ — Booklist 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.

Simon R. Green’s DEAD MAN WALKING out today in the US

Posted on Thursday, September 1st, 2016

Simon R. Green‘s second Ishmael Jones novel, DEAD MAN WALKING, is out today in the US! Published by Severn House in both the UK (back in May) and US, here’s the synopsis…

“Call me Ishmael. Ishmael Jones. I am the man in the shadows, that even the shadows are afraid of. The secret agent whose life is the greatest secret of all. And some of the cases I work are trickier than others.”

A rogue agent has come in from the cold and wants to spill his secrets. The Organisation wants Ishmael Jones to find out if Frank Parker is who he says he is, and why he has emerged from the shadows after all this time. But when Ishmael reaches Ringstone Lodge where Parker is being held, he is menaced by a series of alarming incidents.

Severn House published the first Ishmael Jones mystery, THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD, last year in the UK and US. A third novel, VERY IMPORTANT CORPSES, is due out later this year (details to come).

‘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

‘Genre-blending author Green introduces another wisecracking protagonist, Ishmael Jones…Fans of the British TV series Torchwood will enjoy the irreverent, otherworldly protagonist.’ — Booklist 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

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

Cover Reveal: THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS Paperback

Posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2016

Above is the rather eye-catching paperback cover for Aliette de Bodard‘s award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS. Due to be published by Gollancz on July 28th, here’s the synopsis…

A superb murder mystery, on an epic scale, set against the fall out — literally — of a war in heaven

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East. They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

As we reported in March, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS won the BSFA Award for best novel. THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is published in the US by Roc Books (cover below). Here is just a small selection of the great reviews the novel has received…

‘Will grab readers and force them to pay attention to the amazing writing and the phenomenal characters… It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015)

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… de Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A beautifully crafted novel full of complex characters, set in a post apocalyptic Paris – the image of which is truly haunting… vivid and fast-paced battles and intense political manoeuvrings… with carefully crafted characters both with layers and depth, De Bodard reflects the best and worst of human nature in her novel… an intriguing mystery, elegantly written… Something any avid fantasy reader with an open mind will devour!’ — Guardian

Simon Unsworth’s THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE eBook is on sale!

Posted on Friday, June 3rd, 2016

THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE, Simon Kurt Unsworth‘s critically-acclaimed latest novel, is currently on sale as an eBook in the US. The book is priced at only $1.99, from multiple e-retailers until the end of the weekend. Here’s the synopsis…

A sea change is coming to Hell… and a man named Thomas Fool is caught in the middle.

Thomas Fool is an Information Man, an investigator tasked with cataloging and filing reports on the endless stream of violence and brutality that flows through Hell. His job holds no reward or satisfaction, because Hell has rules but no justice. Each new crime is stamped “Do Not Investigate” and dutifully filed away in the depths of the Bureaucracy. But when an important political delegation arrives and a human is found murdered in a horrific manner — extravagant even by Hell’s standards — everything changes. The murders escalate, and their severity points to the kind of killer not seen for many generations. Something is challenging the rules and order of Hell, so the Bureaucracy sends Fool to identify and track down the killer… But how do you investigate murder in a place where death is common currency? Or when your main suspect pool is a legion of demons? With no memory of his past and only an irresistible need for justice, Fool will piece together clues and follow a trail that leads directly into the heart of a dark and chaotic conspiracy. A revolution is brewing in Hell… and nothing is what it seems.

The Devil’s Detective is an audacious, highly suspenseful thriller set against a nightmarish and wildly vivid world. Simon Kurt Unsworth has created a phantasmagoric thrill ride filled with stunning set pieces and characters that spring from our deepest nightmares. It will have readers of both thrillers and horror hanging on by their fingernails until the final word. In Hell, hope is your worst enemy.

THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is published in the US by Doubleday/Anchor, and in the UK by Del Rey. The sequel, THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE, is due to be published in July in the US, and October in the UK.

Here is just a small sample of the aforementioned critical acclaim the novel has received…

‘Unsworth’s care in constructing an imaginary world enables him to make the most of his debut’s challenging concept: a hard-boiled detective novel set in Hell itself… Unsworth offers intriguing variations on traditional themes and some memorably hair-raising prose…’ — Publishers Weekly

‘With wit, ingenuity and prodigious timing, first-time British novelist Unsworth imagines an unsettling afterlife that at times feels uncomfortably close to some of the more unbearable regions of our waking dreams. The whodunit aspects of this novel may, in the end, be less interesting than the phantasmagorical details surrounding it. But that’s far less a complaint than a compliment of the author’s visionary gifts. A grand, nightmarish page-turner that will have you riveted.’ — Kirkus

‘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

‘There is much to love with THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE. The depiction of Hell is original, with it being less of a torture chamber and more of a place for continued hard work for the unworthy, and the world building is great… The novel is dark and full of twists and originality, and it’s suitable for anyone wanting to get into fantasy with a supernatural element.’ — Starburst

Out Now: DEAD MAN WALKING by Simon R. Green

Posted on Tuesday, May 31st, 2016

Today, Severn House publishes Simon R. Green‘s latest novel in the UK, DEAD MAN WALKING. The second Ishmael Jones novel, here’s the synopsis…

“Call me Ishmael. Ishmael Jones. I am the man in the shadows, that even the shadows are afraid of. The secret agent whose life is the greatest secret of all. And some of the cases I work are trickier than others.”

A rogue agent has come in from the cold and wants to spill his secrets. The Organisation wants Ishmael Jones to find out if Frank Parker is who he says he is, and why he has emerged from the shadows after all this time. But when Ishmael reaches Ringstone Lodge where Parker is being held, he is menaced by a series of alarming incidents.

Severn House are due to publish the novel in the US on September 1st, 2016. They also published the first in the series, THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROAD. Here are just a couple of the reviews the first novel received…

‘[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

‘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

‘Genre-blending author Green introduces another wisecracking protagonist, Ishmael Jones…Fans of the British TV series Torchwood will enjoy the irreverent, otherworldly protagonist.’ — Booklist

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