Editorial Director Vicky Blunden has acquired World All Language rights in a new cozy crime series from bestselling US author Ellie Alexander. The first book in the Mystery Fest series, The Body in the Bookstore, will publish in ebook, paperback and audio in April 2024, with the second in July 2024 and third in November 2024.
Ellie Alexander has published over 27 books, including the long-running and bestselling series Bakeshop Mysteries. The Mystery Fest series introduces a new amateur sleuth, Annie Murray, who devises an ingenious plan to save the mystery-themed bookstore where she works from closure, creating Mystery Fest, a fully immersive event where book lovers transform into amateur sleuths, scouring the charming village for clues to solve a cleverly crafted whodunit. The event is a hit, but when a dead body is discovered at the bookstore during the festivities, Annie finds herself juggling two murder mysteries which begin to seem curiously linked – one from her past and one terrifyingly present.
Alexander says,
“I am overjoyed to be collaborating with Storm Publishing and Vicky Blunden. Vicky’s exceptional editorial expertise, paired with her warm and inviting style, creates an experience like curling up with a hot cup of tea while we brainstorm plot points and page-turning twists. In an era where the publishing landscape has undergone rapid transformation, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have the privilege of working with the talented and innovative team at Storm Publishing. Joining forces with them for my new series feels like the realization of a long-held dream, and I’m filled with gratitude.”
Blunden says,
“We’re totally delighted to be welcoming Ellie Alexander to Storm and readers are in for such a huge treat with her new series. It has all the cozy crime elements and buckets of charm that Ellie’s devoted fans adore and know to expect from her writing, with its colourful cast of intriguing characters and vividly realised setting in the fictional town of Redwood Grove. From the first page, I was hooked – loving Ellie’s masterful storytelling and rooting for Annie in her quest to solve the mystery from her own past, which has always haunted her. This is cozy crime at its absolute best, with real heart and soul.”
For more information about Ellie Alexander, you can find her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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