Dear god, it’s a new trend

So remember that “how to write a serial killer novel” post from earlier this week? Looks like Maddy forgot one important thing–now everyone wants funny, as just reported at PM:

UK screenwriter of THE EASTENDERS Jeff Povey’s THE SERIAL KILLERS CLUB, called “a killer novel that delivers laughs and thrills like GET SHORTY and SKINNY DIP,” to Karen Kosztolnyik at Warner, in a good deal, by the Barbara Zitwer Agency (world English).

So how do I know this is a new trend? J.A. Konrath’s WHISKEY SOUR was a serial killer novel with humor (I did enjoy it but the elements could have been blended better for my liking.) Jeff Lindsay’s way-hyped DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER had a serial killer protag with lots of mordant humor thrown in (all right, but I seem to be in the minority about how fresh and original this is.) And now this. Hey Thomas Harris, guess if you bring Hannibal Lecter back for yet another go-round, he should start doing vaudeville or something…

UPDATE: No, I’ve changed my mind. Vaudeville’s too small for an outsize personality like Mr. Lecter. It’s gotta be a musical, preferably called HANNIBAL! (exclamation point intended) If you thought he was a scenery-chewer before, wait till he gets the eleven o’clock number for his very own…

In all seriousness, it does look like Harris will be writing a prequel–in screenplay and book format–called THE LECTER VARIATIONS. How about that.