Jason Starr to Orion

This is, if I may say so, very cool news indeed:

Kate Mills at Orion has

bought two novels by US crime-writer Jason Starr from Mary Pachnos at Gillon

Aitken for a good five figure sum. Last autumn Starr won the 2004 Barry Award

for Best Paperback for his novel Tough Luck.

‘Jason has a unique voice

and will bring something very different to the Orion crime list. He’s a very

contemporary, edgy and exciting writer who takes ordinary situations and turns

them into nightmares. His novels are extremely compelling yet laced with an

undercurrent of dark humour. They’re just irresistible.’ Orion plans to

publish in Spring 2006.

So with Ken Bruen to Transworld and Starr to Orion, who said noir fiction can’t find homes at major UK houses?