Catching up on mystery deals

And things are awfully busy at William Morrow. First there’s David Highfill, who makes his first big acquisition since jumping ship from Putnam:

Co-author with James Patterson of five books (three billed on the

jacket) Andrew Gross’s individual debut THE BLUE ZONE, about a young

woman on the hunt for her missing father — a successful businessman forced into the Witness Protection Program who has suddenly disappeared —

who comes to question who he really is and whether either of them can

come out alive, to David Highfill at William Morrow, in a three-book

deal, for publication beginning in 2007, by Simon Lipskar at Writers

House.

Because even Patterson’s ghosts have to spread their wings and fly solo, don’t you know. I’ve also got more information about this over at Galleycat.

Meanwhile, Claire Wachtel has secured the US rights for what looks to be a very hot UK debut:

Nick Stone’s MR. CLARINET, set predominantly in the voodoo landscape of

Haiti, an ex-cop turned P.I. travels to investigate the strange

disappearance of a wealthy family’s missing son, to Claire Wachtel at

Morrow, in a pre-empt, in a good deal, by Joe Veltre at Artists

Literary Group on behalf of Lesley Thorne and Gillon Aitken (US). Michael Joseph at Penguin will publish in the UK in January.

I’ve already heard lots of good things about this book, which I would bet is being pitched as in the vein of James Lee Burke or John Connolly, judging from extremely surface descriptions.

Same house, different imprint, but new deal and new series:

Two-time Anthony winner Robin Burcell’s THE FACE OF A KILLER, the first

in a new series, featuring an FBI agent and forensic artist, to Lyssa

Keusch at Avon, in a two-book deal, by Jane Chelius of the Jane Chelius

Literary Agency.

Since it’s been ages since Burcell’s last book was published, it’s great to see her back again — though not, evidently, till sometime in 2007…

And finally, Ed Gorman has landed with a new publisher, whose name may be familiar to you by now:

Ed Gorman’s FOOLS RUSH IN, the latest in the Sam McCain mystery series,

featuring an investigation that takes him to the high and low of

society in his hometown Black River Falls, Iowa, while also making him

painfully aware of the racial attitudes churning in small town America,

to Claiborne Hancock at Pegasus, in a nice deal, by the Dominick Abel

Associates (world).

Congrats, as usual, to all.