I Knew This Would Happen

Because it makes total, total sense:

NYT bestselling author and two-time Edgar winner T. Jefferson Parker’s

LA OUTLAWS, moving to Ben Sevier at Dutton, in a major deal, for seven

figures, for publication in February 2008, in a two-book deal, by

Robert Gottlieb at Trident Media Group (NA).

So why does it make sense? Because a few years ago, Parker got off the sinking ship that was Hyperion’s mystery list to go to William Morrow, where editor Marjorie Braman championed his work enough that CALIFORNIA GIRL got major attention (not to mention a second Edgar award for the author) leading to a seven-figure deal for two more books.  And the first of those, THE FALLEN, fared pretty well – squeaking onto the bottom of the NYT bestseller list in its first week, in fact.

But something strange happened for book number two, STORM RUNNERS. No real pre-publication buzz. Middling trade reviews and a mixed reception after the fact. Plus its release in March just about coincided with that of Laura Lippman’s WHAT THE DEAD KNOW, also published by Morrow. The latter book spent two weeks on the NYT list. Parker’s never got close.

I also gather that Parker’s next book takes him into darker territory, with more of an anti-hero protagonist. That all bodes well and seems like a major step forward for him, one that may work better with Sevier’s editorial hand. I hope that’s the case because Parker really deserves a proper breakout and wider readership.