Pocket Essentials bags Barry Forshaw

The latest book in crime fiction reviewer and author Barry Forshaw's Noir series has been signed by Oldcastle Books imprint Pocket Essentials.

Ion Mills, managing director at Oldcastle Books, acquired World rights for American Noir direct from the author.

The publisher said: "After the success of Nordic Noir, Euro Noir and Brit Noir, Barry Forshaw has turned his attention to the largest and, some might argue, most impressive body of crime fiction from a single country, the United States, to produce the perfect reader's guide to modern American crime fiction. The word ‘Noir’ is used in its loosest sense: every major living American writer is considered (including the giants Harlan Coben, Patricia Cornwell, James Lee Burke, James Ellroy and Sara Paretsky, as well as non-crime writers, such as Stephen King, who stray into the genre), often through a concentration on one or two key books.

"Many exciting new talents are highlighted, and Barry Forshaw’s knowledge of – and personal acquaintance with – many of the writers grants valuable insights into this massively popular field. But the crime genre is as much about film and TV as it is about books, and American Noir is a celebration of the former as well as the latter. US television crime drama in particular is enjoying a new golden age, and all of the important current series are covered here, as well as key recent films."

Forshaw said: "I'm really pleased to be adding another book to my Noir series; American Noir is the most ambitious yet in terms of scope, and I know it’s in the best of hands with my favourite publisher."

American Noir by Barry Forshaw will be published by Pocket Essentials in Paperback in April 2017, £7.99