Vintage appoints Alex Russell for crime list

Alex Russell is joining Vintage as assistant editor, specialising in crime and thriller paperbacks, starting in October. 

Russell, who was previously assistant editor at Faber & Faber, started his career at Peters Fraser & Dunlop before moving to Faber & Faber in 2013, where he worked on Lionel Davidson's Kolymsky Heights and The Rose of Tibet, and books by James Carol, CHB Kitchin, Edna O'Brien and Teju Cole.

Russell will report jointly to the newly-appointed editorial director for crime fiction at Harvill Secker, Jade Chandler - who joins the company in October from Sphere, Little, Brown - and Beth Coates, editorial director of the Vintage paperbacks list.

Russell said: "I have always admired Vintage. It publishes unmissable books in ever more imaginative and energetic ways, and I am really looking forward to joining the team and to start working with the wonderful authors."

Coates, editorial director at Vintage, said: "We can’t wait for Alex to come to Vintage. These are exciting times for the division and we know Alex will bring both a discerning eye and on-point commercial nous to this new role."