MJ buys Linskey crime series

Michael Joseph has acquired a new crime series by Howard Linskey.

Editor Emad Akhtar bought world English language rights for three novels in a deal with Philip Patterson of Marjacq Scripts Ltd.

The first book, which will be published in 2015, follows journalist Tom Carney who returns home to the north-east of England after being suspended by the London tabloid he works for, new reporter Helen Norton, and outcast Detective Constable Ian Bradshaw.

All three are involved in investigating the disappearances of a string of young girls in the area.

“When a body is found, everyone is shocked to learn it’s not one of the missing girls, but a decades-old corpse,” said Michael Joseph. “The search for answers uncovers years of buried secrets, while in the present-day a killer who seems unstoppable must be brought to justice.”

Akhtar said the novel has a “truly gripping plot, with characters you completely believe in, told in an unpredictable and hugely satisfying way”.

Linskey is the author of the David Blake trilogy, released by independent publisher No Exit Press. The trilogy has been optioned for film by Harry Potter producer David Barron.