Orion signs Chris McGeorge for two more mysteries

Orion Fiction has acquired two more novels from Chris McGeorge, whose stories have been described as "Agatha Christie meets 'Jonathan Creek'".

Francesca Pathak, publishing director at Orion Fiction, did the two-book deal for world all language rights via Hannah Sheppard at DHH, following the success of McGeorge's Guess Who that sold in 13 territories.

Inside Out is the first book in the deal. Opening with another impossible mystery, Cara Lockhart, newly imprisoned in a high security women’s prison, wakes up one morning to discover her cellmate has been murdered—shot in the head with a gun that is missing. The door was locked all night, which makes Cara the only suspect. There is only one problem—Cara knows she didn't do it and she has no idea who did.

Pathak said: "Chris McGeorge has set us up again with an incredible concept and leaves us guessing throughout an impossible crime. His stories fuse Agatha Christie and 'Jonathan Creek' and they are an absolute joy to read."

McGeorge said: "I have always been fascinated with the locked-room mystery, and a locked prison cell is the ultimate version of it, so I knew I had to tackle it. Cara Lockhart is put in the impossible situation where she knows she didn't kill her cellmate, and the guards don't believe her, because why would they? Inside Out is an exploration of people's perceptions and Cara starts to realize how hard it is for those perceptions to change. With Guess Who and Now You See Me I played around with the locked-room concept, and Inside Out is the culmination. I am very excited to be telling this story with Orion and can't wait to share it."

Orion Fiction will publish in paperback original, e-book and audio on 6th August 2020.