Zaffre strikes new two-book deal with Strictly's Anton du Beke

Strictly Come Dancing's Anton du Beke has signed a new two-book deal with Zaffre to continue his Buckingham series of romantic novels.

Described as "Downton with dance" by his agent, world rights for the third and fourth books in the Buckingham series were bought by senior editor Sarah Bauer from Kerr MacRae of MacRae LPA. The books will be published in Autumn 2020 and Autumn 2021 respectively.

The Buckingham series follows the lives, love and secrets of the staff and guests at the luxury London hotel, The Buckingham, in the inter-war years. Du Beke’s debut novel and the first in this series, One Enchanted Evening, centred around the hotel’s grand ballroom and introduced readers to debonair lead dancer Raymond de Guise. According to Zaffre, the novel sold over 28,000 copies in hardback, 26,000 in paperback and 10,000 e-books. His second novel in the series Moonlight Over Mayfair published last month.

Du Beke said: "My journey so far as a writer – and bestselling author (who'd have thought it?) - has been an absolute joy. Working with my marvellous team, meeting brilliant booksellers and my amazing readers has been a competeand utter delight. I hope my lovely fans enjoy my next books as much as they appear to have enjoyed my first two."

Bauer said: "Anton's storytelling has swept me off my feet and I am so thrilled that we will be returning to the Buckingham hotel in these next two novels. I know Anton has got so much glittering scandal and romance planned for this series, against the backdrop and drama of the historical events of the late 1930s – not to mention, plenty more action on the dancefloor."