Canelo Crime lands three-book deal with McKenzie

Canelo Crime has landed a three-book deal, beginning with The Torrent, from Australian author Dinuka McKenzie. 

Commissioning editor Siân Heap acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Australia, New Zealand and Canada, from Bill Goodall at Bill Goodall Literary Agency on behalf of Alex Adsett at Alex Adsett Literary. The Torrent will be published in September 2023 with Taken following in January 2024 and the third book publishing in autumn 2024.  

"When I first read The Torrent I knew that Dinuka had created something special in Detective Kate Miles," said Goodall. 

The synopsis for The Torrent reads: "Detective Sergeant Kate Miles is counting down the days to her maternity leave. But a violent hold-up at a local fast-food restaurant with unsettling connections to her own past means that her final days will be anything but relaxing. When a second case is dumped in her lap – the closed case of a man drowned in recent summer floods – what begins as a simple, informal review quickly grows into something far more complex. Kate can either write the report that’s expected of her, or investigate the way she wants. As secrets and betrayals pile up, and the needs of her own family intervene, how far is Kate prepared to push in order to discover the truth?"

McKenzie commented: "It is a dream come true to have my books on UK bookshelves. A huge thank you to Bill Goodall and Alex Adsett for working their magic behind the scenes, and a massive thank you to Canelo for believing in and finding a home for the series."

Heap added: "Dinuka’s writing is tense and measured – perfectly paced to keep the reader turning the pages, and she’s created such an authentic and resilient character in Detective Kate Miles."