Canongate buys two more from Ambrose Parry

Canongate has acquired the next two books in the historical crime series from Ambrose Parry, the pseudonym for bestselling author Chris Brookmyre writing together with his wife Dr Marisa Haetzman, a consultant anaesthetist.

Publishing director Francis Bickmore acquired world rights including audio from Sophie Scard at United Agents, to books two and three in the series launched in August with The Way of All Flesh. The historical crime series is set in the medical world of Edinburgh in the 1840s.

The Art of Dying, the second in the series, will be Canongate’s superlead title for autumn 2019, with A Corruption of Blood to follow in 2021.

The first book in the series, The Way of All Flesh, was launched at the Edinburgh International Book Festival last month and international rights have already been sold in nine territories. Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company SunnyMarch have already pre-empted the TV rights and the audio edition was narrated by Louise Brealey and Bryan Dick.

The Art of Dying, the second in the series, will be Canongate’s superlead title for autumn 2019, with Book three to follow in 2021. It will see Will Raven and Sarah Fisher returning to 52 Queen Street as they embark on a mission to clear Dr Simpson’s name as he becomes embroiled in the fight for chloroform. But they soon uncover a series of crimes perpetrated by a killer whose motives are truly shocking.

Bickmore said: “In Ambrose Parry Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman have created an alchemical marvel – a series that has already set the crime world alight and that will grow to become a major new brand in historical mysteries. Edinburgh just got darker and more bloody.”

Chris and Marisa said: “When we finished The Way of All Flesh we felt that there was so much more to say, so many stories still to be told about Raven and Fisher. We are honoured and delighted that Canongate are giving us the chance to tell them.’

Scard said: “I am delighted that Ambrose will continue to entertain and appal us with further tales of the sinister, the secret and the vile. This is a fantastic collaboration which is already giving rise to truly brilliant books.”