Farshore snaps up Claire Hatcher-Smith's 'love letter to Miss Marple' in new middle-grade adventure

Farshore has won a three-way auction for A Skeleton in the Closet, the first in a new "brilliant" new middle-grade detective series, in a two-book deal from debut author Claire Hatcher-Smith and illustrator Lester McGoogan. 

Lucy Courtenay, senior commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Chloe Seager at Madeleine Milburn. A Skeleton in the Closet will be published in paperback in March 2025 with the second book following in March 2026. 

Seager commented: "Move over, Miss Marple! Mizzy has my entire heart and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to fall for her, too. Claire’s writing is accessible, warm and, like all good mysteries, keeps you guessing until the very end." 

The series follows 12-year-old protagonist Mizzy who won’t let anything stand in the way of her dream of becoming a detective.

The synopsis for A Skeleton in the Closet reads: "Spending her summer with cousins who have outgrown her, Mizzy feels even more sidelined than usual. However, when she discovers great aunt Jane’s diaries in a locked wardrobe in their spare room and realises that her aunt didn’t die in her sleep but under suspicious circumstances, everything changes. Particularly when someone in the family appears to have been involved. Under the guise of a family-tree project for school and armed with a brand-new set of Pipsqueak markers, Mizzy grabs the chance to prove herself to her cousins – and the world."

"This neurodivergent middle-grade love letter to Miss Marple is a joy", said Courtenay. "Claire’s twisty plotting and endearing characters are a genuine delight. I’m incredibly excited to bring Claire Hatcher-Smith and super-sleuth Mizzy, not to mention artist Lester McGoogan with his distinctive illustration style, to our fabulous Farshore list!"

Hatcher-Smith, a speech and language therapist, added: "Mizzy is a little bit of every child with Down’s Syndrome I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with (and learn from) over the years and I’m thrilled she’s found a home with such an amazing international team. I can’t wait for her to show us all that no one should ever be underestimated."