Debut middle grade mystery series to Little, Brown

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (L,BBYR) has acquired a middle-grade mystery series by Australian debut author Janine Beacham.

The first book A Rose Raventhorpe Mystery: Butlers and Black Cats is about a girl who is pulled into a world of grave robbers and magicians when her butler is murdered.

L,BBYR acquired UK, Commonwealth and translation rights in a three-book deal from Polly Nolan at The Greenhouse Literary Agency and will publish in April 2017.

Hilary Murray Hill, c.e.o. of Hachette Children’s Group, said: “The popularity of middle-grade mystery series featuring strong female protagonists continues to grow.  The Rose Raventhorpe books see spirited heroine Rose and her league of crime-fighting butlers getting into adventures in a Downton Abbey-esque setting.”