Pan Mac nets début author Miller’s antique murder mysteries in ‘whirlwind’ six-figure pre-empt

Pan Macmillan has netted a murder mystery series set in the world of antiques by début author C L Miller in a “whirlwind” pre-empt for six figures.

Francesca Pathak, publishing director, signed The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder within 12 hours of receiving the manuscript. Pathak acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, in a three-book deal from Hannah Todd at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder will be published in hardback, e-book and audio in early 2024, with a paperback to follow later in the year.

The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder introduces the reader to the Crockleford Antiques Mystery series and Freya Lockwood – a young woman who has avoided the quaint English village in which she grew up for the past 20 years. That is until news arrives that antiques dealer and Freya’s estranged mentor, Arthur Crockleford, has died under suspicious circumstances. And so Freya begins an antiques hunt to an old manor house for an enthusiast’s weekend in order to uncover the truth about Arthur’s death.

Miller has written the book in consultation with her mother, Judith Miller, a respected antiques expert, regular on the “Antiques Roadshow” and publisher of The Miller’s Antique Guides which number more than 150 titles to date.

Pathak said: “Growing up in a family obsessed with the ‘Antiques Roadshow’, this novel was an absolute dream submission. C L Miller’s characters leap off the page and I can’t wait for the world to fall in love with Freya and her wonderful Aunt Carole across the brilliant Crockleford Antiques Mystery series.”

Miller added: “Both books and antiques filled my childhood in equal measure. However, it wasn’t until I started writing crime fiction that I ended up asking my mother the flippant question ‘what antique would you kill for?’ Her answer planted a seed that grew into The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder. I’m absolutely thrilled that the series has found such a wonderful home in Pan Macmillan and with Francesca.”

The series has also been sold at auction in a “major” six-figure deal to Natalie Hallak at Atria and Sarah S Pierre at S&S Canada, and in a six figure pre-empt to Blanvalet in Germany with further significant deals in Italy, Finland, Norway, Holland and Denmark.

Todd commented: “The enthusiasm for The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder has been indescribable from the start and we were blown away by Francesca’s vision for the whole series. It’s a joy to pair the author’s specialist knowledge, immense sense of fun and love for puzzles with Francesca’s incredible acumen as a publisher, and we look forward to working with Natalie and Sarah, and the international publishers, to bring this story to readers all around the globe.”