Point Blank nets two more Erskine thrillers

Oneworld literary crime imprint Point Blank has netted two more thrillers by Fiona Erskine, continuing to follow explosives expert Jacqueline Silver, heroine of The Chemical Detective.

Jenny Parrott, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Juliet Mushens at Mushens Entertainment.

The Chemical Cocktail, the first in the new two-book deal, will see Jaq Silver in Brazil, dealing with more chemical conspiracies and corruption, while also haunted by events in her past. It will publish in May 2022 with book four to follow in 2023.

Parrott said: “This is a thoroughly engaging, lively series that really packs a punch, and I love Jaq Silver's energy, skill with explosives and ability to calculate fantastical mathematical odds while putting right all the wrongs. Jaq is exactly the sort of woman you want in your corner—resourceful, clever, brave, funny—and always ready to give as good as she gets... which is just as well as there are a lot of bad guys determined to stop Jaq. Fiona brings Jaq to life fantastically on the page, and she has a real knack with upping the ante from book to book.”

Fiona Erskine is a professional engineer based in Teesside and the author of The Chemical Detective and The Chemical Reaction, both published by Point Blank. Her debut was shortlisted for the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel award 2020 while the second novel was shortlisted for the Staunch prize.

She said: “I’m over the moon with the news. I had always planned at least four books in the series and can’t wait to share the new adventures of my intrepid engineering alter-ego.”