Transworld signs new murder mystery series from Murrin

Transworld has signed two books in a new murder mystery series by Orlando Murrin.

Finn Cotton, senior commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Oli Munson at A M Heath. 

The first book in the contract, Knife Skills For Beginners, is a contemporary cosy murder mystery with a culinary twist, and the start of a new series introducing chef Paul Delamare.

The publisher said: "When Paul agrees to teach at an exclusive residential cookery school in Belgravia, the only thing he expects his students to murder is his taste buds. But then the unthinkable happens: someone turns up dead. If Paul can’t figure out which of his students is the killer – and teach them all how to make a perfect hollandaise sauce – he’ll be next to get the chop."

A semi-finalist on "MasterChef", Murrin has edited Woman and Home and BBC Good Food. He founded Olive magazine and worked as a chef-hotelier. He is president of the Guild of Food Writers, and he presents the BBC Good Food Podcast with Tom Kerridge. 

Cotton said: “Orlando is a wonderful writer, one whose humour, wit and sharp eye for a good recipe have won him followers across the culinary world. With his debut novel, he brings these considerable talents to crime fiction. Knife Skills for Beginners is a celebration of fine dining and delicious cooking – an irresistible story for crime fiction fans and food lovers alike.” 

Murrin said: “The food world is the dream backdrop for a murder mystery. Anyone who’s glimpsed behind the scenes of a professional kitchen knows they’re places where tensions run sky high: you’re only as good as your last canapé, and there’s no shortage of deadly weapons with which to avenge yourself on that hated sous-chef, smug restaurant critic or customer from hell.

“In the case of Knife Skills For Beginners, chef Paul Delamere is thrown into teaching a cookery course to a group of high-maintenance food lovers. I’ve experienced this sort of mayhem first hand, and the miracle is I didn’t commit an actual murder. 

“Having written many cookbooks and countless recipes, it’s been a blast to work with my agent, Oli Munson at A M Heath, and my editor at Transworld, Finn Cotton, to create a culinary crime story with food at its beating heart.”