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Viper, an imprint of Profile, has acquired a "truly extraordinary" Guy Morpuss murder mystery in a two-book deal. Miranda Jewess, publishing director at Profile Books’ crime imprint Viper, has acquired legal mystery A Trial in Three Acts by Guy Morpuss.
Jewess acquired world rights in an exclusive submission and a second novel from Max Edwards, then at Aevitas Creative Management UK and now at Apple Tree Literary. Viper will publish in hardback, e-book and audio in March 2025.
The book follows defence barrister Charles Konig and his co-counsel Yara Ortiz as they try to uncover the truth about a grisly death and track down a murderer after the leading lady in a play in beheaded live on stage. Morpuss is also the author of the speculative thrillers Five Minds and Black Lake Manor.
Jewess said: “This is the book that I begged Guy to write. Over the years he’d occasionally tell me an anecdote from his years as a superstar barrister—not his words, he’s modest to a fault. The time he missed a plane because he insisted on arguing a point of law in court, forcing his fiancée to wander an Icelandic herring museum alone. The frankly bizarre behaviour of belligerent judges and troublesome solicitors! I’m so pleased that I finally ground him down and he’s put his expertise and gold mine of strange experiences into a legal murder mystery, because A Trial in Three Acts is truly extraordinary. It’s one of the most delightful, funny and clever books I’ve ever read, either as an editor or as a reader. The manuscript sped around the company and became the go-read holiday read for my colleagues. I could not be more pleased to be part of the team taking Guy’s publishing to the next level.”
Morpuss said: “I am delighted to be working on two more books with Miranda and the brilliant team at Viper. As an avid reader of Perry Mason novels while growing up, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using my experience as a barrister and King’s Council to write a legal thriller. I have drawn on anecdotes from 30 years in court to create a story that is, I hope, amusing and authentic, but also a fast-paced murder mystery. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how readers take to the protagonist, Charles Konig KC.”