Walker swoops for Horowitz's lockdown Diamond Brothers title

Walker Books is to publish Where Seagulls Dare, a "gloriously silly" new book in Anthony Horowitz’s Diamond Brothers series with illustrations from Tony Ross.

Originally begun as a project in the first lockdown, the first few chapters were released online for free to entertain young readers. Horowitz was then inspired to continue writing another adventure for the hapless detectives.

The synopsis explains: "Where Seagulls Dare takes Nick and his older brother, private detective Tim Diamond, on a hunt for a missing computer whizz in which they get tangled up with a sinister far-right fanatic and his henchmen. Hilarious, fast-paced and gloriously silly, this is Horowitz’s funny side at its very best."

All author royalties will be going to Home-Start in Suffolk, a charity that supports families and children across the county. This will be the sixth Diamond Brothers book, to sit alongside The Falcon’s Malteser, South by South East, Public Enemy Number Two, The Blurred Man (with I Know What You Did Last Wednesday) and The French Confection (with The Greek Who Stole Christmas). The series celebrates its 35th anniversary this year.

UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired by publishing director Jane Winterbotham from Jonathan Lloyd at Curtis Brown. The series branding will also be revised to launch the new title, publishing in January 2022. 

Winterbotham said: “Anthony Horowitz’s Diamond Brothers is the funniest detective series ever and this new adventure will have readers laughing out loud on every page. With Anthony Horowitz’s cracking plot and brilliant jokes, and Tony Ross’ dynamic illustrations, this is the perfect tonic to lift the spirits, after long months of lockdown!”

Horowitz said: “I’m shocked. The last time I wrote a Diamond brothers novel was actually 18 years ago—back in 2002—and it wasn’t even a full novel. It was called The Blurred Man and it was only 80 pages long. I’ve been so busy with Alex Rider that I’ve completely ignored Tim Diamond, the world’s most stupid private detective, and his smarter younger brother, Nick. But when the whole world was in lockdown and young readers were forced to stay away from school and their friends, I was wondering what I could do to help—and suddenly the Diamond brothers came to mind. What we need right now is jokes. So I’m writing a new story: Where Seagulls Dare.”