Zaffre signs Forry’s locked room murder mystery set on the moon

Zaffre has signed Lauren Forry’s locked room mystery set on the moon, The Launch Party. 

Kelly Smith, senior editor, acquired world rights including film and TV from Sandra Sawicka at Marjacq Scripts, for publication in June 2023. 

Described as “Agatha Christie meets Andy Weir”, The Launch Party is set in the first hotel on the moon, a premise inspired by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa’s invitation for members of the public to apply to join him in space. 

In The Launch Party, 10 people win a competition to celebrate the opening of the Hotel Artemis. But when they arrive, they are completely alone. When one of the guests is found murdered the next morning, panic ensues, but that death is only the beginning. With help three days away and nowhere to run, how many of the remaining guests can survive their stay?

Smith said: “Lauren’s imagination knows no bounds. In The Launch Party, she has written a compelling character-driven mystery with a unique, fresh take and has invented a new subgenre – the locked moon mystery. 

“This is ‘Knives Out’ but off-world and I’m simply over the moon to be working with her and Sandra on such an exciting project. Watch this…space! Puns are unavoidable.”

Forry said: “I had so much fun writing The Launch Party. Since I’ll never be an astronaut and/or able to afford space travel, writing this story was my chance to journey to the moon, and I’m excited to share that experience with readers. I hope they love these characters as much as I do and I can’t wait for them to unravel the secrets of the moon’s first luxury hotel.”

Sawicka said: “I can’t wait for readers to explore the mysteries and the lavish, yet hostile world of The Launch Party that Lauren has created. I’m also delighted to be working on it with Kelly Smith and the wider Bonnier team, as I know they will make the book the success it deserves to be.”