We all know novels featuring serial killers can be BIG
sellers. But what do you think was the earliest factual written account of a
serial killer? It happened in the isolated German town of Bideburg in the 16th
century, and The Wolf Trial by Neil Mackay is a fictionalised version of this first-ever
documented case. What a great idea for a book! Historical fiction and
psychological horror collide in this unforgettable tour de force; described by
publishers Freight as Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose meets
Brett Easton Ellis’s American Psycho. It is a super-lead title for them,
coming in April. Paulus Melchior, lawyer, academic and enlightened rationalist,
travels with his young assistant, Willy Lessinger, to the isolated German town
of Bideburg where local landowner, Peter Stumpf, is accused of brutally
murdering dozens of people. A society still trapped in a medieval mindset, the
townsfolk clamour for the killer to be tried as a werewolf. If their demands
are met his blameless wife and children will also be executed in the most
barbaric way imaginable as agents of Satan and creatures contaminated by wolf
blood. Paulus and Willy must fight superstition, the cruelty of those who fear
what they don’t understand, and a zealous church determined to retain its grip
on the souls of Bideburg, in this compelling, utterly unforgettable, shocking
tour de force. Neil’s debut novel, All the Little
Guns Went Bang, Bang, Bang, received great reviews: The Guardian
said “this grim, vivid work is a fine evocation of childhood and a
passionate critique of a society that has lost its soul” and The Wolf Trial is
equally visceral, shocking and skilful. You can find out more about the Wolf Trial by Neil Mackay (hb,
£13.99 978 1910449721) here.
Which do you think are the best serial killer novels of
all time? Well, here's
a great list from the Huffington Post which certainly includes some of my
favourites.
And here’s an entertaining countdown of
the top ten fictional serial killer movies – actually I’m not sure
“entertaining” is quite the right word, unless you happen to be one of the charming
individuals featured!
Jason Vale is the best-selling author of a dozen books on health,
addiction and juicing. His books have been translated into many languages and
he regular appears on television, radio (he is a great favourite of Radio 2’s
Steve Wright) and in the press. Jason’s 7lbs in 7days Juice Master Diet
has been described as “The most successful juice diet of all time” and
over three million Jason Vale books have been sold to date. Now Jason is bringing
us his first ever wholefood recipe book, Super Fast
Food, which I think could do really well. It is full of healthy
versions of all the classics from pizza to pasta to risotto and even a healthy
veggie burger and fries as well as super salads and splendid soups. Jason Vale has
genuine brand awareness, and this is the perfect book for anyone who has just
finished one of his ‘Juice Challenges’ and is looking for some inspiration. You
won’t find any strange ingredients or items that require a trip to specialised
food shops for any of these recipes and his refreshingly uncomplicated recipes,
plus an appealing front cover plus lots of appetising full colour spreads
should ensure this title sells well. Super Fast
Food: Healthy Meals Made Easy by Jason Vale (hb,
£24.99 978 0954766474) is published by Crown House publishing in April. Find out more
here.
Have a look here to see the ever
enthusiastic Jason showing you how to make a healthy no-dough pizza – it does
look pretty delicious I must say!
Mix Dave Eggers with Italo Calvino, add a shot of Matt
Haig and a dash of Charlie Brooker and you’ve got The
Brilliant & Forever, by Kevin MacNeil!
The novel is set on an island where the annual Brilliant & Forever festival
is a much anticipated event; its participants a story away from either glory or
infamy. The glitterati descend, the festival begins: thirteen performers, each
have their own story to tell. Who will be chosen by the judges? Who will be
chosen by the people? This novel is a whip-cracking, energetic, laugh-out-loud
satire on what we value in culture, and in our lives. Kevin MacNeil’s first novel The Stornoway Way
sold over 20,000 copies and has become an acclaimed cult classic and Birlinn
have got a great promo going for The Brilliant &
Forever on Lovereading.com –
where it is garnering great reviews, e.g: “Funny, thought provoking, crazy
and playful … deserves to win prizes … I laughed my way through this
unusual book … It is strange and bizarre and funny and sad and deep … I really
didn't know what to make of it at first but decided to persevere …. Different
and a highly addictive read”. You can also listen to a podcast of Kevin
discussing The Brilliant & Forever here.
There is going to be a review in the Guardian next week, and there will
also be forthcoming interviews with Kevin in the Herald, the Scotsman
and on Radio Scotland. The Brilliant &
Forever has been named both Blackwell’s and Waterstone’s Scottish Book of the Month
for March, and Kevin will be promoting it at the many Scottish literary
festivals during the spring and summer. The
Brilliant & Forever by Kevin MacNeil (pb, £9.99, 978 1846973376) is published in March by Birlinn.
You
can find out more and order it here.
Rwandan Hostage (pb, 978 1910692967, £8.99) by Chris
Lowery is published by Urbane
in April. This is a sequel to the bestselling The Angolan Clan and
continues the tale of corruption, murder and greed that began in the first book
of the African Diamonds Trilogy, with heroine Jenny Bishop facing a
terrifying new threat not only to her own life, but those of her closest
family. Once more joining forces with private investigator Pedro Espinoza,
Jenny uncovers an international conspiracy dating back to the horrific events
of the Rwandan genocide in 1994and is in a race against time to find the
abductors before revelations threaten to tear her family apart. Rwandan Hostage is
a gripping read – perfect for fans of Frederick Forsyth and Gerald Seymour. Angolan
Clan was part of a WHS Travel Recommends promotion, so there will be plenty of readers
waiting for this sequel – and those who have read proof copies have loved it –
the Little Book Blog said “Great book – loved the blend of history and
thriller. The author is clearly an expert in Africa's turbulent history and the
quality of derail and characterisation made it a compelling read”. Order Rwandan Hostage
here.
Who’s up for a spot of ‘bikepacking’ this weekend? This
mix of cycling and wild camping is a fast growing international trend – and
unsurprisingly, those champions of all things adventurous and fun, Wild
Things Publications are right on top of it. Woodfires
and Fat Tyres: Bikepacking on the Wild Trails of Britain follows
author Laurence McJannet as he embarks on an off-road adventure to bike and
camps his way along some of Britain’s most beautiful off-road trails and
ancient trackways. This full colour paperback takes you on 30 of the finest
off-road rides our island has to offer, from the Isle of Wight to the Scottish
Highlands. There are loads of great tips for camping, biking, packing and
exploring and as you’d expect from this inspirational publisher, there is an
enticing mix of engaging travelogue and gorgeous photography. This unique new
guide has mass appeal, and will be launched in May with coverage on BBC
Saturday Live as well as articles in the Guardian, and the Sunday
Times. There will also be joint promotional activity with the National
Trust, Sustrans, the Wildlife Trusts and the Cycling Touring Club. Bikepacking (pb, 978 1910636084, £16.99) by Laurence McJannet is
published by Wild Things Publishing in May. and you can see
more about it here.
Always good to end with some music – and they don’t get
much more musical than Randy Newman – I
love him! Maybe I’m Doing It Wrong: The Life of
Randy Newman by David and Caroline Stafford is a rewarding
handbook for the Newman aficionado – but also the perfect introduction to his
work. It includes biographical notes along with many key background
facts, phots, asides, diversions and essays. Randy
Newman has written songs for Cilla
Black, Alan Price, Dusty Springfield, Gene Pitney and Joe Cocker and as a film
composer his soundtracks have included Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Cars,
Monsters Inc, Meet The Parents and Seabiscuit. Has won three Emmys,
six Grammy Awards and two Oscars. Maybe I’m Doing It
Wrong: The Life of Randy Newman (hb,
978 1783055531, £20.00) is published by Omnibus Press in April and
you can order it here.
And you can get yourself some Randy Newman love here! But if that’s just
too saccharine for you – there here he is back in 1978 with his genius satire Short People.
Compass is on Twitter! Follow us
@CompassIPS. We love this
hilarious list of some of the funniest spelling mistakes ever on Twitter!
And we’re also very amused to see Evelyn Waugh trending today, after TIME
magazine listed him as one of their top 100 female writers….
Gwyneth Jones @GwynethJones Evelyn
Waugh trends on Twitter after TIME names HIM a HER - Doh!
Jilly Gagnon @jillygagnon C'mon
now, TIME mistook Evelyn Waugh for a woman? Even when he MARRIED an Evelyn they
kept it straight. Him: Hevelyn. Her: Shevelyn.
Scott Pack @meandmybigmouth To
be fair, it's Evelyn Waugh's fault for having a girl's name.
Scott Pack @meandmybigmouth Although
Evelyn Waugh was not a woman, has it been confirmed whether or not he was a big
girl's blouse?
Jonny Geller @JonnyGeller I loved
Bridesmaids Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.
Literary Interest @InterestingLit When
Evelyn Waugh’s first novel was rejected, he resolved to drown himself in the
sea. He changed his mind when he was stung by a jellyfish.
Georgia Conkle @HusbanWXG Evelyn
Waugh: “Punctuality is the virtue of the bored.”
Charm Siocon @chammybear “Sometimes,
I feel the past and the future pressing so hard on either side that there's no
room for the present at all.” — Evelyn Waugh
Slate@Slate Evelyn Waugh spent his
whole life dealing with people's confusion about his name.
Meredith Moore @writermeredith Retweeted
OBSERVER. I was so confused about why Evelyn Waugh was trending. And now I'm
just laughing.
That’s all for now folks!
More next week!
This blog is taken from a newsletter which is sent weekly to over 700 booksellers as
well as publishers and publicists. If you would like to order any of the titles
mentioned, then
please click here to go to the Compass New Titles Website or
talk to your Compass Sales representative.
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