PROFILE ACQUIRE THRILLING HISTORY OF MURDER MYSTERIES BY AUTHOR OF FABULOSA!
Profile Books, the award-winning independent publisher behind the Murdle series and the Janice Hallett books, has acquired Murder Mystery: A History of a Phenomenon, the next book by Paul Baker, Professor of English Language at Lancaster University and acclaimed author of Fabulosa! The Story of Polari, Britain’s Secret Gay Language.
Cecily Gayford, publishing director of Profile Books, acquired UK & Commonwealth rights from Emma Bal at Madeleine Millburn Agency. Murder Mystery is scheduled for publication in September 2027.
The first major history of one of the world’s most popular genres, Murder Mystery will explore the origins of murder mysteries and their enduring appeal today – from Arthur Conan Doyle and the Golden Age of Crime to Scandi Noir and psychological thrillers. With their murderous delights, carefully plotted puzzles and hair-raising games of deception, mysteries offer readers a thrill – but, as Baker reveals, the fact that stories of violence and mayhem have such an enduring hold over us raises deeper questions about what we find entertaining and why.
Unpacking the genre’s storied history, and the continued popularity of thrillers and true crime today, Murder Mystery is the ideal companion for lovers of the genre – and a page-turning investigation into what makes the perfect murder (mystery).
Cecily Gayford said: ‘As a long-term murder mystery fanatic, I am delighted to welcome Paul Baker to the Profile list with his fascinating investigation into the history of this beloved genre – and what it can tell us about ourselves. Nerdily passionate in all the right ways, it’s the product of a lifetime of research, and full of twists and turns and unexpected revelations that Agatha Christie herself would be proud of’.
Paul Baker said: ‘This is a book which I’ve been wanting to write for decades. From the age of 12, every weekend I’d spend all my pocket money on Agatha Christie, PD James and Arthur Conan Doyle stories. Researching this book has been an incredible experience, opening my eyes to the global diversity of the genre. And it’s thrilling to work with Emma at Madeleine Milburn and Cecily at Profile – they are both avid fans of murder mysteries so I can’t be in better hands.’
Paul Baker is Professor of English Language at Lancaster University, and the author of Fabulosa!: The Story of Polari, Britain’s Secret Gay Language, which was a TLS ‘Book of the Year’. He has been interviewed for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, been a guest on The One Show and History Hits and is a regular festival speaker.
