Author signs a six-book deal with top publisher
Readers will be able to delve even more deeply into the trials and tribulations of beloved fictional character DCI Daley as the book series’ Campbeltown-born and bred author has signed a six-book deal with Scotland’s largest independent publisher.
Polygon revealed this week that it has acquired six new titles by Denzil Meyrick, who is Scotland’s internationally bestselling crime author, from Jo Bell at Bell Lomax Moreton agency.
Denzil Meyrick will pen three novels and three novellas which are to appear from the in print between Christmas 2020 and 2022.
Mr Meyrick’s DCI Daley series has sold one million copies worldwide across all formats, including print, eBook and audio, making him Polygon’s top-selling crime writer and the bestselling Scottish crime writer published by a Scottish press.
The series is set in fictional Kinloch, based on Mr Meyrick’s home-town, and has won acclaim for its authenticity in accurate police procedural, gritty humour and ingenious plotting.
DCI Jim Daley first arrived in rural Kinloch from the mean streets of Glasgow in Whisky from Small Glasses (2012), and he found a community packed with strong characters and buried secrets.
Firm favourites
Since then, characters such as DS Brian Scott and the inscrutable old fisherman Hamish have become firm favourites with readers and listeners across the globe.
Denzil, who now lives on Loch Lomondside with his wife Fiona, told the Courier this week that it was hugely important to him to promote Campbeltown, the town which inspired Kinloch.
He said: ‘I’m always promoting Campbeltown – I do it everywhere I go, all over the world. People still regularly tell me that they visited
Campbeltown after reading the DCI Daley books.’
Kintyre readers are also enthusiastic about the series, with queues to get in and extra seats added to venues at the local launch of the seventh instalment, A Breath on Dying Embers, in July last year.
Mr Meyrick added: ‘I’m delighted to be able to bring more DCI Daley stories to the world via the team at Polygon. It has proven to be a great partnership. I’m also really pleased to have the chance to write more about Sandy Hoynes and the young Hamish in the novellas. Kinloch forever!’
Alison Rae, managing editor at Polygon, said: ‘We are thrilled with this signing. It signals a real commitment to Denzil and his exceptional crime writing.’
Excitement is building towards the appearance of the series’ eighth instalment, Jeremiah’s Bell, which is available to pre-order ahead of its release on June 4.