Deal Announcement: Alistair Fall and the Restless Dead by Marianne Gordon

Marianne Gordon’s Alistair Fall and the Restless Dead, the first in a fantasy murder mystery series, has sold to Ayesha Shibli at Del Rey in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2027. Set in a richly imagined world where magic and paganism have been outlawed, the story follows Alistair Fall, a state-sanctioned magic user, and Sunny, a charming thief with an unreasonable love for baked goods, as they meet over not one but two dead bodies. Marianne is the author of the Raven’s Trade duology, The Gilded Crown and The Antlered King, with HarperVoyager.

In true publishing fashion, we couldn't let this opportunity pass without adding a few words of commentary - if nothing else, we love wording the words!

Marianne says: "I had such amazing fun writing Alistair Fall and the Restless Dead and I can’t think of a better home for it than with Ayesha Shibli and Del Rey US; they really get the world and its characters, and I think we’re going to make a wonderful set of books together. I can’t wait to share Alistair and Sunny’s detective shenanigans!"

And Fab, Marianne's agent adds: “Alistair Fall and the Restless Dead has that magic combination of immersive writing, loveable characters and true passion for the story. Fantasy murder mysteries are taking over the industry and we couldn’t have found a better home for this than with Ayesha and Del Rey.”

We can't wait for spring 2027 to come around and share these books with you all!

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