For immediate release: August 21 2023
BLACK SPRING CRIME SERIES ENDORSED BY UK GIANTS OF CRIME FICTION INCLUDING IAN RANKIN AND LEE CHILD
‘Time to strap yourself in!’
Ian Rankin on the Black Spring Crime Series
Black Spring Press is delighted to announce the creation of the Black Spring Crime Series. Curated and edited by bestselling author Luca Veste, the series will be an initial run of 10 novels over the next 10 months and has been endorsed by bestselling authors Lee Child, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, and many more.
Lee Child says, ‘I love, love, love great new crime fiction. How do I find it? Usually I ask my friend Luca Veste. I owe him hundreds of hours of great reading. Now he's doing it for real, not just for me - he's working with Black Spring Press, which means they're going to have a crime list that everyone will get excited about - and everyone will buy. Luca Veste is our genre's best talent spotter - Black Spring Press will be one to watch.’
Ian Rankin says, ‘Crime fiction is going through a new Golden Age, finding readers looking for strong stories that explore the world around us and the problems we face. An independent publisher like Black Spring is the perfect fit for these fresh new voices and ways of seeing - and in Luca Veste they have a crime editor who knows the terrain like a skilled tracker. A great writer himself, he has an eye for the brightest and best. It's going to be an exciting and enriching journey for readers. Time to strap yourself in!’
Val McDermid says, ‘I know nobody with their finger more acutely on the pulse of crime fiction. I value his recommendations; they show a great eye for what’s worth my reading time.’
Mark Billingham says, ‘Nobody knows more about the world of crime fiction than Luca Veste. He knows the business inside out and he knows all the movers and shakers. Most importantly of all, he knows a great crime novel when he sees one.’
The Black Spring Crime Series kicked off with the release of the acclaimed debut novel by FBI agent Zephaniah Sole A Crime in the Land of 7,000 Islands, with releases from J.K. Nottingham, Clare Grant, Rob McClure, and more to follow.
Publisher Dr Todd Swift says, ‘At a time of cost-of-living crisis, when small indie presses are struggling, it is poignant and beautifully helpful for these major crime writers, often with the largest publishers, to be so generous and supportive of a new imprint. I can’t remember when a crime series was last endorsed like this. I feel like Jack Reacher has just stepped in to save the day!’
Luca Veste says of the series, ‘This is an incredibly exciting time to be involved with an independent press such as Black Spring. The vision we have is to release excellent novels, that cover the wide variety we see in crime fiction. From police procedurals, to thrillers, to historical crimes, it is a privilege to be bringing these novels to a wider audience.’
The Black Spring Crime Series Books are all available for film and TV adaptations, and will be sold at all interested major and indie bookshops, as well as online, in both the UK and USA, via their distributors BookSource and NBN; as paperbacks, then e-books and audiobooks.