Can You Solve the Murder?
Well, can you? Soon you’ll be able to find out…
Transworld has triumphed in a five-way bidding war for rights to Can You Solve the Murder by Antony Johnston, an interactive crime novel in which the reader plays detective and pieces together the evidence to solve the crime.
Throughout the book the reader chooses who to interview next, and which lead to follow. They take notes and look for evidence, before deciding when to confront their chosen suspect. There are different paths to take, some leading to dead ends, others to better clues, but every decision the reader makes has consequences.
Some of you will remember ‘gamebooks’, most famously the Choose Your Own Adventure and Fighting Fantasy series. If so you’ll recognise the concept for Can You Solve the Murder? It’s a puzzle game in which you play a detective solving a crime… but it’s also a murder mystery novel, with all the plot twists and great characters you’d expect from such a book.
CYSTM? is where fiction and games – the two main strands of my writing career – come together, and I get to put a new twist on a format that I’ve loved since I devoured gamebooks like Fighting Fantasy and Lone Wolf as a child. Those series taught me so much about writing interactive experiences, and I still draw on their lessons today when making videogames. I’m thrilled to make my own contribution to this unique genre.
Read the full announcement at The Bookseller:
(You may recall in my last newsletter I hinted at future projects in the works, of which this is one. Recently on social media I also mentioned my DIY tendency to just sort of elbow my way into new formats and media without waiting to be invited… 😅)
Don’t Worry, Nothing Has Happened to the Dogs! 🐶🔍
I’m approaching the finish line for the first draft of the third Dog Sitter Detective book, with the working title The Dog Sitter Detective’s Deadly Rival, in which Gwinny must solve a grisly ‘locked room’ murder on a film set (so more of a ‘locked trailer’, I suppose?). Once that’s turned in I’ll begin thinking about the fourth book – and potentially/hopefully, even more beyond that.
The paperback edition of the first book, The Dog Sitter Detective, goes on sale in North America next week.
There are also a bunch of links left over from the recent release of The Dog Sitter Detective Takes the Lead to share with you:
The Bookseller: The Case for Cosy Crime
This is a piece I wrote for The Bookseller, which is the primary news and opinion outlet for the publishing industry. The modern cosy crime subgenre is flourishing, and has never been more vital and interesting. I talked about why skeptics should give it a chance to draw them in.
BookBrunch: Q&A
“It’s an oasis of peace and quiet… so naturally I thought it would be an ideal place to stage a ghastly murder”
Speaking of rivals, BookBrunch is the other main news and opinion outlet for the publishing industry 😅 I spoke to them about The Dog Sitter Detective Takes the Lead, my writing process… and at what point I actually know whodunit (Spoiler: later than you expect!)
Culturefly: A Civilised Murder
“‘Cosy Crime’ may seem an odd name for a genre in which murder is almost guaranteed, yet it’s never been more popular…”
This is a piece for the online arts and culture magazine Culturefly, on the enduring appeal of cosy crime both on screen and in books.
Crime Time: 5 Crucial Ingredients of Cosy Crime
On the other hand, this is a light-hearted piece for Crime Time about the vital tropes that go into a great cosy crime story, why they’re so important, and some of my favourite modern cosy books that do it right.
Interview: UK Crime Book Club
Finally, for those of you who prefer video, I was interviewed by Sam Brownley for the UK Crime Book Club group, talking mainly about The Dog Sitter Detective Takes the Lead, but also quite a bit about The Organised Writer.
(Sorry about the thumbnail, I appear to have inherited my late grandfather’s habit of blinking at the precise moment anyone takes a photo 😂)
A Fallen Time That’s Bygone
Which social media platform will eventually win the ongoing battle for supremacy? Who knows? For the moment, you can find me on most of them – simply search for my username @antonyjohnston, or check the Contact & Follow page of my site for links to the most popular networks: https://antonyjohnston.com/contact/