Canelo swipe three more historical mysteries from Douglas Skelton

Commissioning Editor Kit Nevile has acquired World English Language rights to three historical crime thrillers by Douglas Skelton from Jo Bell at Bell Lomax Moreton in a three-book deal.

These new titles are the continuation of his Company of Rogues series, following thief, gambler and killer Jonas Flynt in his fight against injustice and treason on behalf of the Crown – however begrudgingly… This second batch of novels will take him into the dark underbelly of London, into the midst of a brutal gang dispute, and even so far as the ungoverned seas of the Caribbean, towards a clash with the legendary pirate Edward Teach, known to most as Blackbeard!

Douglas Skelton is an author of non fiction books and crime thrillers. He has been a bank clerk, tax officer, shelf stacker, meat porter, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), reporter, investigator and local newspaper editor. An Honourable Thief, the first book in the Company of Rogues series, was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize in 2023, Skelton’s fourth longlisting. He contributes to true crime shows on TV and radio and is a regular on the crime writing festival circuit.

Nevile says: ‘It has been an utter delight working with Douglas to publish this exceptional series of historical mysteries, and we have been delighted with the response by readers eager to experience the sights, sounds and smells – however foul – of Georgian London and beyond. I can’t wait to see how that continues going forward, as the series ups the stakes to greater and greater heights.’

Skelton says: ‘I’m looking forward to continuing to chronicle the adventures of Jonas Flynt, while giving him new challenges to face and further developing his character. I enjoy creating these stories and the historical world around them and I’m grateful to both Kit Nevile and Jo Bell for providing the opportunity.’

A Thief’s Blood will be published in November 2024 in hardback and ebook, with Ship of Thieves following in August 2025, and a sixth book in the series coming in April 2026. For more information please contact [email protected]