Daisy Watt, commissioning editor at HarperNorth, acquired world all-language rights from David Headley for publication in paperback, e-book and audio on 23rd November 2023.
The publisher will reveal the cover on the first day of Capital Crime Festival (31st August), where the author will be appearing on the panel “Box-Breakers: the books that defy genre”.
Its synopsis reads: “When a body is discovered in the shadow of the Angel of the North, DI Tom Stonem’s hopes for a peaceful Christmas alone are shattered. In the dead man’s pocket is what appears to be a little girl’s Christmas list, with the first item crossed off.
“But as the chain of killings continues, Stonem becomes convinced that the seemingly innocent list is a murderer’s twisted code. With the body count snowballing and with only a few sleeps left until Christmas, will Stonem catch the killer before they get everyone on their list?”
Frost is the author of 10 crime books under the name Chris McDonald, including the Erika Piper trilogy and The Stonebridge Mysteries. By day he is a scriptwriter and a regular voice on podcasts “The Blood Brothers” and “Friends of the North”.
Watt said: “The Killer’s Christmas List is the perfect gift for your most savage family member. Chris is an absolute delight to work with, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that he’s joined us at team HarperNorth.”
Frost said: “The Killer’s Christmas List was such a fun book to write, and I’m so glad it found a home at the wonderful HarperNorth. Working with Daisy and the team has been a joy, and I am so excited for the world to meet DI Tom Stonem. Roll on November!”