For years, comics editor, writer, author and writing tutor David Bishop – perhaps best known to many downthetubes readers as a former editor of both 2000AD and Judge Dredd Megazine and author of Thrill-Power Overload – has been threatening to write a series of historical mystery novels set in Renaissance Florence. Well, now he’s done it – and the results will be published by Pan Macmillan starting in February 2021.
Pan Macmillan announced earlier this week that it had landed the first novel in a historical crime fiction series from “D V Bishop”.
Alex Saunders, fiction editor at Pan Macmillan acquired world rights to City of Vengeance, which won the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland 2018, in a two-book deal from Jenny Brown at Jenny Brown Associates.
Alessandro de’ Medici, Duke of Florence. Portrait by Jacopo Pontormo
The book is set against the backdrop of the Medici dynasty in 1530s Renaissance Florence, following the case of a prominent Jewish moneylender who is found murdered. Cesare Aldo, a former soldier and now an officer of the city’s most powerful criminal court, is given four days to solve the murder.
In the course of his investigations, Aldo uncovers a plot to overthrow the ruler of Florence, Alessandro de’ Medici. If the Duke falls, it will endanger the whole city. But a rival officer of the court is trying to uncover the secrets of Aldo’s private life to bring him down. Can Aldo stop the conspiracy before anyone else dies, or will his own secrets destroy him first?
“I am so excited to be welcoming D V Bishop to the Pan Macmillan list,” commented Alex Saunders. “He has written a wonderful historical thriller set in Renaissance Florence and from the moment I started reading I was impressed by his confident storytelling.
“City of Vengeance is an explosive start to an electrifying new series, and Cesare Aldo is a remarkable character who stays with you long after the final page has been turned.”
David Bishop
David Bishop, these days busy as programme leader of Edinburgh Napier University’s MA Creative Writing department, is the author of a wide range of both fiction and factual books, audio as well as comics such as The Phantom. These include his The Complete Inspector Morse, Thrill-Power Overload books and Fiends of the Eastern Front novels. TV work includes episodes of the BBC’s Doctors and scripts for various CBeebies shows. He’s also scripted both Doctor Who and Sarah Jane audio dramas for Big Finish. The Elysian Blade, a BBC Talking Book adventure narrated by Frazer Hines starring the Second Doctor, was released earlier this year.
“I’m proud and honoured to sign with Pan Macmillan, publisher of such wonderful writers as C J Sansom, Ann Cleeves, and the late, great Colin Dexter,” says David. “There couldn’t be a better home for Cesare Aldo as he investigates murders, the Medici, and all manner of Machiavellian machinations among the palazzos and piazzas of Renaissance Florence.”
• City of Vengeance is scheduled for publication in February 2021
• David Bishop is online at Vicious Imagery
• David Bishop books on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
- About the Author
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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