The first book in the co-written series, The Number One Insta Detectives Agency, will be published in 2026.
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH AU) is thrilled to announce the acquisition of The Number One Insta Detectives Agency and The Love Bomber, the first two books in a new series that blends crime with romance, by Australian authors Rachael Johns and Mercedes Mercier. Described as ‘The Thursday Murder Club for millennials’, the series is aimed at readers who love a little suspense with their seduction or a dash of spice with their mystery.
About the authors
Rachael Johns is the award-winning, bestselling author of over twenty romance and women’s fiction titles, including The Other Bridget and The Patterson Girls. Mercedes Mercier is an acclaimed crime writer, whose works include White Noise and Black Lies. Together, they plotted to combine the world’s two most popular fiction genres in a fun and edgy new concept they’re calling ‘cromance’.
Ali Watts at PRH AU has acquired world rights from Rachael Johns and from Mercedes Mercier via Gaby Naher at the Naher Agency.
Quotes
- Publisher Ali Watts says:'They had me at "new genre mash-up”. What a brilliant idea, to combine two genres we just can’t get enough of, in a series that celebrates the sinister and the sexy in equal measure. Move over, romantasy. There’s a new genre in town!'
- Rachael Johns says:'I’ve wanted to write in the cosy crime genre for a while, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally take the plunge with Mercedes, whose writing I adore. She's the perfect person to partner with in this exciting new direction - a series that combines romance and mystery in a way I hope will captivate readers of both genres.'
- Mercedes Mercier says:'I've longed for a novel that blends my two favourite genres – crime and romance – and I'm thrilled to bring this idea to life with the talented Rachael Johns, whose writing I've admired for years. I can't wait to show readers what our combined expertise can achieve in blending thrilling cosy crime with spicy chemistry. I'm excited to join Ali Watts and the team at Penguin.'
- Mercedes’ agent, Gaby Naher, says: 'The moment Mercedes told me about this proposed series I could see it becoming a publishing phenomenon. Rachael and Mercedes will be a dazzling double act.'
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