His first adventure consisted of the search for a rare record; his second the search for a lost child. Specifically the child of Valerian, lead singer of a great rock band of the 1960s, who hanged herself in mysterious circumstances after the boy’s abduction.
Along the way, the Vinyl Detective finds himself marked for death, at the wrong end of a shotgun, and unknowingly dosed with LSD as a prelude to being burned alive. And then there’s the grave robbing…
Andrew Cartmel is a novelist and screenwriter. His work for television includes Midsomer Murders and Torchwood, and a legendary stint as Script Editor on Doctor Who. He has also written plays for the London Fringe, toured as a stand-up comedian, and is currently co-writing with Ben Aaronovitch a series of comics based on the bestselling Rivers of London books. He lives in London.
"Vinyl Detective is proving to be a very amenable companion to have on a treasure hunt. This is one vinyl nerd you won't mind spending time with " - Kirkus Reviews
"Great premise, great fun. Keep ’em coming." Booklist
"Cartmel treats music and records seriously, plays his strange characters for laughs, and provides a bit of danger and some unexpected twists in this affectionate nod to the vagaries of rock stardom." - Publishers Weekly
"There is just something so appealing, quirky and well, relatable about the cast of characters" - MyBigHonkinBlog “a great piece of detective fiction with characters that feel authentic. I recommend it to fans of the first novel as well as fans of quirky detective stories.” GeekHardshow.com
“Polished, fast-paced and a ton of fun, this is a fantastic read that is easy to get lost in.”The Crime Review
“Cartmel does a brilliant job of writing outlandish characters, that can be humorous and deadly, but not cliches or tropes” - Atomic Moo
“The book hooks you fast for an intriguing ride that will only serve to whet your appetite for more books in this series.” Mystery Scene
"Quite fun, especially if you appreciate older music forms and can sympathize with the feeling of finding just the right rare record hidden in a dusty corner." - Seattle Book Review
PRAISE FOR THE VINYL DETECTIVE
“An irresistible blend of murder, mystery and music... our protagonist seeks to find the rarest of records – and incidentally solve a murder, right a great historical injustice and, if he’s very lucky, avoid dying in the process.” Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London
“The Vinyl Detective is one of the sharpest and most original characters I’ve seen for a long time.” David Quantick, Emmy Award-winning producer of VEEP
“Crime fiction as it should be, played loud through a valve amp and Quad speakers. No digital writing here, it’s warm and rich. Every delicate pop and crackle adding character and flavour. Witty, charming and filled with exciting solos. Quite simply: groovy.” Guy Adams, critically acclaimed author of The Clown Service
"marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating" Publishers Weekly
"This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend." Booklist (starred review)
His first adventure consisted of the search for a rare record; his second the search for a lost child. Specifically the child of Valerian, lead singer of a great rock band of the 1960s, who hanged herself in mysterious circumstances after the boy’s abduction.
Along the way, the Vinyl Detective finds himself marked for death, at the wrong end of a shotgun, and unknowingly dosed with LSD as a prelude to being burned alive. And then there’s the grave robbing…
Creators
Andrew Cartmel is a novelist and screenwriter. His work for television includes Midsomer Murders and Torchwood, and a legendary stint as Script Editor on Doctor Who. He has also written plays for the London Fringe, toured as a stand-up comedian, and is currently co-writing with Ben Aaronovitch a series of comics based on the bestselling Rivers of London books. He lives in London.
"Vinyl Detective is proving to be a very amenable companion to have on a treasure hunt. This is one vinyl nerd you won't mind spending time with " - Kirkus Reviews
"Great premise, great fun. Keep ’em coming." Booklist
"Cartmel treats music and records seriously, plays his strange characters for laughs, and provides a bit of danger and some unexpected twists in this affectionate nod to the vagaries of rock stardom." - Publishers Weekly
"There is just something so appealing, quirky and well, relatable about the cast of characters" - MyBigHonkinBlog “a great piece of detective fiction with characters that feel authentic. I recommend it to fans of the first novel as well as fans of quirky detective stories.” GeekHardshow.com
“Polished, fast-paced and a ton of fun, this is a fantastic read that is easy to get lost in.”The Crime Review
“Cartmel does a brilliant job of writing outlandish characters, that can be humorous and deadly, but not cliches or tropes” - Atomic Moo
“The book hooks you fast for an intriguing ride that will only serve to whet your appetite for more books in this series.” Mystery Scene
"Quite fun, especially if you appreciate older music forms and can sympathize with the feeling of finding just the right rare record hidden in a dusty corner." - Seattle Book Review
PRAISE FOR THE VINYL DETECTIVE
“An irresistible blend of murder, mystery and music... our protagonist seeks to find the rarest of records – and incidentally solve a murder, right a great historical injustice and, if he’s very lucky, avoid dying in the process.” Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London
“The Vinyl Detective is one of the sharpest and most original characters I’ve seen for a long time.” David Quantick, Emmy Award-winning producer of VEEP
“Crime fiction as it should be, played loud through a valve amp and Quad speakers. No digital writing here, it’s warm and rich. Every delicate pop and crackle adding character and flavour. Witty, charming and filled with exciting solos. Quite simply: groovy.” Guy Adams, critically acclaimed author of The Clown Service
"marvelously inventive and endlessly fascinating" Publishers Weekly
"This charming mystery feels as companionable as a leisurely afternoon trawling the vintage shops with a good friend." Booklist (starred review)
