Amazon Publishing Land Ed McBain Digital and Audio Deal

Author Evan Hunter, March 2001, at a book sign...

Amazon Publishing has landed another heavyweight deal with the announcement this morning that the e-tailer has acquired the digital rights to 47 Ed McBain titles. Amazon brokered the deal with Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents who represent the estate of the late mystery novelist.

McBain’s 47 titles will be published in digital and audio formats through Amazon’s recently launched imprint, Thomas & Mercer.

From the press release:

Amazon.com today announced that Amazon Publishing has acquired the publication rights of 35 titles in the 87th Precinct Series–including “The Con Man” and “The Mugger“–by author Ed McBain. These books will be published by the Thomas & Mercer imprint in print, digital and audio formats starting in Fall 2011. In addition to the 87th Precinct titles, Thomas & Mercer will publish 12 titles in McBain’s Matthew Hope series starting in Spring 2012. These 12 books will be published in digital and audio format, with most of the 12 available in print format. This is the first time any of these books have been available digitally for readers. Jane Gelfman of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents, Inc. represented the estate of Ed McBain in this deal.

Ed McBain was a pseudonym of Evan Hunter, who passed away in 2005. McBain won the Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement from the Mystery Writers of America in 1986, and he was the first American to receive the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain‘s Cartier Diamond Dagger award. He is the author of the popular 87th Precinct and Matthew Hope series. With more than 100 million books sold worldwide, McBain was praised by critics and fellow writers. “The wit, the pacing, his relish for the drama of human diversity [are] what you remember about the McBain novels,” the Philadelphia Inquirer once said of his writing. People Magazine simply observed that “Ed McBain is, by far, the best at what he does. Case closed.”

“McBain is a master of the mystery genre and we are thrilled to be able to repackage, publish and promote his unrivalled body of work,” said Philip Patrick, Head of Rights & Licensing, Amazon Publishing. “One of the things we think Amazon Publishing can do is offer signature authors a new life for great backlist titles. Our agreement with the McBain estate is a perfect example of this approach.”

“Evan was always an innovator and I am thrilled that these books will be available again for his countless fans as well as a new generation of readers,” said Dina Hunter, widow of Evan Hunter.

Announced in May 2011, Thomas & Mercer–named for streets that flank the Amazon headquarters in Seattle–is the mystery and thriller imprint of Amazon Publishing. Thomas & Mercer books are available to English readers in Kindle, print and audio formats at www.amazon.com, as well as at national and independent booksellers. For more information on Thomas & Mercer and upcoming titles, visit www.amazon.com/thomasandmercer. For more information about all imprints of Amazon Publishing, visit www.amazon.com/amazonpublishing. Thomas & Mercer is a brand used by Amazon Content Services, LLC.