The Samaritan - launch date

You are cordially invited to the official launch of...

The Samaritan

by Mason Cross

7pm, Wednesday July 15, 2015
Waterstones, Argyle Street, Glasgow

Join bestselling author Craig Robertson (Random, Witness the Dead) in conversation with Mason Cross for the official launch of his new novel The Samaritan, published by Orion.

The Samaritan is the sequel to last year's The Killing Season, and follows mysterious manhunter Carter Blake on an all-new assignment.

There will be a reading, a Q&A and a signing. More importantly, there will be free wine. The event is free and all are welcome.

Click here to book your free ticket

The Samaritan - ebook publication

I've been extremely busy on the next book, Crimefest and some other stuff, all of which I'll blog about soon, but this is just a quick post to say the second Carter Blake book, The Samaritan, is published today as an ebook. I think it's UK-only right now, but happy to be corrected if it's available in any other territories.

This is a new technique I've noticed recently, bringing out the e-version ahead of print. I assume it's a good way of getting advance sales data to gauge print run, and pick up some early reviews. A bit like getting radio airplay ahead of the album release, maybe.

Anyway. If you can't wait for the real book version to be published on July 16th, you can get The Samaritan on your Kindle right now, or as an Audible download. Happy reading!

Theakstons longlist

Shots has just announced the longlist for the 2015 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award, and I'm amazed and very pleased that The Killing Season is on it.

This is a pretty big deal, as the longlist of 18 is cut down from hundreds of submissions. All of these titles will be promoted by WHSmith in the runup to the announcement of the shortlist on 15 June and the eventual winner on 16 July.

I'm actually kind of astounded to be in the running for the most prestigious British crime novel award for my debut novel. I always wanted to write an enjoyable, page-turning book, but awards have frankly never crossed my mind. Anyway, it's still a longshot since I'm up against 17 other great books (including some of my literary heroes), but it's a very nice place to be.

Here's the list in full:

 

• Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge, Michael Joseph
• The Facts Of Life And Death by Belinda Bauer, Black Swan
• The Ghost Runner by Parker Bilal, Bloomsbury
• The Strangler Vine by M.J. Carter, Fig Tree
• The Axeman's Jazz by Ray Celestin, Mantle
• Personal by Lee Child, Bantam
• The Killing Season by Mason Cross, Orion Fiction
• Bryant& May - The Bleeding Heart by Christopher Fowler, Bantam
• The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths, Quercus
• The Telling Error by Sophie Hannah, Hodder & Stoughton
• Darkness, Darkness by John Harvey, Arrow
• Someone Else's Skin by Sarah Hilary, Headline
• The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson, Hodder & Stoughton
• Entry Island by Peter May, Quercus
• Disappeared by Anthony Quinn, Head of Zeus
• Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin, Orion Fiction
• The Farm by Tom Rob Smith, Simon & Schuster
• A Lovely Way to Burn by Louise Welsh, John Murray Publishers

Win an advance copy of The Samaritan

Orion is running a Goodreads giveaway to win one of 20 advance copies of the sequel to The Killing Season: The Samaritan.

This one sees Carter Blake travel west to Los Angeles, where a methodical serial killer is abducting and murdering lone female drivers. Blake recognises the killer's work and realises that he is the only man who can track the killer down, even if it means bringing his own past crashing down on top of him...

All you have to do to win a free copy is go to this link before May 14th and register for the giveaway.

Good luck!

Telegraph Promotion

The Telegraph has chosen The Killing Season for its promo title this week in the UK, which means you can get the paperback for less than half price with a purchase of the newspaper at WHSmith.


All you have to do is buy the Telegraph in any WHSmith high street or travel store between Thursday, April 30 and Wednesday, May 6, or bring in one of the printed vouchers published in the paper on Thursday, April 30 or Saturday, May 2.


It's great to see the book displayed so prominently on the high street, and I've also been spotted at Glasgow and Bristol airports, meaning I have officially fulfilled my ambition of writing an airport thriller. Definitely an excuse for a Friday beer.