26 October 2003
SUNDAY MAIL

Craig is Rowling in it after first book
by Julia Hunt

A Scots author is tipped to be the next JK Rowling after his first novel provoked a global bidding war.

Former policeman Craig Russell, 46, was surprised when a UK publishers paid a six-figure sum for his Jan Fabel trilogy, about the fictional head of Hamburg's murder squad.
But he was stunned when German agents offered even more for rights and were quickly followed by bids from Italy, Canada, Norway and Holland.

The first book, Blood Eagle, won't be released until 2005 but, like the Harry Potter series - its launch will be synchronised all over the world.