Random House Launches New Trilogy By Jonathan Stroud

Between 2004 and 2010, the four books in Jonathan Stroud’s bestselling “Bartimaeus” saga earned the British writer a loyal fan base in the worldwide fantasy community. More than six million "Bartimaeus" books have been sold to date. This year, the popular author launches a new series: "Lockwood & Co". Once again, Random House imprints will be the publishers bringing the fantastic story to readers: Random House Children's Publishing (RHCP) in the U.K., and CBJ, Verlagsgruppe Random House’s children's and young-adult book publisher, in Germany. The original English version of "Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase" and the German version "Lockwood & Co – Die seufzende Wendeltreppe” will be released simultaneously this fall.

What is "The Screaming Staircase” about? Here’s what we can reveal without spoiling the story: In a London that is both familiar and unknown to us, strange events, terrifying apparitions and mysterious murders are upsetting the lives of the entire town. Clearly a case for the eccentric, charismatic ghost hunter Anthony Lockwood and his two very young assistants George and Lucy. A crazy adventure takes its course and nothing is as it was before.

The launch of Stroud’s new series will be supported by extensive global marketing campaigns – including global press and reading tours by the author. There will be a piece of interactive online storytelling, in which readers are invited – as honorary investigators for Lockwood & Co – to seek out ghosts and discover the grisly tales behind each haunting. As RHCP writes in a press statement, there will be many ways to get involved, including armchair sleuthing, creative writing, and even a location-based smartphone app. “We’re currently laying the groundwork for an immersive experience based in the rich and spooky new world Jonathan has created; and we hope to bring his devoted Bartimaeus fan-base together with a legion of new readers in order to explore it,” said Philippa Dickinson, Managing Director of RHCP.

In Germany, CBJ Publishing Director Jürgen Weidenbach looks forward to the upcoming release: " Jonathan Stroud introduces a whole new cast of characters with ‘Lockwood & Co’ – while at the same time seamlessly picking up where the worldwide success of ‘Bartimaeus’ left off. We are proud to have this brilliant author back in our program and present him to his huge German fan base.” Both RHCP and CBJ promise that “Lockwood & Co.” readers will be treated to Stroud’s characteristic masterly blend of humor, suspense and adventure.