Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 Well it's been a surprisingly busy year for Desmond Bagley, not least of which is the continued success of author Michael Davies in picking up the baton of the traditional British Thriller genre, and running with it, taking his original character to new places in stories just as exciting as the old.

There's more to come in 2024 so stay tuned.

Stay Safe and Be Kind.

Black Friday Deals ?

Search "Desmond Bagley" on Amazon UK and you'll find most of the previous generation double-novel Kindle books priced between £2.99 and £4.99. For two novels per book this is great value!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Desmond+Bagley

Blackpool - Blue Plaque Unveiled

A new plaque commemorating our author was unveiled at the address in Blackpool where Desmond Bagley lived during his formative years, after leaving Kendal and before setting off, overland to Africa as a young man.

The event was attended by David Brawn, Head of Estates Publishing at Harper Collins UK, Joan Humble of the Blackpool Civic Trust, Deputy Mayor Adrian Hoyle, Deputy Mayoress Sharon Hoyle and Michael Davies author of Outback.

Here's a link to a piece about the event:

Blackpool Social Club

Outback - Paperback edition is published

The paperback edition of "Outback" Michael Davies's tribute to Desmond Bagley and his hero Bill Kemp, is out today.

BUT take a look - the Hardback edition is only 44p more!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008581398/

Outback - Paperback Release Date

The paperback edition of Outback, the officially approved continuation of Desmond Bagley's Bill Kemp novels, is out on the 26th October 2023.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008581398/

Blue Plaque to be Unveiled

The cat is finally out of the bag. Read more about this excellent news here:

https://www.blackpoolsocial.club/41794-the-secret-bestseller-honouring-blackpools-little-known-thriller-writer/

Thin Ice - Bill Kemp No.3

A third novel featuring Desmond Bagley’s hero Bill Kemp has been commissioned by Harper Collins UK and is due for release on the 1st August 2024.

Written by author, journalist and dramatist, Michael Davies, it will be continuing the adventures of our insurance investigator who has just faced the blistering heat of the Australian desert in Outback, Desmond Bagley’s centenary novel.

Book cover details will be added as they become known.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thin-Ice-Bill-Kemp-Book-ebook/dp/B0C2XBDVTK

Amazon UK Special Offer

The Desmond Bagley Centenary thriller Outback in currently on special offer over on Amazon UK. A 30% discount can be had for the hardback edition. If you haven't already, now is a good time to get yourself a copy.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outback-Desmond-Bagley-Centenary-Thriller/dp/0008581355/

BBC Radio Northampton

A very nice interview on BBC Radio Northampton about Outback, the Desmond Bagley centenary novel written by Michael Davies. Michael's segment runs from 1h:20m:48s to 1h:31m:40s.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fkxf21

Outback is Published

Tomorrow sees the publication of the superb new novel “Outback” celebrating the Centenary of Desmond Bagley’s birth. It was commissioned by HarperCollins Publishers UK from novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and journalist Michael Davies who had proved his mettle updating the long-lost Bagley manuscript for “Domino Island”. The publisher’s faith in Michael was well-founded as he has produced a taut, exciting thriller set in a location the master himself would have relished.
Go get yourselves a copy and enjoy the sun on your back – and the sand in your teeth – with “Outback”.

Hardback:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008581355

Kindle:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BK2ZN3HY


Not just Amazon either:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/9780008581350

And most online and High Street booksellers.

The Reading Ramble Podcast

There's a lot of background information about the new novel Outback - to be released on the 11th May 2023 - as the subject for The Reading Ramble podcast for the 27th April over on Spotify, featuring an interview with author Michael Davies:


https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Yo9bqoeMybzwT82lyeWYu?si=19481a756f654906

Northampton Chronicle and Echo

In the run-up to the 11th May publication of the new Bill Kemp novel, Outback, the sequel to Bagley's Domino Island, Harper Collins UK trusted author Michael Davies is featured:

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/arts-and-culture/books/former-northampton-chronicle-echo-journalist-pens-debut-thriller-at-59-4106585

London Book Fair - 2023

The irrepressible Michael Davies has done it again! Another Bill Kemp novel, the third in the Desmond Bagley canon and second exclusively by Michael. Thin Ice, set in cold-war Austria is slated for a mid-2024 release. Details were released at the London Book Fair at Olympia Details to follow ...

Interview with Michael Davies

The Crime Time web-site features a short interview with Outback author, and long-time Bagley fan, Michael Davies, explaining his love for the Desmond Bagley thriller series and a not-to-be-missed chance to follow in the great man's footsteps. From our friends at HarperCollins Publishers UK and their Legacy manager David Brawn


https://www.crimetime.co.uk/the-bagley-legacy-michael-davies-on-his-homage-to-a-master/

Outback - Paperback

Hot on the heels of our last news item Harper Collins UK have pencilled-in the release of the paperback version of the latest, centenary-celebrating novel Outback, for the 26th October 2023.

So if you prefer a paperback to a hardback – the photo’s of Michael Davies who has written the new novel, until the cover is revealed – go pre-order at the link below:


https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008581398

Outback - Sequel to Domino Island

This new novel by Michael Davies is a follow-on to the long-lost Bagley original – Domino Island.
It is due for publication on the 11th May this year and the cover has finally been revealed.

Amazon UK has now been updated, and you can pre-order …

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008581355/

The legacy of Desmond Bagley is still relevant today and this will be an exciting addition to the canon.

Podcasts now Back on Apple Podcasts and Spotify !!

 It’s been a while since our previous file-host blocked access to the podcast files so that Apple iTunes and Podcasts could no-longer reach them.

That has now been fixed and the first fifteen are back online, constituting “Season 1”, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Check the links on our Podcasts menu page:

Now that this stage has been reached “Season 2” will enter production and we’ll let you know when a new episode airs.

Thank you for your patience in the mean-time.

Happy New Year!!

Wherever you are may we wish you a better year than last, good health and plenty of free time to read all those books you've meant to catch up on! Seasons Greetings and Best wishes for 2023 - the centenary of Desmond Bagley's birth.