Duckworth Books has landed The Man Who Didn’t Burn, the first in a “remarkable” police procedural series from Ian Moore.

Pete Duncan, managing director, acquired world rights from Bill Goodall at Bill Goodall Literary Agency. The novel will be published in October 2023.

Known for his Follet Valley series with Duckworth, Death and Croissants and Death and Fromage, Moore is also a television performer and comedian. His life in rural France has been the subject of two memoirs with Octopus – À la Mod and C’est Modnifique.

The synopsis reads: “When an Englishman is brutally murdered in the rural French countryside, Investigating Magistrate Matthieu Lombard – born in England and raised in France – is surely the perfect man to lead the investigation? Lombard knows different. In fact, it means neither community trusts him. Perfect for fans of Aurelio Zen, Montalbano and Morse, Juge Lombard shows that beneath the calm surface of the Loire River lies a dangerous undercurrent.”

“Ian Moore has wowed readers with his charismatic Follet Valley series, mirroring his earned place in the world of comedy,” said Duncan. “Now, this very different series reveals Ian to be so much more – seriously major writing talent.”

Moore commented: “I’m a huge fan of the European-style detective; it’s a different process and a different pace of life and the detectives reflect that. I couldn’t be happier that Duckworth Books have invested in this.”