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Dispatches From The Compound
From the hills of West Virginia, where curiosity frequently outruns common sense.
Entire Jonathan Grave Series Re-Released In Larger Format
The Mass Market Paperback Is Dead. Long Live the Trade Paperback
I’ve got some news that I’m genuinely excited to share. Jonathan Grave is getting a new look.
Beginning this summer, Kensington Publishing is re-releasing the Jonathan Grave series in trade paperback with all-new cover art. No Mercy and Hostage Zero are already available, and the rest of the series will follow over time.
I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about replacing covers that have been with me for the better part of two decades. Those old covers represented a lot of years, a lot of deadlines, and a lot of stories. But once I saw the new designs lined up together, I was sold. I think the art department knocked this one out of the park.
Better yet, books that have been difficult—or impossible—to find for years will once again be available on bookstore shelves. That makes me happier than I can say.
So why the change?
The short answer is that the publishing business has changed. When No Mercy, the first Jonathan Grave novel, was released seventeen books and as many years ago, the standard mass market paperback retailed for $6.99. When Zero Sum arrived in 2024, the “premium mass market” edition sold for $9.99. Today, Scorched Earth is available as a trade paperback, the larger-format softcover that’s the same size as a hardcover, with a list price of $18.95.
For what it’s worth, I had nothing to do with these decisions. The demand for mass market paperbacks has been shrinking for years, especially after major retailers stopped carrying them. Eventually, economics catches up with nostalgia.
I’ll confess that I’m generally suspicious of change. I’ve always lived by the mantra, “Never try to make a happy baby happier.” If something works, my first instinct is to leave it alone. So yes, I wonder whether readers who prefer hardcovers will embrace a larger softcover, and whether longtime mass market readers will miss having a book that slips so easily into a briefcase or carry-on bag. And I wonder how readers will react to the higher price.
We’ll find out together.
One unexpected upside, however, is for autograph collectors. If there’s one complaint I’ve heard more than any other over the years about the mass market format, it’s that those little books don’t display particularly well on a shelf. I understand that. And speaking purely as the guy holding the pen, I have to admit that I’m looking forward to having a much larger patch of paper on which to sign my name.
Now it’s your turn. I really do want to hear what you think about the new format and the new covers. Love them? Miss the old paperbacks?
Drop me a line. I’ll share the results of our completely unscientific poll in the August edition of Dispatches From the Compound.
Bad Guy Boot Camp
A transcript . . .
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Bad Guy Boot Camp. Please take your seats so we can get started. Yes, it’s good to see you, too, Dr. Lecter. What’s that? Oh, no thanks. It looks delicious, but I’m still full from breakfast. Couldn’t eat another thing.
Um, Mr. Morgan? Dexter? Please don’t sit so close to Dr. Lecter. I’m pleased that you’d like to get to know him better, but wait till after the session. The lounge downstairs has a very nice wine list. I recommend the Chianti.
Let’s get right to it, shall we? I think I speak for all when I say that I’m sick and tired of the good guys getting all the credit in fiction. Without you, all those stories would be pretty darned boring and I think that . . .
Um, Mr. Dolarhyde, please turn off the camera. We don’t allow filming of these sessions, and I believe you know why. Thank you.
As I was saying, I think it’s about time that, as a group, we started taking more pride in our work. It’s about craftsmanship and respect. For example—and please take no offense—several of you were taken down by a quadriplegic detective. I mean, really. That makes every one of us look bad–and not in the good way.
Let’s start at the beginning. You’re villains. Be . . . I don’t know . . . villainous. Be a freaking professional. Do your crimes, get them over with, and quit making it so easy for the heroes. If we frustrate those detectives enough, they’ll quit being so glib.
Let’s start with you serial killers. I know you’re crazy and all, but try to stay focused on your goals: psychotic gratification through unspeakable mutilation. Everything else is secondary. Are the notes and the clues really necessary? You know those always work against you, right? I know that for some of you, your creative process requires spewing DNA, but how about leaving that as your only direct pathway to arrest? It’s about risk management, people. Business 101.
If making bombs is your thing, I submit that the digital countdown clock is not your friend. And folks, please. All the same color wires. Trust me, this will frustrate the daylights out of the cops.
A note about travel: Stay out of Miami, Vegas, New Orleans and New York. They’ve got CSI teams there that are amazing. They’ve got a hundred percent catch ratio, and the average time from incident to arrest is only an hour. Really, an hour. Every. Single. Time. I recommend keeping to the heartland, where all the local police are incompetent and depend exclusively on the FBI or on passing private investigators to get anything done.
Oh, and there’s a town in Maine called Cabot’s Cove. Bad, bad news there. Just stay away.
Any questions? Great.
Let’s move on to marksmanship and gun play. Folks, at the end of the session today, we’re all going to the shooting range so you can hone your skills. Mr. Wick is our lead instructor, so pay close attention. Eye and ear protection will be provided, but you need to bring your own firearms. You can buy ammo at the range. Hopefully we can fix that twitch that always makes you miss by a fraction of an inch.
While we’re on the topic of guns, for heaven’s sake, when you’re muzzle to muzzle with the protagonist, shoot. Honestly, this isn’t difficult. He’s tied to the chair. You’re standing three feet away. Stop explaining your childhood. Stop revealing your master plan. Stop threatening to kill his wife “after I’m done with you.” Shoot him. Then leave. If you absolutely must monologue, do it in the car on the way home.
Now, raise your hand if you’re a Bond villain. Holy crap, I didn’t realize you’d all be here. Listen gang, you’re making things far more difficult than they need to be. You don’t need lasers and swinging blades to kill someone. Don’t like the noise of guns or the mess of knives? Okay, I get that. But you don’t have to invoke Rube Goldberg to get the job done. Poison kills. Gravity kills. Heck, cholesterol kills if you give it enough time, and you don’t even need to tie your victim down. Just think about it through, okay?
Goodness gracious.
Okay, let’s move on. Our next module concerns procurement. I’d like to welcome Mr. Wile E. Coyote, Senior Product Specialist for the Acme Company . . .
Around the Compound . . .
I’m headed to Vegas in a couple of weeks to teach at the Public Safety Writers Conference in Las Vegas. While the thought of Vegas in July is less than appealing, I love hanging out with emergency responders, and Iook forward to helping attendees hone their storytelling skills.
My editor loves my idea for Grave 18. No matter how many times you go through the exercise, there’s always that haunting thought that maybe your plot idea isn’t as strong as you think. Affirmation is always welcome. I believe a good chuck of the action will be centered in Maine—thought nowhere near Cabot’s Cove. Even Jonathan Grave stays away from that place.
Kimber’s Corner
In Kimber’s words . . .
Maintaining security at the Compound remains a challenge. I fear that my parents don’t understand the importance of advance work in ensuring that no harm can come to them. They both insist, for example, that the bathroom is a place to be alone, but I cannot allow that. I must be ever vigilant, and I simply cannot provide the same level of personal protection from outside the door as I can from inside.
Summer has brought thunder and lightning. Dad insists he isn’t afraid of noise and flashing lights. I choose to respect his privacy on that point, but when the storms come, I provide my very highest levels of security by climbing into his lap and remaining there until the danger has passed.
Love,
Kimber
Undefeated Defender of the Compound
