We bring a combination of brand management, savvy and
creative vision to the development of global franchises.
With a portfolio that includes some of the most beloved
literary works and characters of all time, our aim is to
produce magical, memorable experiences for young and old
alike.
Chorion is a leading global media company that owns,
manages and develops quality family entertainment brands
with worldwide appeal.
After all, families the world over continue to clamour
for high quality entertainment derived from familiar,
much-loved brands.
The classic characters that make up the Chorion brand
portfolio are certainly that. Our properties include
children's favourites that engage, enrich, inspire and
entertain families everywhere: from the timeless tales
of Noddy, the Mr. Men and Little Misses, Paddington Bear
and Beatrix Potter, to new favourites of the calibre of
OLIVIA, Gaspard and Lisa and The Octonauts.
We're also committed to introducing today's consumers to
iconic fiction from authors such as Agatha Christie,
Raymond Chandler and Georges Simenon and ensuring it's
as popular today as when the stories first hit the
shelves.
Where we think we have the advantage is in our passion,
vision and integrity. We believe, for instance, that
licensing alone cannot drive the creative process.
Compelling characters, wonderful artwork and a good
story have to come first.
That's why we go to great efforts right at the outset of
the brand development process to identify the magic
qualities that make that property popular in the first
place - something we describe as distilling "Brand DNA".
Only when we have identified these key characteristics
does the creative process of positioning the brand for
modern audiences begin.
It is this thorough approach and careful conservatorship
of each of our brands that ensures they can continue to
engender consumer loyalty and trust as they make the
transition from the printed page into a wide variety of
media platforms including television, film, online, live
events and licensed consumer products. It also ensures
that a brand's core integrity is retained as consumers
seek to interact directly with their favourite
characters, for instance via mobile phone downloads or
gaming.
For a whole new generation!
Based on the original Mr. Men and Little Miss books by
Roger Hargreaves, The Mr. Men and Little Miss children's
line is a fresh contemporary style designed to
re-imagine the property to appeal to today's children.
Some of the characters have been refreshed and some
completely re-worked - but all remain true to the
essence of the original creations. With a
super-saturated colour palette, rich new designs and
environments, the children's line is a welcome new
addition to the sensationally popular brand.
The children's line is best show-cased in The Mr. Men
Show, the first animated show to bring sketch comedy to
young children. With a blend of physical humour and
verbal wit, the show is a side-splitting, fast-paced
refreshing addition to the children's media landscape.
Twenty-five characters feature in the series, all living
in the hilarious town of Dillydale. The Mr. Men Show
also has a vibrant, award-winning website featuring the
characters, animation, games and much more.
Faithful to the iconic visual identity of the original
series, The Mr. Men and Little Miss children's line
promises to continue the brand's humorous celebration of
what it is to be human for generations to come.
TV: 52 x 11 min episodes airing in the US - Cartoon
Network; UK - Five's Milkshake; France - France 5;
Australia - ABC Kids; Portugal - RTP; Canada - YTV; and
more...
Merchandising: Fisher Price is master toy licensee;
first toy product launch Autumn 2008 (UK); Autumn 2009
(rest of world). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the
global DVD partner, launching Autumn 2008 in the UK and
France.
Online: A laugh-out-loud website at www.mrmen.com
includes highly engaging games, video clips, music
videos, downloads, and screensavers for each character.
Celebrating 60 years with a bigger place to play!
Noddy, first written and created by Enid Blyton in 1949,
is the little wooden boy with the jingly blue hat and
nodding head, and is one of the most beloved children's
characters of the modern era. Noddy is probably now best
known to young audiences for the TV series, Make Way For
Noddy. The fun and humorous stories help children to
learn social values and simple life lessons. Loved in
every corner of the globe, Noddy's popularity with
pre-school children has created an impressive worldwide
licensing and publishing business, as well as an
award-winning website, and sell-out live shows.
To celebrate Noddy's 60th Anniversary in 2009, Chorion
is debuting a brand new series of 52 episodes called
Noddy In Toyland. This new series brings Noddy and his
Toyland friends to life in a larger, fresh and energetic
setting and will capture the hearts and minds of
pre-school children for many years to come.
TV: 52 x 11' Noddy In Toyland,100 x 10' Make Way For
Noddy; 100 x 2' Say It With Noddy (language learning); 3
x 22' specials; sold to more than 100 countries
including US (PBS), UK (Five), France (France 5/Tiji)
and Germany (Nick Jr).
Books: Translated into 40 languages; 3 Noddy million
books sold annually worldwide.
Merchandising: Over 200 licensees and 1,000 products
globally; #3 property in France and #1 in Portugal.
Live: Noddy Live sell-out theatre and arena performances
in the UK, France and Portugal.
Online: Website at www.noddy.com; ten sites created
including French, German and Japanese; 150k monthly
visitors globally.
Peter, Jemima, Benjamin and Tom
A classic tale of a global brand with timeless appeal,
over a century of merchandise and a rabbit named Peter.
The World of Beatrix Potter is the oldest children's
character property - The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first
published in 1902 and has never been out of print since!
The enduring appeal of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-duck,
Benjamin Bunny, Tom Kitten and other characters has not
diminished. The property is worth over $500 million per
annum worldwide at retail with a significant licensing
programme and a growing list of almost 400 high profile
licensees.
Peter Rabbit Naturally Better is a new initiative backed
by a Corporate Social Responsibility Charter, to take
into account increasing concerns on the part of all our
customers about the world in which we live and do
business.
Peter Rabbit Naturally Better works with licensees to
develop products which are:
Better for the environment
Better for mothers and children
Better for the people who make them
Peter Rabbit - a timeless classic!
TV: The World of Beatrix Potter and Friends 9 x 30 mins
animated series.
Books: Over 150 million books sold worldwide and
translated into 35 languages. Centenary publishing until
2030.
Merchandising: 400 licensees worldwide across all
product categories. First Peter Rabbit Naturally Better
products launched in 2007.
Online: Available in English, French, German and
Japanese www.peterrabbit.com
Live: The Royal Ballet performance of The Tales of
Beatrix Potter at the Royal Opera House. Premier Stage
Productions national tour of The Tales of Peter Rabbit
through 2009.
BEATRIX POTTER™ THE WORLD OF BEATRIX POTTER™ PETER
RABBIT™ Copyright © 2008 Frederick Warne & Co. Frederick
Warne & Co. is the owner of all intellectual property
rights in the Beatrix Potter character names and
illustrations. Licensed by The Copyrights Group Limited
(a Chorion Limited company). Visit the Peter Rabbit
website at www.peterrabbit.com
50 and stronger than ever!
Since Mr. and Mrs Brown first found Paddington at
Paddington Station he has undeniably become one of the
world’s most famous bears, loved by generation after
generation.
First published in 1958, A Bear Called Paddington is a
classic of British literature and Paddington titles have
now sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide.
Building on the success of the 50th anniversary in 2008,
Harper Collins continue to develop extensive publishing
programmes including the brand new novel, Paddington
Here and Now, which has featured consistently in top 10
bestseller lists.
Paddington first appeared on television in 1975 in the
stop-motion puppet animation series made in the UK by
FilmFair narrated by the wonderfully distinctive voice
of Sir Michael Hordern. Imagery from this iconic series
is ideal for fun and funky products for tweens and
teens.
Warner Bros Pictures will be making the first live
action feature film of Paddington. Major blue-chip
brands including Marmite, Playstation 2, P&O Cruise
ships and British Airways have all harnessed the appeal
of Paddington. A dedicated consumer PR campaign, driving
awareness of the 50th anniversary, has now generated
over £1million equivalent media spend.
TV: Puppet animation from FilmFair 56 x 5 mins/ 3 x 30
mins. Nick Jr have UK broadcasting rights Abbey Home
Media have DVD distribution rights.
Books: Over 35 million books sold worldwide and
translated into 40 languages across 70 titles.
Paddington celebrated his 50th Anniversary in 2008.
Merchandising: Over 130 licensees worldwide across all
product categories with many more coming on board
celebrating the 50th anniversary in 2008.
Online: The website www.paddingtonbear.co.uk receives
1.3 million hits per month and to help celebrate the
anniversary there is a bespoke website
www.paddington50th.com.
Online retail shop at www.paddingtonbearshop.co.uk
PADDINGTON BEAR™ © Paddington and Co. Limited 2008.
PADDINGTON BEAR™ PADDINGTON™ and PB™ are trade marks of
Paddington and Co. Limited. Licensed by Copyrights
Group. www.paddingtonbear.com
Every Day is a "Big Day" with Olivia!
Every Day is a "Big Day" with Olivia!
Olivia is today's girl! She is a 6 ¾ year old dynamo who
believes she can do anything and sees every day as an
opportunity to try new things. Her vivid imagination
takes her on grand adventures, both real and fantasy,
and like all children, her antics occasionally result in
endearing misadventures. Olivia's confidence and
positive nature inspires kids everywhere to think boldly
and follow their dreams.
With an imagination like Olivia's, every day is infused
with fantasy: a trip to the beach becomes a pirate
adventure, a school science project becomes a journey to
outer space, and a piano lesson becomes a world class
concert. Olivia is a truly unique and contemporary
character who speaks to both the princess and the
adventurer in every little girl.
The OLIVIA animated series is an adaptation of Ian
Falconer's popular OLIVIA picture books. First published
in 2000, they have sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Ian Falconer has garnered numerous awards, including the
prestigious Caldecott Award.
OLIVIA has been animated in 3D CGI by Academy Award®
nominated Brown Bag Films.
Children will love Olivia's energy, boldness, humour,
and imagination. Adults will respond to the show's
understated wit, unique animation and the positive role
model that this independent, endearing, curious and
resourceful little girl represents.
TV: Commencing in 2009 - Nick Jr. (US), Five's
Milkshake! (UK), TF1 (France), ABC (Australia), SVT
(Sweden), NRK (Norway), YLE (Finland). And more...
Books: 5 picture books (OLIVIA, OLIVIA Saves the Circus,
OLIVIA... and the Missing Toy, OLIVIA Forms a Band,
OLIVIA Helps with Christmas) published by Simon &
Schuster. The OLIVIA books have been translated into 20
languages.
Merchandising: Developing licensed product program in
all major categories
Books to play with; toys to read
The World of Eric Carle is the contemporary classic
brand for infants and young children. The brand embodies
the joys of playful learning and an appreciation of art
and nature that generations have experienced through
Eric Carle's timeless stories and unique artwork.
A legend in children's picture book publishing, Eric
Carle is best-known for the classic children's picture
book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This family favourite
has sold over 29 million copies worldwide and has been
translated into 47 languages. In 2009, The Very Hungry
Caterpillar will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
A prolific author and artist, Eric Carle has written and
illustrated more than seventy books which have sold over
88 million copies around the world.
An inspiration to three generations, a permanent
installation of Eric Carle's work can be found at the
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
The World of Eric Carle brand encompasses an array of
Eric Carle's vibrant artwork lifted from the pages of
his bestselling books. This design-driven licensing and
merchandising program draws upon Eric Carle's lessons in
creativity, discovery, play and learning.
Books: Over 70 books written and illustrated; 88 million
copies sold internationally; translated into 47
languages.
Merchandising: Licensed product categories signed to
date include apparel, plush, toys and games, sporting
goods, stationery, health and beauty, arts and crafts
and giftware.
Online: Official website, www.eric-carle.com, has an
average of 1.7 million hits and more than 50,000 unique
visitors each month. Over 150 Eric Carle related blog
entries are posted monthly.
A new deep sea adventure series
The OCTONAUTS are a team of undersea adventurers who are
always ready to dive into action! Their mission: to
explore new underwater worlds, rescue amazing sea
creatures and protect the ocean!
Whether it's a perilous voyage to the bottom of the sea
or the piratey pursuit of a giant squid, the Octonauts
leap into action and always prove that eight heads are
better than one!
Great explorers require great vessels and the Octonauts
have... the Octopod, a mobile home base that's both a
vessel and a habitat. And for missions outside the
Octopod? A fleet of custom-built submersibles suitable
for all modes of undersea exploration.
Based upon the richly imaginative books by MEOMI, the
series combines the visual appeal of 'kawaii' (Japanese
cute) properties and the spirit of classic team
adventures such as Star Trek and Thunderbirds. The
Octonauts will transport pre-schoolers into a dazzling
undersea world, full of diverse creatures and
environments.
Explore! Rescue! Protect!
The continuing adventures of the Famous Five
Enid Blyton is one of the most successful children's
authors of all time, with estimated lifetime sales in
excess of 500 million units. Enid Blyton's Famous Five
books began life in 1942 and have gone on to become one
of the world's best-loved children's series. Twenty one
original books tell the thrilling adventures of Julian,
George, Dick, Anne and Timmy the dog. The classic series
was voted the No. 3 Best Children's Book of All Time as
part of the Booktrust poll 2008.
In 2008, the children of the Famous Five, together with
Timmy II, took up the family mantle in a brand new
animated TV series for children aged 7-11, Famous 5: On
the Case.
A Chorion co-production with Marathon Media, France 3,
Super RTL and Disney Channel Europe, this new show
remains faithful to the themes of mystery and adventure
central to Blyton's classic books.
TV: 26 x 22'; airing on Disney Channel (Europe), Super
RTL in Germany and France 5. And more...
Books: 100 million original Famous Five books sold
worldwide to date, with annual sales at 1 million. Brand
new TV tie-in titles and Survival Guide also now
available.
Online: Famous5.com offers games, character info and the
chance to solve the new mystery contained within the
Survival Guide.
It's time to have fun with Spot!
Spot first appeared in Eric Hill's award-winning
original lift-the-flap book Where's Spot? in 1980 and
has gone on to become an international publishing,
animation and licensing success. Spot has sold over 50
million books in more than 100 countries and been
translated into 65 languages, and with over 1.5 million
hits per month on www.funwithspot.com the fun is sure to
continue!
FUN WITH SPOT™ © Eric Hill/Salspot Limited 2008.
Licensed by Copyrights Group Visit the SPOT website at
www.funwithspot.com
A true publishing phenomenon
Enid Blyton is one of the most successful children's
authors of all time, with estimated lifetime sales in
excess of 500 million units. She is an icon of
children's storytelling and her name is a byword for
imagination, adventure and friendship.
Her portfolio of work is extensive - she wrote close to
800 books which have been translated into more than 40
languages.
Enid Blyton's overriding aim in writing for children was
to encourage them to read - and she knew just how to do
it. An exuberant teacher for many years, Blyton knew
that children loved thrilling stories about children
like themselves, who were empowered to explore and enjoy
the world around them.
She created an unrivalled group of successful and
internationally renowned series which include mystery
and adventure stories such as The Famous Five and The
Secret Seven; school stories such as Malory Towers and
St Clare's; and fantasy tales such as The Faraway Tree
and The Enchanted Wood - and not forgetting the
much-loved Noddy stories for younger children.
Chorion continues to build on the Blyton legacy whilst
upholding the values intrinsic in her work. As well as
creating new Noddy and Famous Five television content,
we are also developing further stories based on some of
her best-loved series, including new Wishing-Chair and
Malory Towers stories, and a spin-off series based on
Silky the Fairy from The Magic Faraway Tree.
Books: More than 500 million copies of her books have
been sold around the world to date. 8 million Enid
Blyton books sold annually.
Public Accolades: Voted the UK's Best-Loved Author in a
poll for the 2008 Costa Book Awards. The Booktrust Poll
2008 named five Blyton series in their Top 50 Children's
Books of All Time, with Famous Five at No. 3 and The
Magic Faraway Tree at No. 7.
Best friends in Paris and beyond
Created by the prolific team of Georg Hallensleben and
Anne Gutman, the Gaspard and Lisa book series now
consists of over 25 titles. First published in 1999, the
Gaspard and Lisa series has sold over a million copies.
This Paris-based couple have captured the essence of
childhood through a combination of beautiful, painterly
illustrations and charming stories about the antics of
two best friends. Every story gives the reader a sneak
peak into the lives of children when parents aren't
around. Gaspard and Lisa live in Paris with their
families, co-exist with humans and animals, and have
adventures both at home and abroad, always with the
inevitable "catastrophe" moment that delights readers of
all ages. New books launch each year and help fuel a
growing licensing and merchandise franchise in Japan.
Gaspard and Lisa are expanding their licensing program
throughout Asia and Chorion is in production on a
television show for pre-school audiences around the
world.
TV: Currently in production on 52 episodes of pre-school
television.
Books: Published by Hachette Livre, the Gaspard and Lisa
series is sold around the world and has achieved a
unique status in Japan.
Merchandising: Carefully cultivated over the last 5
years in Japan, Gaspard and Lisa is now an established
brand with over 60 licensees and its own dedicated store
in Yokahama. Gaspard and Lisa's core fans are young
women who purchase for themselves and as gifts for other
adult friends and children.
Online: Specifically designed for the Japanese market,
fans can visit www.lisagas.jp to find out about the
latest news and products available.
Brother and sister and best friends
Max & Ruby is based on the clever and colourful books by
internationally acclaimed children's author and
illustrator Rosemary Wells. The popular Max & Ruby TV
series follows the hilarious, entertaining and
mischievous adventures of bunny siblings Max and his
older sister Ruby. Max & Ruby never, ever, want quite
the same thing and their plans always collide - with
hilarious results.
It is suitable for preschoolers and kids 2-5 years old
and teaches preschoolers to get along while remaining
true to themselves.
TV: 40 half-hours (3 x 7 minutes); Nickeoldeon and
NOGGIN in the US and in the UK.
Books: First published in 1979 to critical acclaim there
are over 30 classic titles published by Viking; a
growing TV series-based program from Penguin launched in
2007.
Merchandising: there is an extensive merchandising
program in North America.
Live: Large Format Theatrical Stage Show, produced by
Theatreworks USA continues into June 2009.
The Snowman
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Snowman
First published in 1978, Raymond Briggs' wondrous tale
of The Snowman who comes to life and, with James, has a
marvellous adventure one wintry night, is now widely
considered to be the Christmas icon. A seasonal classic
in both publishing and film, the magical tale is also
brought to life in a popular West End theatre
production.
Father Christmas
Just what does Father Christmas do the other 364 days of
the year? First published in 1973, Raymond Briggs' tale
of Father Christmas' longest night as he prepares his
sled, dons his red suit and boots and heads off on his
weary bloomin' way, delivering presents near and far, is
undoubtedly a seasonal classic. In 1975, Raymond then
filled us in on what Father Christmas does the other 364
days of the year in the book Father Christmas Goes on
Holiday. A wonderfully grumpy animated Father Christmas
is a Christmas Eve television fixture and is the perfect
complement for Raymond's other festive classic, The
Snowman. In a seasonal market often tainted by
exploitation, Father Christmas is warm and real. Happy
bloomin' Christmas to you, too!
THE SNOWMAN™ by Raymond Briggs © Snowman Enterprises
Limited 2008. Licensed by Copyrights Group. Visit The
Snowman website at www.thesnowman.co.uk.
Copyright © Raymond Brigg/Blooming Productions Ltd 2009.
Licensed by Copyrights Group.
A modern classic
"What does a tickle look like?" was the question asked
by a young boy of his father in 1971 that spawned Roger
Hargreaves to create Mr. Tickle, with his impossibly
long arms and big toothy grin. And so was born a series
of characters beloved the world over.
The little square format Mr. Men and Little Miss
storybooks were an instant success, selling more than
one million copies in the first three years. The books
found even greater fame when a BBC television series
came about in 1975. There are now 51 Mr. Men and 36
Little Misses entertaining readers worldwide.
The affection felt for the assortment of diverse
characters by the generations raised with these books is
stronger today than ever before. One of our primary
focuses for this immensely popular property is
merchandising for the teen and young adult market. Style
guides have been created to give a versatile,
contemporary fashion-forward approach to clothing,
accessories and other core licensing categories that
appeal to the original audience who grew up charmed by
the Mr. Men and Little Miss stories.
Books: 100+ million books sold in over 30 countries.
Over 8 million copies are sold worldwide annually. Roger
Hargreaves is the number one selling character books
author in the UK (Nielsen Bookscan top 5000 books 2007).
Merchandising: Over 200 licensees worldwide in all
categories from apparel to homeware.
Onlne: New website geared towards 18-35 year olds is at
www.ilovemrmen.co.uk and .com. The site has links to buy
product online as well as free messenger icons, a
myspace toolkit and bebo skins.
The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady
The art of the English countryside
Having celebrated its centenary in 2006, The Country
Diary of an Edwardian Lady, a naturalist's diary for the
year 1906 in which Edith Holden recorded with words and
illustrations the seasonal changes of the English
countryside, continues to engage the consumer. With over
90% brand awareness in the UK, top-selling lines in
Marks & Spencer and with brand new bedding from Zap,
Country Diary is well placed for another 100 years
THE COUNTRY DIARY OF AN EDWARDIAN LADY™ COUNTRY DIARY™
Copyright © 2008 Rowena Stott (Designs) Ltd and Chorion
Rights Limited. All rights reserved. Licensed by The
Copyrights Group Limited (a Chorion Limited company).
Make friends with the Flower Fairies
In a large garden live the Flower Fairies and their many
friends. Each Flower Fairy has a special personality and
most have a job to do, but the Flower Fairies love to
play - they sing, they dance and go to parties!
Cicely Mary Barker's enchanting creations are regarded
as the definitive fairies and are considered to be a
publishing phenomenon highlighted by A Flower Fairy
Journal, Fairyopolis, remaining on the New York Times
Book Review Top 10 Bestsellers' list for a total of 53
weeks!
With over 130 licensees worldwide, the highly innovative
brand extension, Flower Fairies Friends, is targeting
the property at the growing and demanding under- 10
market through brand new toy ranges that are in
development in UK, Europe and USA.
Meticulously detailed and beautifully executed artwork,
Flower Fairies Friends are simply the best fairies, not
loud or brash but designed to encourage children to use
their imagination.
Flower Fairies Friends - much imitated but never
matched!
Books: Over 8 million books sold in the last decade and
translated into 11 languages.
Merchandising: With over 130 licensees worldwide this
concept appeals to both adults and children across
collectable products, stationery, apparel, homewares and
toys.
Online: The website www.flowerfairies.com available in
English and German language. Online retail shop at
www.flowerfairiesshop.co.uk
FLOWER FAIRIES™ Frederick Warne & Co. All rights
reserved. Copyright © 2008 The Estate of Cicely Mary
Barker. All rights reserved. Licensed by The Copyrights
Group Limited (a Chorion Limited company). Visit the
Flower Fairies website at www.flowerfairies.com
What's your favourite Ladybird?
Originally published in 1915, millions of children all
over the world have learnt to read with Ladybird Books.
The images contained in the Ladybird Archive reflect a
time when on a Sunday fathers washed their cars and
mothers cooked a roast. With 94% brand recognition and
over 13 million books sold annually, The Ladybird
Archive now has a flourishing and growing licensing
programme.
Image from the Ladybird Archive © Ladybird Books Ltd
2008. Licensed by Copyrights Group. www.ladybird.com
Agatha Christie - The Queen of Crime.
"Her achievement was absolutely astonishing" PD James
The Queen of Crime wrote 80 novels and short story
collections and 19 plays.
She's sold an estimated two billion copies of her works
in over 70 different languages and is only outsold by
the Bible and Shakespeare. Awareness of Christie is
universal: 97% of people surveyed in the UK, 85% in
Japan, 71% in the US, 90% in Germany and 75% of under 49
year olds in France, where she is the most read author
for young readers. Four million books are sold worldwide
every year.
Her best-known detectives are Poirot, Miss Marple, and
Tommy & Tuppence, and book titles such as Murder on the
Orient Express and Death on the Nile are amongst the
most famous in publishing history.
Hercule Poirot, the diminutive Belgian professional
detective famed for his meticulous style and judicious
use of his 'little grey cells' features in Christie's
first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920) and
appears in 37 novels and short story collections in
total. He is widely recognised as one of the most
popular detectives in the history of crime fiction. His
powers of deduction are off-set against his almost comic
eccentricity. He is obsessed with beauty, precision and
symmetry in both his own immaculate attire and his
environment.
Key Poirot Titles
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Peril at End House
Lord Edgware Dies
Murder on the Orient Express
Death in the Clouds
The ABC Murders
Death on the Nile
Appointment With Death
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
Evil Under the Sun
Five Little Pigs
The Hollow
Cat Among the Pigeons
Miss Marple, the unobtrusive English spinster sleuth who
lives in the sleepy village of St Mary Mead, is one of
Agatha Christie's most endearing creations. Her frail
and innocent appearance conceals a brilliant, cynical
mind - she draws on her knowledge of human nature and
experiences of everyday village life to solve murder
mysteries that baffle the local police. She appears in
12 novels and 20 short stories in total, written over a
period of 41 years, beginning with The Murder at the
Vicarage (1930) and continuing to the end of Christie's
writing career.
Miss Marple titles
The Murder at the Vicarage
The Body in the Library
The Moving Finger
A Murder is Announced
A Caribbean Mystery
They Do it With Mirrors
A Pocket Full of Rye
4:50 From Paddington
The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side
At Bertram's Hotel
The Thirteen Problems
Miss Marple's Final Cases
Sleeping Murder
The engaging crime solving couple from Young Adventurers
Ltd, Tommy and Tuppence first meet and marry in The
Secret Adversary, Christie's second novel, and age
gracefully through a series of detective stories
culminating in Postern of Fate.
Tommy and Tuppence titles
The Secret Adversary
Partners in Crime
N or M?
By the Pricking of my Thumbs
Postern of Fate
Agatha Christie's masterpiece And Then There Were None,
remains the best-selling mystery novel of all time and
sells over a 100,000 copies a year in the USA alone.
Books: 4 million books sold worldwide each year.
Merchandising: PC games, jigsaw puzzles, mugs, pencils,
cushions, deckchairs and more are available at retail
and online.
Stage: We license first class productions worldwide and
actively oversee the hugely successful Agatha Christie
Theatre Company's ongoing professional tours in the UK.
Online: The official website at www.agathachristie.com
features blogs, games, downloadable content, information
on Agatha Christie and every story she wrote,
newsletters and a very popular forum for her fans.
Georges Simenon - The greatest psychological novelist of
the 20th Century.
"The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have
had in literature" André Gide
Georges Simenon wrote over 400 books, nearly 200 under
various pseudonyms, including 75 wonderful Maigret
novels and 28 short stories and over 100 psychological
novels which he called his 'roman's durs'. His books
have been translated into over 50 languages and in Italy
they regularly hit the bestseller lists. It is estimated
that to date 1.5 billion of his books have been sold
worldwide.
Simenon deliberately restricted his books to a
vocabulary of only a few thousand words to distinguish
his work from the 'literary' crowd and ensure that his
books were accessible to the 'petites gens', the man in
the street. Nonetheless he is admired as a writer of
great literature and compared to Balzac, Dostoevsky and
Dickens.
A genius of the psychological crime genre, Simenon first
showed his remarkable understanding of the criminal mind
and human amorality in his Maigret novels. He took this
psychological exploration further in his deeper 'romans
durs', (the 'hard novels') which he regarded as his true
literary works.
In these novels he explores man's deepest inner
compulsions. He deals with the crises of ordinary life,
describing alcoholism, poverty, unrequited love and
lust. He writes with empathy about ordinary men who were
driven to murder, suicide and delinquency by the
melancholy and frustrations of their daily existence. In
seeking to uncover 'l'homme nu' he writes powerful
novels that make for compelling and occasionally
uncomfortable reading.
Maigret is a brusque, pipe-smoking, Parisian Inspector,
who works long hours at his office on the Quai des
Orfèvres. He is an unusual detective, immersing himself
in the life of those he hunts. The Maigret cases are not
puzzles for the reader to solve; they are studies of
human nature and its basest instincts. Most of Maigret's
cases are set in and around Paris and Simenon's novels
give us a fascinating insight into the city.
25 Maigret titles
Pietr-le-LettonThe Strange Case of Peter the Lett
Le pendu de Saint-Pholien Maigret and the Hundred
Gibbets
Le charretier de "La Providence"Lock 14
La tête d'un hommeA Man's Head
Le chien jauneThe Yellow Dog
La nuit du carrefourMaigret at the Crossroads
L'ombre chinoiseThe Shadow in the Courtyard
L'affaire Saint-FiacreThe Saint-Fiacre Affair
Le fou de BergeracThe Madman of Bergerac
La maison du jugeMaigret in Exile
L'Inspecteur CadavreInspector Cadaver
Les vacances de MaigretMaigret's Holiday
Mon ami MaigretMy Friend Maigret
Un Noël de MaigretMaigret's Christmas
Les mémoires de Maigret Maigret's Memoirs
Maigret se trompeMaigret's Mistake
Maigret et le corps sans têteMaigret and the
Headless Corpse
Les scrupules de MaigretMaigret's Scruples
Maigret et les braves gensMaigret and the Black
Sheep
Maigret et le clochardMaigret and the Dosser
La patience de MaigretThe Patience of Maigret
Maigret à VichyMaigret Takes the Waters
Maigret et le marchand de vinMaigret and the Wine
Merchant
La folle de MaigretMaigret and the Madwoman
Maigret et M.CharlesMaigret and Mr Charles
25 KEY ROMANS DURS
Les fiançailles de Monsieur HireMonsieur Hire's
Engagement
Le coup de luneTropic Moon
La maison du canalThe House by the Canal
L'homme qui regardait passer les trains The Man
who Watched the Trains Go By
Le bourgmestre de furnesThe Burgomaster of Furnes
Les inconnus dans la maisonStrangers in the House
La veuve coudercTicket of Leave
La vérité sur Bébé dongeThe Trial of Bébé Donge
Trois chambres à ManhattanThree Beds in Manhattan
Lettre à mon jugeAct of passion
La neige était saleThe Stain on the Snow
Le fond de la bouteilleThe Bottom of the Bottle
Les fantômes du chapelierThe Hatter's Phantoms
La mort de BelleBelle
Les frères RicoThe Brothers Rico
Feux RougesRed Lights
Le PrésidentThe Premier
Le trainThe Train
Les anneaux de bicêtreThe Bells of Bicêtre
La chambre bleueThe Blue Room
Le petit saintThe Little Saint
Le chatThe Cat
Pedigree
Le petit homme d'ArkhangelskThe Little Man from
Archangel
En cas de malheurIn Case of Adversity
"Margery Allingham stands out like a shining light. And
she has another quality, not usually associated with
crime stories. Elegance." Agatha Christie
"Her own inventive energy, her own curiosity, her pace
are incomparable... She turned puzzles into true drama,
but with a conscious artificer's grace." A.S. Byatt
Margery Allingham was a "Golden Age" crime writer who
sold more books than Agatha Christie in the 1930s. She
wrote elegantly plotted love stories mixed in with
threads of death and detection - surprising, satisfying
puzzles with stunningly evocative descriptions of time,
place and character.
Campion, her aristocratic amateur detective, features in
20 novels and 44 short stories and novellas. Uniquely,
he develops and ages as a real character across the
novels, allowing Allingham to reflect on the changes in
English society.
The Tiger in the Smoke is in The Times' Best 100
Mysteries of the 20th Century.
Key Campion novels
Mystery Mile
Look to the Lady
Police at the Funeral
Sweet Danger
Death of a Ghost
The Case of the Late Pig
The Fashion in Shrouds
Traitor's Purse
Coroner's Pidgin
More Work for the Undertaker
The Tiger in the Smoke
Hide My Eyes
The China Governess
"Inheritor of the mantle of Simenon" Anita Brookner
"Freeling is the only British novelist of consequence to
have tackled modern Europe" Grey Gowrie, Daily Telegraph
Winner of the Golden Dagger Award, Grand Prix de Roman
Policier and Edgar Allen Poe Edward, Nicolas Freeling's
detective novels provide astute and gritty commentary on
modern Europe with a wry humour.
Freeling created two much loved detectives - Amsterdam
detective Van der Valk, and the more provincial French
Inspector Henri Castang but was as acclaimed for his one
off thrillers.
Selected Van der Valk Novels
Love in Amsterdam
Because of the Cats
Gun Before Butter
The King of the Rainy Country
Tsing-Boum
The Widow
Selected Castang Novels
A Dressing of Diamonds
What are the Bugles Blowing for?
Lake Isle,
The Back of the North Wind,
Cold Iron,
Those in Peril,
A Dwarf Kingdom,
Other novels
Gadget
One More River
Some Day Tomorrow
The Janeites
Crispin delivers "a high-spiritedness rare and welcome
in the crime story." Julian Symons
Edmund Crispin wrote a series of detective novels with
improbable but entertaining plots. More Carr than
Christie, his Oxford don and amateur detective Gervaise
Fen has touches of the Wimsey: impatient, egotistical
and brilliant. Crispin's fast-pace, literary allusions
and tongue-in-cheek humour make for a witty and
constantly entertaining read.
The Moving Toyshop is one of The Times best 100 crime
novels of the 20th Century.
Novels
The Case of the Gilded Fly
Holy Disorders
The Moving Toyshop
The Swan Song
Buried for Pleasure
Love Lies Bleeding
Frequent Hearses
The Long Divorce
The Glimpses of the Moon,
"One of the most popular storytellers of the century."
Daily Telegraph
"The greatest adventure writer of his time." The Daily
Mail
Dennis Wheatley wrote over 50 fast-paced thrillers and
sold over 50 million copies in his lifetime - his sales
were second only to Christie in the UK and Commonwealth.
His fast-paced, irreverent and meticulously researched
historical and contemporary adventure stories, explore
the perennial theme of good versus evil around the world
- often against a backdrop of Black Magic and always
with a touch of romance.
Based on the concept of The Four Musketeers, his most
famous characters are The Duke de Richleau, Richard
Eaton, Simon Aron and Rex Van Ryn who appear in 11
cracking adventures including The Devil Rides Out and
Strange Conflict.
"I'll get to the bottom of this even if I have to go to
Hell to do it."
Duke de Richleau - Strange Conflict
Duke de Richleau novels
The Forbidden Territory (Adventure)
The Devil Rides Out (Occult/Romance)
The Golden Spaniard (Adventure)
Three Inquisitive People (crime)
Strange Conflict (Occult)
Codeword-Golden Fleece (Espionage)
The Second Seal (Historical/Espionage)
The Prisoner in the Mask (Historical/Espionage)
Vendetta in Spain (Historical/Espionage)
Dangerous Inheritance (Crime)
Gateway to Hell (Occult)
Black Magic novels
The Devil Rides Out
Strange Conflict
Gateway to Hell
They Used Dark Forces
To the Devil a Daughter
The Satanist
The Irish Witch
The Haunting of Toby Jugg
The Ka of Gifford Hillary
Gregory Sallust novels - World War II spy thrillers
Black August (Adventure)
Contraband (Espionage)
The Scarlet Impostor (Espionage)
Faked Passports (Espionage)
The Black Baroness (Espionage/Crime)
V for Vengeance (Espionage)
Come into my Parlour (Espionage)
The Island Where Time Stands Still (Espionage)
Traitor's Gate (Espionage)
They Used Dark Forces (Espionage/Occult)
The White Witch of the South Seas (Crime/Occult)
Roger Brook novels - historical spy thrillers
The Launching of Roger Brook
The Shadow of Tyburn Tree
The Rising Storm
The Man Who Killed the King
The Dark Secret of Josephine
The Rape of Venice
The Sultan's Daughter
The Wanton Princess
Evil in a Mask
The Ravishing of Lady Mary Ware
The Irish Witch
Desperate Measures
Also available to license are Dennis Wheatley's unique
and innovative concepts in crime fiction: the crime
dossiers, collections of physical clues and evidence,
with sealed solutions. The dossiers have sold hundreds
of thousands of copies around the world.
The writer who defined American detective fiction.
"Raymond Chandler invented a new way of talking about
America, and America has never looked the same to us
since." Paul Auster
Best known as the creator of Philip Marlowe, Chandler
was an Oscar nominated, double Edgar Award-winning pulp
fiction writer whose work is now recognised for both its
literary merit and for defining the hard-boiled school
of crime fiction.
Philip Marlowe is a tough but honest detective, who
likes his whisky, women, reading and chess. Fired from
the DA's office for insubordination he fights against
the pervasive corruption and hypocrisy at the heart of
1940s LA. He appears in a total of 8 novels and 6 short
stories.
2009 is the 50th anniversary of his death and the 70th
anniversary of the first publication of his first novel,
The Big Sleep:
"It was about eleven o'clock in the morning, mid
October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet
rain in the clearness of the foothills. I was wearing my
powder-blue suit, with dark blue shirt, tie and display
handkerchief, black brogues, black wool socks with dark
blue clocks on them. I was neat, clean, shaved and
sober, and I didn't care who knew it. I was everything
the well-dressed private detective ought to be. I was
calling on four million dollars."
Philip Marlowe Novels
The Big Sleep
Farewell My Lovely
The High Window
The Lady in the Lake
The Little Sister
The Long Goodbye
Playback
Poodle Springs (finished by Robert B Parker)
Perchance to Dream (Robert B Parker)
Philip Marlowe short stories
Finger Man
Killer in the Rain
Goldfish
Red Wind
Marlowe Takes on the Syndicate
Finger Man
Other short stories
Bay City Blues
Blackmailers Don't Shoot
Bronze Door
The Curtain
The English Summer
Guns At Cyrano's
I'll Be Waiting
King in Yellow
The Lady in The Lake
The Man Who Liked Dogs
The Mandarin's Jade
Nevada Gas
No Crime in the Mountains
Pearls Are a Nuisance
Pick Up on Noon Street
Professor Bingo's Snuff
Smart-Aleck Kill
Spanish Blood
Trouble is My Business
Try The Girl