Reader Buzz

‘Wow! Loved it. Fast, thrilling, gripping, scary.
— Gavin Hilzbrich

Boy, if you like Simon Kernick you will like this guy
— Linda L.

This is absolutely brilliant!
— Jeanette Slinger

I can't stand crime novels that have a long preamble before getting to the action and this one certainly doesn't disappoint in that way. From page one it's straight in there, bish bash bosh and continues on in that vein, so you are frantically turning the pages to find out what happens next.
— Sandra Hawe

The material I read was mad, frantic, super quick and entertaining.
— Martin Higgins

Gripping… Explosive… Page Turning!!
— Darren Elliot

This book is so cinematic . . . due to the punchy dialogue and the succession of crisp, sharp images which drive the narrative forward.
— Sam Eades

This was great ... Very much made me think of Simon Kernick and Relentless actually . Decidedly scary and asks some very dark questions: just how far would you go to save your family?
— Sue Cook

July 21, 2010

Grunt goes to Canada on Mystery Writers

My essay, Grunt goes to Canada, has just been posted on the Calgary-based Mystery Writers Ink blog for those interested in the humorous travails of emigrating from Scotland to Canada at the awkward age of thirteen. You can read it here.

July 17, 2010

UK readers rally to send Switch to new heights

Fun surprise this morning when Amazon UK reported that Switch had taken a further jump up the Top 100 charts to reach No. 38 - its highest position yet that I've personally witnessed. It turns out that earlier in the day it reached higher in the charts, but I missed the moment so I don't know what number it actually reached. Still, how wonderful to have finally broken into the Top 50 just as Switch is preparing to make its debut in Canada.

July 14, 2010

Reader calls Switch 'superb thriller'

Just received a terrific review from reader Steven Ridgewell. He says: "Just finished Switch. Absolutely fantastic. A gripping read which compels you to turn page after page. Best novel I've read in ages. Would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. However, this isn't a good thriller. It's a superb thriller!"

July 5, 2010

More Canadian reviews of Switch appear

Blogger Shirley Rempel says: "If you want to read a thriller that will take you on more twists and turns than a roller coaster, you must read Grant McKenzie's debut novel, Switch. This book had me wondering what was going to come next, with every turn of a page. A very intense, fast-paced, high-emotion and intense psychological thriller that you will not put down until the last page. . . . With a writing style that is crisp and reminiscent of crime writers like Patterson and Grisham, along with a great group of characters, this is a fantastic debut novel" Review here.

Mark Leslie, writer, editor, blogger and bookseller from Hamilton, Ontario says: "With a 'regular guy caught in a terrible nightmare' scenario, reminiscent of some of the recent novels of Linwood Barclay, McKenzie has crafted a brilliantly paced thriller certain to be enjoyed and quickly consumed by thriller lovers everywhere." You can read the full review here.

Teena Dawson of the Teena in Toronto blog says: "Hard to put it down! The chapters are short and snappy ... and I kept saying, "I'll just read one more chapter ... one more chapter". The pace is quick and frantic and kept my attention. I wanted to know who was behind it and why." You can read the full review here.

June 14, 2010

First Canadian review of Switch is fantastic

Advance Reading Copies of SWITCH are starting to make the rounds to book bloggers and media reviewers. The first review to go viral is just terrific and I couldn't be more pleased. I'm truly hoping that Canada embraces it and I can't wait to be able to walk into an actual book store and see my wee debut sitting on the shelf and, more importantly, in readers' hands.
Here's a blurb from Nicola's excellent review: "All I can start out with is a big WOW! ... What an incredible story that in truth could happen to anyone ... An amazingly intense read. This is one that hits home, uncomfortably close. How far would you go to save your family’s lives? Read this one!"
Full review is also available on Chapters and Amazon.ca

May 27, 2010

Switch climbs UK Top 100

UK readers have been such great supporters of my debut novel SWITCH that it recently climbed Amazon UK's Top 100 chart to land at No. 51. Switch will be released as a trade paperback original in Canada from Penguin on August 3, so I am very excited to see how Canadian readers will react. In the meantime, the First Thrills anthology will be released in North America on June 22, and No Cry for Help is scheduled for the UK on Nov. 11. I'm still awaiting word on when the German translation of No Cry is expected to be published.

April 9, 2010

First Thrills new cover unveiled

My short story UnderBelly — a wild ride of a crime caper with a touch of love gone wrong, skintight black leather, chocolate cravings and dark, claustrophobic places — gets the hardcover treatment when it mingles between the pages with some of the biggest names in the thriller game. First Thrills: High-Octane Stories from the Hottest Thriller Authors is edited by NY Times bestselling author Lee Child and will feature stories from "the bestsellers of today and tomorrow." Published in hardcover by Tor/Forge in June 2010, First Thrills will contain stories by such luminaries as Ken Bruen, Stephen Coonts, Jeffrey Deaver, Heather Graham, Gregg Hurwitz, John Lescroart, John Lutz, Alex Kava, Michael Palmer/Daniel Palmer, Karin Slaughter and Wendy Corsi Staub. It will also feature stories by twelve writers who have just broken onto the thriller scene. The ISBN is: 9780765326485 and is available for pre-order now.

Jan. 28, 2010

Switch a bestseller in the UK

I was delighted to discover that Switch unexpectedly broke into the Top 100 ranks on Amazon UK — hitting the #74 mark in thrillers. The rankings on Amazon are updated hourly, so unless you're constantly checking (which leads to depression, anxiety, excitement and, ultimately, madness) you only know a book's ranking at the moment you check, but as far as I'm aware this is the first time that Switch has broken into the Top 100. As you can see in the snapshot to the left, Switch is sandwiched directly between Jeffery Deaver and Simon Kernick. Nice company. Those wonderful readers who have been supporting me from the beginning must have really ramped up the word of mouth. I can't express how much it means to me to have such wonderful people rooting for me.

Jan. 1, 2010

Kindle edition of Switch on Amazon

The electronic Kindle edition of Switch has just appeared on Amazon.com for download. You can find it HERE.

December 10, 2009

First Thrills anthology announced

The International Thriller Writers today announced the upcoming publication of First Thrills: High-Octane Stories from the Hottest Thriller Authors. This hardcover anthology will be edited by NY Times bestselling author Lee Child and will feature stories from "the bestsellers of today and tomorrow." It will be published by Tor/Forge in June 2010 and will contain stories by such luminaries as Ken Bruen, Stephen Coonts, Jeffrey Deaver, Heather Graham, Gregg Hurwitz, John Lescroart, John Lutz, Alex Kava, Michael Palmer/Daniel Palmer, Karin Slaughter and Wendy Corsi Staub. It will also feature stories by twelve writers who have just broken onto the thriller scene, including yours truly. My story is entitled UnderBelly. As Lee Child says, "This is an incredible lineup of new talent. I'm delighted to be part of their introduction to an eager fan base. Readers will be surprised by just how good they are." The ISBN is: 9780765326485 and you can read the official ITW announcement here.

Dec. 4, 2009

Penguin Canada's
2010 Catalogue

I just received a link to Penguin's 2010 catalogue featuring SWITCH. This is the catalogue that will go to all the stores, libraries, etc. SWITCH is scheduled to arrive in stores on Aug. 3 in the wonderful trade paperback size (ISBN: 9780143173359) and according to the catalogue I'm scheduled to make a 2-city tour. You can read the pdf from the catalogue by clicking on the photo to the left.

October 26, 2009

Fun new interview on Authors Toolbox

Authors Toolbox pitches some unusual questions at me for a lengthy UK interview.

And from the woman who accidentally peed on the toilet lid while engrossed in reading Switch, her full review is posted on Authors Toolbox, too. Despite that mishap, she really enjoyed it, saying "It takes a damn good book to hook me from the start, but Switch gripped me and didn’t let me go."

September 10, 2009

UK Magazines take note of Switch

Left: Portunus Club Magazine — PO Cruises' members mag (readership of 320,000) — gives Switch a very nice two-page spread and a glowing review in their latest issue.

Right: While the October issue of Writing features a profile of myself in their New Author section.

August 29, 2009

Switch garners positive reviews in Germany

The German media has been very kind to Switch/Die Stimme des Dämons with some wonderfully positive reviews. Radio station 1 Live said (roughly translated): "Die Stimme des Dämons is a fast-paced debut that places McKenzie in the top league of crime writers." You can read the full review in German here. And literary website krimi-couch said (roughly translated again): "Who does not remember nights where you could not put down a particular book, because you just HAD to know how it goes, and especially how it ends. Die Stimme des Dämons reawakens those feelings again." You can read the full review in German here.

August 20, 2009

Grunt goes to Canada - emigrating at 13

I posted a fun essay about the trials and tribulations of emigrating to Canada from Scotland with my family when I was 13. You can read it here.

August 13, 2009

Switch to be published in Taiwan

Good News Alert: SWITCH will be published in Taiwan. Spring International Publishers has bought the "complex Chinese" rights to translate Switch for Taiwan. No details available on publication date, yet, but I'll keep you posted. It will certainly be interesting to see what they do with the cover. This brings Switch's international reach up to 7 countries and 3 languages — so far ;-)

August 12, 2009

Now this is what I call a review ;-)

Received this hilarious note from a reader: "Still reading Switch while walking, I went off to use the toilet, engrossed, didn't want to put the book down...and PEED ON THE CLOSED TOILET LID. — Switch by Grant McKenzie. Buy your copy and pee on a toilet lid today!"

Author interview behind the shadows

Author Kathy-Diane Leveille interviews me about Switch for her blog and asks, among other things, what advice I would give to writers trying to get published? Also details my first attempts to translate the iconic Hong Kong Phooey cartoon for the stage ;-) HERE

August 3, 2009

Switch a bestseller in Germany

As an author, one is told never to pay any attention to Amazon rankings as they'll drive you crazier than you already are. However, in ignoring this advice, as of this particular moment in time, Switch is an official bestseller on Amazon Germany. Die Stimme des Dämons is sitting at No. 32 on Mysteries & Thrillers and No. 137 in the overall category of Books. It is sandwiched directly between Clive Cussler and Ken Follett. And according to the Amazon.de site, it has spent 2 days in the Top 100. I know these numbers are fickle, but it is such a nice feeling to know that readers are picking up the book and enjoying it. (Snapshot at left was taken when book was ranked at 34th place. See how fickle and fleeting these numbers are ;-)

July 28, 2009

Readers are really responding to Switch

Readers in the UK have been just terrific to my wee debut, and thankfully they haven't been shy about telling everyone to give Switch a try. There are now 15 five-star reviews on Amazon.co.uk, 6 five-star reviews on Play.com and a new five-star review has just appeared on Waterstone's.

July 24, 2009

Taking Chesire by storm

I have to share this hilarious story that shows how wonderful all my readers are. Toni Prescott wrote on my Facebook page: "I've just managed to reserve my copy in Borders for next week, when I asked the assistant if they had it in stock she replied: "I don't know who this guy is but he's come from nowhere and is taking Cheshire by storm, everybody wants this book." How fantastic is that?

July 21, 2009

Fantastic five-star reviews on Amazon

Several wonderful readers have posted five-star reviews on the Amazon.co.uk site. C.P. Garfield writes: "This book is addictive from the start, every page turn leads to another and another, the story is captivating." Red Books wrote: "Good strong characters, twists & good ending. Kept me on the edge throughout." Elly Ormson writes: "It's a great read and you can't wait to find out what happens next." and Sue Miller writes: "Started to read this book and couldn't put it down!!!! I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what else was going to happen." You can read more on the Amazon page HERE.

Switch goes into first reprinting

My editor informed me today that Switch has gone into its first reprinting in the UK. The original printing kept the international red cover, but I believe this new printing will switch to the new blue version. This new printing will make Switch available at more brick and mortar book shops as well as all the online venues. I'm told that Border's has copies now and that Waterstone’s should have it on display by early next week.

July 13, 2009

EuroCrime tweaks us over copycat cover

While browsing through the paperbacks section at her local bookshop, EuroCrime's Karen Meek noticed a similarity between Robert B. Parker's 2002 novel, Widow's Walk, and my just released debut. It's shameless what I'll do to rub shoulders with the greats ;-)

July 4, 2009

Great review on LoveReading

Sarah Broadhurst (who writes for The Bookseller among others) just gave Switch a terrific review on the LoveReading website. She said: "Terrific, you’ve got to read this one. It’s a race-against-time thriller with a husband/father forced to commit crimes (including murder) to protect his kidnapped wife and child. Talk about warped, especially when you find out why! The emotions, both good and evil, that run through the book set it above most in this area, and the perverted mind manipulating the action is brilliantly drawn. Great stuff." You can find it here.

July 3, 2009

Switch spotted in Notting Hill

Max, a friend of my daughter's, spotted Switch at Waterstones in Notting Hill Gate, London today and took this photo.

July 1, 2009

Switch goes travelling to Houston, Texas

I just received an email from David Thompson at Houston’s Murder By The Book, one of the nation’s oldest & largest bookstores to inform me that the store is "importing SWITCH from the U.K., so if you have any North American friends/fans looking to buy from an independent, please send them our way. I can’t wait to read it … it looks totally like my kind of book!"

June 29, 2009

Interview on Suite 101

Robin Jarossi of Suite101 called me up last week for a quick chat about Switch's UK debut and the long journey to publication. The results can be found HERE, although he must have misheard part of what I said because I don't recall ever mentioning a story about a mole.

June 25, 2009

Four-star review & Pick of the Month

Switch has just received a four-star review from New Books magazine in the UK. New Books is an influential magazine for book clubs. Switch was also selected as the Recommended Read by Portunus Club Magazine - PO Cruises' members mag (which has a readership of 320,000).

June 24, 2009

Free sneak peek at Switch: Book Widget

I just discovered that Random House has placed a free sneak peek at the first several chapters of SWITCH online. It appears to be Flash based and can be found HERE

June 23, 2009

Facebook disabled: Too many friends

My Facebook account was disabled today for making too many friends, too quickly. So if you're reading this, please understand that I'm not ignoring you and I certainly didn't defriend you. I'm hoping my account will be restored, but it may not as my whole Facebook site seems to have vanished. Sigh! This one hurts as I put a lot of time and effort into making that site work.

June 11, 2009

ebook version appears online

I just happened to notice today that SWITCH is available as an electronic book. It is in the ePub format, which makes it compatible with most ereaders, including the Kindle, iPhone and Sony Reader. It is currently listed at W.H.Smith and Waterstone's and Books on Board

June 1, 2009

Suite101: A frantic adrenaline blast

Robin Jarossi of Suite101.com gives Switch a glowing review this week. He writes: "Switch is a frantic, adrenaline blast of a thriller. Without doubt, a pulsating debut that will grab many thriller-lovers by the lapels and refuse to let them go." You can read the full review here (Warning: There are a couple of plot spoilers.)

April 12, 2009

EuroCrime give a shout-out to Switch

EuroCrime takes a look at some "running man" crime covers with a special shout-out to the new blue cover of the UK paperback edition of Switch. You can find the story here.

April 8, 2009

Switch reviewed in South Africa

I just noticed that South African newspaper, Volksblad, published a review of SWITCH. The review is written in Afrikaans, but Roger Smith, author of the South African thriller Mixed Blood, managed to translate a portion . It reads: "A thriller that got me asking questions. Switch is a promising debut, a well-conceived thriller with no loose ends. Reminiscent of Dean Koontz. I’ll be watching out for his next book." Lientjie Mentz – Volksblad, South Africa. Here's the url: http://www.news24.com/Die_Volksblad/Boeke/0,,5-1969_2466676,00.html

March 6, 2009

The curious blue cover of Switch

This curious blue and gold version of SWITCH popped up on Amazon.co.uk recently. Since it contains the old tagline, I assume it must be a discarded mockup design that somehow snuck through the cracks. It is nice to see my name given such prominence, even though no one yet knows who the heck I am ;-) I'll post more info when, and if, I receive it.

UPDATE: Turns out, Transworld decided to redesign the cover for Switch's UK debut. In their words, the new blue cover is "cleaner and more punchy, and we think rather more dramatic."
* Click on the small cover for a larger view.

Feb. 12, 2009

Penguin Canada to bring Switch home

Senior editor Laura Shin of Penguin Canada has bought Canadian rights to SWITCH, to be published in July 2010. Naturally, I'm thrilled to have been picked up by such a prestigious publisher and editor, and since I live in Canada, this is doubly exciting.

Jan. 31, 2009

Switch hailed as "wonderfully devious"

The Jan. 9 issue of UK trade magazine The Bookseller marks SWITCH as One to Watch for July and a "wonderfully devious début thriller" in Jonathan Ruppin's Cream of the Crop pick of the paperbacks set to prevail over the rest of the field in 2009.

Jan. 1, 2009

International Thriller Writers interview

Contributing editor Janice Gable Bashman chats with me about SWITCH for the International Thriller Writers monthly newsletter. You can read the interview here.

December 23, 2008

German ARC arrives

A great Christmas present arrived today, courtesy of my wonderful foreign rights agent— an Advance Reading Copy of Die Stimme des Dämons that Heyne has produced for the German market.
It's difficult to describe what a thrill it is to actually hold the first copy of my translated book, and Heyne has done such a fabulous job on it.
To go along with the ARC, they have also produced a postcard (shown at left) as an additional promotional item for booksellers. It translates as: "Are you ready to kill for your family?"

December 4, 2008

Switch arrives in Australia

A friend Down Under picked up a copy of SWITCH today at his local bookstore and sent a couple of pics to prove that I'm a published author. Since I haven't seen the trade paperback yet, it was a thrill to know it really did exist ;-)
To celebrate the launch, Australian author JJ Cooper posted a Q&A with me on his crime blog wherein I divulge my secret plan to appear on Coronation Street ;-) You can read it Here.

November 13, 2008

Heyne previews German cover for Switch

Heyne just sent over their cover for the German edition of Switch, which is set to debut in August, 2009. The title has been changed to Die Stimme des Dämons, which translates roughly into Voice of the Demon or The Demon's Voice.
Heyne has high expectations for the book and will be releasing advance reading copies, plus dedicating two pages in their summer catalogue for book buyers. The book is translated by Norbert Jakober who has worked on all of Vince Flynn's novels. Naturally, I couldn't be more thrilled.

October 19, 2008

Switch gets shout-out on Shots

Mike Ripley gives SWITCH a nod in his Getting Away With Murder column on Shots Ezine. Shots bills itself as the UK's leading online website for Crime, Thriller and Mystery Books, Films and DVDs.You can find SWITCH at the bottom of the left-hand column here.

September 30, 2008

UK debut switched to 2009 - Australia first?

Just received news that the UK debut of SWITCH has been moved to July 2, 2009 where it has been selected as a lead title.
With the UK switching its publication date, it appears Australia may be the first country to debut SWITCH. I've just been informed the thriller is expected to arrive Down Under in trade paperback format on Dec. 4, 2008.

Aug. 14, 2008

The Bookseller likes SWITCH

The July 25 issue of UK trade magazine The Bookseller marks SWITCH as One to Watch and "an excellent read" in Sarah Broadhurst's November Preview column of upcoming paperbacks. I'm also thrilled to note that #1 NY Times best-selling author Lee Child agrees. He calls Switch: "A terrific little-guy-in-big-trouble thriller . . . think Saw meets Payback moving at Warp Speed — with the emphasis on Warp."

Aug. 1, 2008

Switch cover proofs arrive

My lovely editor at Transworld sent over a couple of the official printed covers for the UK paperback edition of Switch. They added a new teaser line above the title that flows through to a teaser on the back, and they embossed the title for that little extra oomph. I haven't heard if they plan to add a blurb at the top, but the ever-lovely Irish crime writer Ken Bruen provided me with a beauty. He wrote: "Think Harlan Coben on speed with a heart breaking compassion that will literally have you biting your nails and you have some idea of this nerve jangling wondrous debut."

June 27, 2008

Switch ARC arrives

A lone copy of the uncorrected book proof for Switch arrived in the mail today. It was a real thrill for me to finally see the manuscript in bound book form. The book was selected by Bantam for their "Proof of the Month" promo, so everybody in the company was invited to pick up a copy. Now the proof will be sent to a few established authors in the hope they'll give me a few nice quotes, plus it will be distributed to book-store buyers and the media. Here's hoping everyone loves it.

June 23, 2008

Q&A in Spinetingler omnibus

The Summer 2008 issue of Spinetingler mag has posted a nice little Q&A with yours truly in their newest issue. The Q&A appears in the downloadable pdf version of the mag, while my short story, Out of Order, appears both online and in the pdf. You can find it here if interested.

May 16, 2008

Switch sells to Germany

Following a mini-auction, Heyne (a division of Random House) won the bid to translate Switch into German. Heyne publishes such authors as Robert Harris. Robert Ludlum, Nicholas Sparks and Michael Connelly. The book will be produced in mass paperback (same as the UK) in 2009. Exact date is still to be determined.

March 5, 2008

Old Sleuth - An unusual Ebay find

I just found this Old Sleuth pulp magazine from 1897 on Ebay. How could I possibly resist? The headline reads Grant McKenzie: A Boy's Battles and Struggles.

Old Sleuth was a dime novel series of novellettes of about 80 pages that were published in New York from 1895 to 1898 by J.S. Ogilvie. They were primarily detective stories set in New York, though several are romances as well. Content is usually boys adventure, or detective/mystery, with some attention to gender and race. Advertisements at the front and back often include ads for "guides to courtship" and "guides to kissing".

I'm looking forward to seeing it when it arrives.

Feb.12, 2008

Snitch - Giving up the Boss of Bosses

Rising star John McFetridge puts me on the hotseat at Central Booking for a wee feature he calls Snitch — where the only way out is to give up the name of a mystery writer who has been an influence on you. You can find my answer here.

Jan. 9, 2008

Cover Image arrives

My first look at the proposed cover arrived in my inbox today. I love it, or as my agent says: "They really nailed it!" The switched reflection of the title is a very nice touch. It definitely says big, commercial thriller — and hopefully blockbuster debut ;-) Sales and Marketing have approved it, but say the shoutline needs to be changed to better reflect the title. Plus it needs a glowing quote from someone the average reader will recognize and think, "Hmmm, I better buy this book."

Dec. 24, 2007

Editor's Notes

A FedEx package arrived on the doorstep this morning containing my editor's notes on the first draft. I'm told the editor went easy on me ;-) Deadline for the second draft to be completed is Jan. 18.

Nov. 29, 2007

The Big News

My agent, Amy Moore-Benson, has sold World English rights for my novel Switch to Bantam Transworld UK (a division of Random House) for mass-market paperback on their thriller list (alongside authors such as Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen and Dennis Lehane). The book will be launched in the UK on November 6, 2008. The editor is Selina Walker. North American and foreign publication dates are still to come.

Short Stories

An author Q&A,
plus my short Out of Order
appeared in Spinetingler's Summer 08 issue.

My short White Volcano appeared in
Out Of The Gutter 2

My short Ragamuffin Girl appeared in Spinetingler's Summer 07 issue.

My short She Remembers The Future appeared in The Late Late Show's Summer 03 issue.