Thursday, 24 July 2025 Books+Publishing @booksandpublishing
Larrikin House has acquired world rights to Grave Robbing and Other Curious Activities, a middle-grade novel by Joel McKerrow.
Described by the publisher as ‘heart-racing, spine-tingling and poetic’, the novel follows Alexander Steeple, who lives above his family’s mortuary and crematorium. When a body goes missing, Alexander can’t help but investigate the mystery.
McKerrow is a writer, keynote speaker, performer, educator and poet. His most recent middle-grade novel, The Great Chocolate Caper (Penguin), was the first book in his Heist series.
Discussing his new work with Larrikin, McKerrow said, ‘I’ve always loved the mystery of a good whodunit. There is nothing quite like the thrill of trying to guess what is actually happening, whilst piecing together a trail of clues. So, it’s a real joy to bring that sense of intrigue into the world of middle-grade readers. But, I’m just as drawn to poetic language, quirky humour, and a touch of the spooky. My favourite writing is when these genres are blended in unexpected ways. This book is exactly that.’
Larrikin plans to release Grave Robbing and Other Curious Activities in February 2026.
Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions