Author Rick Bleiweiss launches Mystery Novel 'Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives' as one of Amazon Editors Picks for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Author, Publishing Executive and former Music Industry Executive Rick Bleiweiss announces the launch of his much anticipated mystery novel, "Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives" (Blackstone Publishing, February 8, 2022, hardcover and eBook, and future audiobook). This new book was just selected as one of Amazon Editors' Picks for "Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense", as well as one of the Best New Debut Mystery Novels by Publishers Weekly and the Buzz Book of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association.

For fans of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, Bleiweiss' new novel introduces his quirky Police Chief Inspector Pignon Scorbion character and six unlikely amateur sleuths who help him solve crimes in a 1910 Downton Abbey-era town in England – from a barbershop.

''Bleiweiss's novel is a worthy addition in the tradition of Conan Doyle and Christie. Holmes and Poirot, please make room for Pignon Scorbion.'' --Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of What You Break

To provide pure entertainment and a few hours of escapism from many stresses in the world today, fans will be delighted by the author's lighter approach to whodunit storytelling. Readers will love Police Chief Inspector Pignon Scorbion's style, teamwork approach and unexpected twists while solving three main crimes described broadly as:

• The Fortune Seeker
• Murder at the Circus
• Crimes of Passion

And in sync with the book launch, new silhouettes of the main characters are being revealed today, including L to R in the main group graphic:

• Barnabus - A large, red-haired barber who has a long, plush crimson beard.
• Yves - A French transplant barber, whose must stand on a crate to cut hair.
• Calvin Brown - Owner of Brown's Barbershop, where Pignon solves the crimes.
• Pignon Scorbion – Police Chief Inspector of Haxford, England, who is an extraordinary detective and friend of Dr. John Watson (Sherlock Holmes).
• Thelma Smith: Owner of Books on The Square bookshop, who is independent, educated, bright and attractive (and a love interest of Scorbion's).
• Billy Arthurson: Young reporter at Haxford Morning News, who documents crimes as they unfold.
• Thomas Worth: A barber in his mid-twenties, who also assists Scorbion.

This murder mystery novel is being released in sync with the new "Death on the Nile" movie (Feb 11, 2022) staring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot. When comparing these main characters, Bleiweiss explains; "Two of the greatest sleuths of the early twentieth century, Hercule Poirot and Pignon Scorbion, shared a number of traits in common, yet they widely differed in many ways. They were kindred spirits in that they were both meticulous, detail-oriented, relied on their brains over brawn, and were from the same era and continent. However, in spite of those similarities, and the successes each attained, they were not at all like each other in many significant ways."

Bleiweiss then expands on the differences, "Hercule Poirot was of Belgian heritage, was born and raised in Belgium, moved to London when he was an adult and remained in that city thereafter. In comparison, Pignon Scorbion was born in Paris, and moved to London when he was two years old with his parents (of Egyptian and Haitian heritage). As an adult, Pignon left London and spent his life in the English countryside."

And in what is a rare occurrence for a debut novel, "Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives" has been loved and endorsed by best-selling and award-winning authors of multiple genres: mystery, historical fiction, romance, military fiction, general fiction and more. Book endorsements include Heather Graham, Shelley Shepherd Gray, Rex Pickett, Amanda Flower, Reed Farrel Coleman, Natasha Boyd, Pamela Binnings Ewen, James Wade, Andrews & Wilson, Robert Arellano, Nancy Pickard, Dick Lochte, Eric Maikranz, and Edwin Battistella - virtually all of whom will be posting about the book today to their social media followers. Other best-selling authors who will be doing that as well include Catherine Coulter, Jennifer Dornbush and Beth Albright among others.

Along with already drafting the second book of this series, Author Rick Bleiweiss launches his new novel with a Live Virtual Book Talk Event today at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore (Feb 8, 2022, 4:30pm PST) and a transmedia storytelling approach. Fans can fully immerse in this mystery via the book, video game app, theme song, book trailer, video series, audiobook, merchandise and more.

AMAZON
"Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CVC8GF2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

BARNES AND NOBLE
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pignon-scorbion-amp-the-barbershop-detectives-rick-bleiweiss/1140442032

WALMART
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pignon-Scorbion-Pignon-Scorbion-the-Barbershop-Detectives-Series-1-Hardcover-9781665046756/716252155

BOOKSHOP.ORG
https://bookshop.org/books/pignon-scorbion-the-barbershop-detectives-9798200911516/9781665046756

LIVE VIRTUAL BOOK TALK EVENT - Tuesday, Feb 8, 2022, 4:30pm PST
Rick Bleiweiss discusses Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives
Hosted by The Poisoned Pen Bookstore
Join via Facebook Live and YouTube Live
https://calendar.time.ly/9plshfqx/posterboard;event=69112811;instance=20220208173000

MEDIA CONTACT:
Liz Kelly, 310-987-7207

ABOUT: Rick Bleiweiss (New York, New York, and Ashland, Oregon) is an Author, Publishing Executive, Former Music Industry Executive and GRAMMY Nominated record producer, who is releasing his first novel, "Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives" (Feb 8, 2022). Bleiweiss started his career in music as a rock performer, producer of over fifty records, songwriter and record company senior executive in New York City. Bleiweiss worked with music industry legends, including Clive Davis, Melissa Etheridge, the Backstreet Boys, Kiss, U2, Whitney Houston, the BeeGees, and many others. Since 2006 as a publishing company executive, Bleiweiss has acquired works by bestselling and award-winning authors including Rex Pickett ("Sideways"), James Clavell ("Shogun"), PC Cast ("House of Night"), Gabriel García Márquez (1982 Nobel Prize in Literature), Leon Uris ("Exodus"), Natasha Boyd ("The Indigo Girl"), Andrews & Wilson ("Tier One") and Nicholas Sansbury Smith ("Hell Divers"), among others. In his latest creative endeavor, Rick has crafted the "Pignon Scorbion" historical mystery series—blending his love of the past with the twisty deliciousness of a whodunit. As fun facts, the author created the first "Your Name in Lights on Broadway" promotion in Times Square, and was most influenced by his trips to England when developing his Sherlock Holmes-type character and "Pignon Scorbion" book series. For the latest news, follow @rickbleiweissauthor on Instagram and/or visit https://www.rickbleiweiss.com

Media Contact

Liz H. Kelly, PR for Rick Bleiweiss, 310-987-7207, [email protected]

SOURCE Rick Bleiweiss