Book deal for Alasdair Beckett-King

Comedian writes a murder-mystery for kids

Alasdair Beckett-King has written his first book, a comedy a murder-mystery for kids.

Murder At The Museum is intended to be the first in a series featuring the gentleman detective Montgomery Éclair ‘who (apart from the hat and moustache) looks suspiciously like a 10-year-old girl’.

In the debut, to be published in February, the alter-ego of schoolgirl Claire teams up with Grampa Banks to solve a suspicious death at the Hornville Museum.

Beckett-King told trade website The Bookseller: ‘Children love a good murder… Lost dogs and stolen pearls are all well and good, but I’ve always felt that murder is the big one.

‘I’m excited for young readers to meet 10-year-old Claire Montgomery, and her detective alter-ego Montgomery Éclair. I hope they’ll enjoy the hunt for clues, and the interrogation of oddball suspects. And I hope they don’t work out ‘whodunit’ until the very last moment.’

The book will be illustrated by Claire Powell, who has previously worked with authors including Jeanne Willis and Simon Farnaby.

Gráinne Clear, commissioning editor at publisher Walker Books, called the book an ‘hilarious homage to the great Poirot, with a clever twist that children are going to love’

She added: ‘From his wry, witty podcast on British folklore to his laugh-out-loud YouTube sketches, it’s clear Alasdair knows how to spin a story and create brilliant characters.’

Here's Beckett-King's latest viral video: