Dragon's Eye Euro Winner
Andy Oakes, 52, from Whatlington, has just been awarded the European Crime and Mystery Book Award in the French Prix du Polar, sponsored by rail company SNCF.
He collected the prize last week for his novel, 'Dragon's Eye', at a lavish ceremony held in the Parisienne station of Montparnasse.
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Hide AdAndy's work has now been printed in America, France, Portugal, Germany and Latin America.
Published in the UK two years ago by Dedalus, the rights to 'Dragon's Eye' have now been bought by Pan-Macmillan and it is due to be re-released in March.
Inspired by a newspaper article on illegal organ transplants, the book is set in Shanghai, and opens with the discovery of eight bodies chained together in the mud of the Huangpu river. Senior Investigator Sun Piao wades into the mire of uncovering the truth though no morgue is even prepared to take the bodies...
Andy has been delighted with the book's reaction, which has included praise from the Independent for 'his lovely sinuous prose' and from The Scotsman for 'marking himself out as an author to watch with this highly impressive debut novel.'