Literary Ambulance Chasers

Or maybe that should be hearse chasers. On Wednesday, March 22, the body of Selmer, TN preacher Matthew Winkler was discovered at his family’s home. His wife, Mary, confessed to killing her husband on Friday, March 24.

On Friday, April 14, Publishers Weekly reported that St. Martin’s signed a book deal with Edgar-nominated author Diane Fanning. The book is tentatively titled The Preachers Wife and the house is striving to “publish the book as soon as possible,” according to publicist John Karle.

So three weeks from toe-tag to ISBN number.

Rachel and Lillian Entwistle were murdered in Massachusetts on January 20. Husband Neil Entwistle fled the country to his native England, was ultimately extradited, and pled not guilty to murder. On February 14, Publishers Marketplace reported that St. Martin’s had signed a deal with Brian McDonald to write about the homicide.

At least they’re shaving time off their best burial-to-book statistics. The preacher book took right at three weeks while the fleeing Briton book took about three-and-a-half. If they work really, really hard, and keep improving, they’ll be able to sign a deal before the chalk outline for the next sensational murder washes away.