Coming in 2026
Death Times Seven
by Anne Perry and Victoria Zackheim
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Available on April 14, 2026
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I'm thrilled and honored to share this announcement:
Two violent crimes challenge the investigative skills of young Daniel Pitt and his wife, Miriam, in the final novel of iconic mystery writer Anne Perry's beloved Daniel Pitt series. Halfway written at the time of her death, this novel was completed by Perry’s trusted colleague, dear friend, and fellow author Victoria Zackheim.
1913: Junior attorney Daniel Pitt must step in for his friend, fellow attorney Toby Kitteridge, whose parents have been brutally attacked. Toby's mother is dead and his father, a village vicar, is barely alive. With Toby returning to the family home in rural Ipswich, struggling with grief and disbelief, Daniel remains in London to substitute for Toby and defend Peter Ward, on trial for the sexual assault and murder of a young woman.
Daniel is convinced that Ward is innocent, yet the evidence seems to prove otherwise. Eager to assist, his pathologist wife, Miriam fford Croft, offers her forensics expertise and exposes a community of fellow pathologists who may have purposefully omitted information from their autopsy reports. Despite Miriam’s involvement in the case, Daniel finds himself distracted by his desire to help Toby, who is too distraught to investigate the attack on his parents. And when the evidence points to Toby’s father as the killer of Toby’s mother, Daniel faces two of the greatest challenges of his young career: proving the innocence of both Peter Ward and Reverend Kitteridge. One mistake in London and a blameless man will hang. One mistake in Ipswich and Toby’s father will go to prison for life.
Death Times Seven, the seventh and final novel in Anne Perry’s Daniel Pitt series, was completed by Victoria Zackheim, an author and editor as well as Perry’s close friend. Rich in intrigue and courtroom drama, this engrossing novel marks a fitting finale to the career of an author widely praised as the queen of historical crime fiction.
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Praise for Death Times Seven
“I love mysteries, and this is a fascinating one—Perry and Zackheim dish out the suspense, the insights, the details of the murders, the feelings and thoughts of the characters, and the setting bit by bit—the more you read, the more you want to know, and you can’t stop. Death Times Seven is irresistible!” Jane Smiley, author of Lidie
“A towering achievement from a towering talent! Death Times Seven treats us to all of the hallmarks of Anne Perry’s fiction: nonstop plotting, rich psychological portraits of every character (good and bad!), and her stunningly distinctive literary voice, unlike any other in the world of literature! Superb!” Jeffrey Deaver, author of the Colter Shaw series
“I loved the characters, the conflicts, and the rich descriptions of 1913 London. And most of all, the surprise ending!” Robert Dugoni, author of The Tracy Crosswhite series
“A superb finale to a wonderful career. Victoria Zackheim completes this work with loving care and admiration. An excellent mystery worthy of a master author.” Charles Todd, author of the Ian Rutledge series
“Compassionate and deeply alive, rich with historical detail and brimming with suspense and moral intelligence, Death Times Seven is a must have for any mystery aficionado.” Caroline Leavitt, author of Days of Wonder
“Completely enthralled… I consumed it with the verve of a starving woman. Our young lawyer does not disappoint as he struggles to exonerate the innocent, but it is brilliant Miriam, blazing new trails in a man’s world, who left me cheering and wanting more. … A brilliant and wholly satisfying page turner.” Connie May Fowler, author ofBefore Women Had Wings
NEW!
The Curtain Falls in Paris
Publisher: Level Best Books
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It's a one-night-only performance of a glamorous play in a Paris theater, and the drama is onstage... and off... when an unscripted murder stops the performance. In this suspenseful mystery, Aria Nevins, formerly a respected American journalist with her reputation ruined by a serious lapse in judgment leading to a woman’s death, has fled to a questionable job in Paris, where she’s embedded with top French homicide detective Noah Roche and his team for one week, her task to follow them and write about their work. When Roche suspects her motives, she finds herself fighting for credibility, while trying to gain access to every aspect of the murder investigation. Each member of the play’s star-filled cast and crew is a suspect in this shocking and grisly crime. When the case is marred by false leads, an attempted murder at the theater, old loyalties, and obstacles placed in their path by entitled theater luminaries, it’s a race against time to find the murderer.
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Praise for The Curtain Falls in Paris
“The setting, Paris theatre, is sharp and real. The crime is dramatic, and the resolution even more so. But above all, I care about the characters and watching their relationships grow.” Anne Perry, International Bestselling Author
“Zackheim's stunner of a second novel, set against the glittering backdrop of the Paris theater world, reveals a devastating opening-night murder, the desperation of a disgraced reporter to regain her reputation, and the tumultuous mystery of love, revenge, and secrets.” Caroline Leavitt, New York Times Bestselling Author of Days of Wonder
“I loved The Curtain Falls in Paris. From the enigmatic Chief Inspector Noah Roche and his nemesis, American journalist Aria Nevins, to the rich descriptions of Paris, a glorious old theater and a grisly murder backstage, reading this novel was like the joy of watching a play unfold. Zackheim’s writing is vivid, passionate and always entertaining.” Robert Dugoni, New York Times Best Selling Author of The Tracy Crosswhite Series
“The Curtain Falls in Paris by Victoria Zackheim drew me in. Rich with sensory detail, Zackheim evokes the intriguing story of Aria Nevins, a disgraced American journalist’s last-chance assignment in Paris, and Paris Inspector Noah Roche. Against the backdrop of the theatre world, they grapple with the police investigation she’s assigned to cover, facing moral dilemmas and politics in the police force. The Curtain Falls in Paris paints their evocative journey.” Cara Black, New York Times and USA Today bestseller, recipient of the 2024 Médaille d’Or du Rayonnement Culturel
“Zackheim spins a fascinating tale of mystery in The Curtain Falls in Paris! Her depiction of Paris and the theatre make the setting come alive in this must-read work!” Charles Todd, New York Times Best Selling Author of the Inspector Rutledge Series and Bess Crawford Series
“A tale of suspense written with verve and elegance.” Sulari Gentill, bestselling author of Roland Sinclair mysteries