The Malta Escape (Payne & Jones) - Softcover

Stephen Calleja from THE MALTA INDEPENDENT interviewed Chris Kuzneski about his latest book. Here are some of the highlights:

What made you return to Payne and Jones after writing two books in the award-winning Hunters series?
Based on fan mail, the Payne & Jones series is my most popular series. Then again, it probably isn't a fair comparison since the duo has been around for six more books than Jack Cobb and the Hunters. Not that Payne and Jones care about fighting fair. Those guys will exploit any advantage they can get and will crack jokes while they're doing it.

Speaking of jokes, are readers to expect the usual humorous banter between the duo?
Absolutely! If anything, I decided to crank up their banter to an all-time high. Although there are several good action-adventure series out there, I feel the one thing that sets the Payne & Jones series apart is the humor. In reality, my books are action-adventure comedies. Or comic-action adventures. Or action-comic adventures. Truth be told, I don't actually know how to describe them, but I do know that they're funny. And I think THE MALTA ESCAPE is my funniest book yet.

What kind of adventure will they be following?
Payne and Jones fly to Malta for a well-deserved vacation and bump into an old friend who is searching for a long-lost treasure of the Knights Hospitallers -- a treasure with possible ties to Paul I and the Russian Empire. When Ivan Volkov, the ruthless leader of a Russian crime syndicate, learns about the ancient hoard, he does everything in his power to make sure that he finds it first, even if that means destroying half of Malta to get it. I know that doesn't sound very funny, but trust me, Payne and Jones have a way of finding humor in just about everything.

What specific locations in Malta are featured in the book?
Since I'm totally in love with your country, I featured as much of Malta and its history as possible. Major locations in the book include the National Library, the Upper Barrakka Gardens, the Grand Harbour, Sliema, and Birgu. When people finish reading this novel, I want them to do two things. First, I want them to go to my website (chriskuzneski.com) to take the virtual tour of the book, because the pictures of Malta do your country more justice than my words ever could. Then I want them to buy tickets to visit Malta to see it for themselves. Unless you're sick of tourists, in which case I can tell all of my readers that THE MALTA ESCAPE is a work of fiction and the country doesn't actually exist. Just let me know as soon as possible, so I know how to handle the media.

Where will the book be published?
The English-language version of THE MALTA ESCAPE will be available in hardcover, trade paperback, and ebook from online stores around the globe on November 9, and the audio book will be released as soon as they're done recording it. In addition, I also signed a Maltese deal with Miller Distributors, who will be publishing a mass-market paperback in Malta.

Will it be translated into other languages?
My literary agents just attended the Frankfurt Book Fair in October, where they actively shopped THE MALTA ESCAPE to foreign publishers. Once foreign editors have a chance to read it, we should start getting offers from foreign markets. So far, my books have been published in more than twenty languages, which I find funny since I can't speak any of them. Heck, if you listen to my critics, I even struggle with English.

Any hope of seeing you in Malta again?
Definitely! My first trip to Malta was simply magical, and yet there were so many things I didn't get to do and see. I fully expect to visit Malta again and again in the coming years, so much so that you'll probably get sick of seeing me.

CHRIS KUZNESKI is the international bestselling author of twelve novels, including his latest, THE MALTA ESCAPE. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Chris is the first (and only) adventure writer to win an ITW Thriller Award. Although he grew up in western Pennsylvania, he currently lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida where he will probably die alone because he spends way too much time watching movies and sports.