Indie publisher Bloodhound Books was founded in 2014 by Fred Freeman and Betsy Reavley ostensibly to publish Betsy’s crime fiction novels. But the husband and wife team have given the world so much more. The company has grown fast and in two years has a stable of 30 authors and is publishing at a rate of four books a month.

Fred’s background is in sales and marketing, while Betsy now has five psychological thrillers on the market including The Optician’s Wife and The Quiet Ones. Alex Walters’ new book Candles and Roses is a Bloodhound release, and other popular titles have been 34 Days by Anita Waller, KA Richardson’s North East Police series, Eileen Wharton’s Blanket of Blood and Liz Mitsry’s Unquiet Souls.

Fred Freeman, co-founder.

The Bloodhound approach
“We wanted to set up an independent publisher that specialised in crime fiction. We wanted to give a voice to talented authors that night not be heard. And we wanted to put our authors at the forefront. With our backgrounds we knew we had a real shot of making it work,” says Fred.

Fred and Betsy see the publishing as a collaborative effort, and involve their authors in each step of the process, including design, marketing and promotion. “We are run by authors and for authors,” says Fred.

After a year of steady growth in 2015, the company leapt forwards in 2016 with a number of hits both in eBooks and print. Their plans for 2017 are even more ambitious, up to 20 books are already in the pipeline with an exciting blend of new talent and already established names. They plan to really push on expanding paperback distribution and are fast moving into audio books as well.

Bloodhound really backs its authors, and makes sure readers know about their new books – the company’s sponsorship of New Talent November is just one example of this. “We are extremely visible and engaged on social media and in person at events – engaged with our authors and engaged with our readers. I think people understand and buy into our vision,” says Fred.

Author and co-founder Betsy Reavley.

Engaging stories
Pick up a Bloodhound book, and what can you expect? Strong characterisation and narrative are key aspects, and Bloodhound’s authors tend to have a knack for pacey storytelling and write in an accessible way. Naturally, the company covers several crime subgenres including psychological thrillers, police procedurals and cosies too.

Over the last couple of years Liz Mistry, BA Steadman, Heleyne Hammersley and David Evans have found their way to market thanks to Bloodhound Books. That’s one of the highs, according to Fred. Another is when an author says they’re going to give up working, or reduce their hours, in order to follow their dream.

And in years to come, Bloodhound wants to bring more authors, more books and more great stories to the bookshelf. “We are slowly building a team that can help us achieve these goals. We are proud of what we have done already, but there is so much more that we can do. But no matter how big we grow, we’ll always put our authors at the forefront,” says Fred.

To find out more about a selection of Bloodhound’s top books, click here.