A first novel by art critic and editor Susan Kandel, in which her protagonist is a detective as well as a writer specializing in biographies of other detective writers, was won at auction by Morrow's Carolyn Marino in a six-figure North American deal covering three books. The first of them is called I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason and the second is Blue Nancy Drew. Set in California both now and in the heyday of their characters, the books are described as a hip confluence of Sex in the City and Murder She Wrote, and the deal was made by Coast agent Sandy Dijkstra. Kandel has been a critic for the L.A. Times and more recently has edited the art journal artext. The tentative Morrow pub date is summer 2004.