Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| A Merry Band of Murderers |
2006 |
Buy |
| On a Raven’s Wing |
2009 |
Buy |
McMasters Guide To Homicide#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Murder Your Employer |
2023 |
Buy |
Plays#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Accomplice |
1991 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Where the Truth Lies |
2003 |
Buy |
| Swing / The Musician’s Daughter |
2005 |
Buy |
Rupert Holmes has had three distinct careers: pop musician, Broadway playwright, and mystery novelist. He is best known to music fans as the writer and performer of “Escape (The Pina Colada Song),” which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. In the 1980s he turned to theater, writing the book, music, and lyrics for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which won two Tony Awards.
His fiction career began with the play Accomplice (1991), a twisty murder mystery that plays with audience expectations about what is real. His first novel, Where the Truth Lies (2003), follows a journalist investigating a decades-old scandal involving a comedy team, and was adapted into a film by Atom Egoyan. Murder Your Employer (2023) is a dark comedy about a school that teaches the art of getting away with murder, and it brought Holmes renewed attention as a fiction writer. He has also contributed stories to mystery anthologies, including A Merry Band of Murderers and On a Raven’s Wing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Rupert Holmes written?
Rupert Holmes has written six books across four series.
What was Rupert Holmes's first book?
Rupert Holmes’s first book is Accomplice, published in 1991.
Is Rupert Holmes the same person who wrote the Pina Colada Song?
Yes, Rupert Holmes is the singer-songwriter behind ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song),’ which hit number one in 1979. He later shifted to writing for Broadway, winning two Tony Awards for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and then turned to mystery novels. His books include Where the Truth Lies (2003), which was adapted into a 2005 Atom Egoyan film.