CSI's Anthony E. Zuiker & Hyperion Books Partner for Integrated WHODUNNIT? Experience

Hyperion today announced plans to publish a series of WHODUNNIT? mysteries by Anthony E. Zuiker, the visionary creator of the "CSI" franchise and executive producer of the new Primetime reality series, "WHODUNNIT?" The first is WHODUNNIT?: MURDER IN MYSTERY MANOR, to be digitally released on June 18, one week before the premiere of ABC Television Network's new mystery reality competition "WHODUNNIT?"

WHODUNNIT?: MURDER IN MYSTERY MANOR, the first title in the book series, introduces Butler Giles who is central to the reality TV show. The story unfolds as ten unsuspecting people gather at a remote mansion, only to discover that they've been lured there and must outwit a killer who is among them. One by one these strangers are killed off in ten eye-popping murders elaborately imagined by Zuiker. WHODUNNIT?: MURDER IN MYSTERY MANOR provides delicious details on the back story to the widely-anticipated reality series which debuts on ABC on Sunday, June 23, 2013 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET). A second original WHODUNNIT? mystery by Zuiker will be published in August 2013 to coincide with the show's season finale.

President and Publisher of Hyperion Books Ellen Archer made the announcement of the book series: "Hyperion is thrilled to be publishing these ground-breaking tales in collaboration with Anthony E. Zuiker and ABC Entertainment. Zuiker is a brilliantly creative television executive and novelist. We believe his forward-thinking approach to over-the-top complementary storytelling in print and television will generate legions of readers and viewers." Hyperion's Editorial Director of Franchise Publishing, Laura Hopper, will edit the series.

Zuiker says: "Ever since I was a kid, I had a passion for mysteries and crime solving, so I jumped at the opportunity with 'WHODUNNIT?' to create a cross-platform storytelling experience where the book tees up the show and the show then tees up the book. The best part for fans is that, once you've finished the first season of the show, you'll be able to transition back into not just the second book but a whole series."

"WHODUNNIT?" is an interactive television series that puts amateur sleuths' investigative skills to the test in a mystery reality competition. Players will use a variety of crime scene investigation techniques to meticulously uncover evidence in a series of puzzling murders and to ultimately reveal who among them is the killer. Some players will form alliances in the competition, while others will choose to go it alone in their quest for the grand prize of $250,000. The contestants will be guests on a glamorous estate called Rue Manor with a steward, Butler Giles (Gildart Jackson), and each week must solve a new crime in order to advance in the game. Failure to solve the crime will lead to a player's demise until only three players are left. In the final episode, one player will unmask the killer and take home the $250,000 prize.

"WHODUNNIT?" is produced by Zuiker's production company, Dare to Pass, and 51 Minds. Anthony E. Zuiker ("CSI") and Cris Abrego ("Rock of Love") are executive producers. Matt Weinberg, president of Dare to Pass, also serves as producer.

Founded in 1991, Hyperion publishes general-interest fiction and non-fiction hardcover, eBook, trade, and mass-market paperback titles. The company publishes about 80 combined hardcover, original eBooks and paperbacks a year, and offers many of its titles as audio books. Hyperion is the adult trade book publishing unit of the Disney/ABC Television Group, which is part of The Walt Disney Company.