The Rumi Cipher

by Cory Grewell

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Cory Grewell writes stories that live at the intersection of meaning, mystery, and imagination. Like C.S. Lewis, he writes to tell others “we are not alone.” Cory believes that literature has the power to show us how to be human, and stories are one of the ways we participate in the imaginative life of God. Cory’s mission is to craft stories that immerse readers int he rich complexity of human existence. Through wry narratives of resilience, family tension, and cultural critique, he reaffirms timeless truths: virtue is worth pursuing, vice is worth avoiding, and reality is far more wondrous and complex than contemporary relativism allows for. His work inspires a deeper love for what ought to be loved and attempts to leave readers with a new sense of joy and wonder in being human.

Grewell’s fascination with mystery began early, fueled by the twists and ingenuity of Agatha Christie and later the sharp moral universe of Robert B. Parker. As lifelong student of literature, he sees the noir private eye as the modern heir to the character of ancient heroes: the medieval knight’s quest for justice, the American cowboy’s grit, the resourcefulness of Odysseus, and the unwavering devotion to duty of Aeneus. Because beneath every mystery lies the same timeless question: what is the truth worth fighting for?

His debut prestige detective novel, The Rumi Cipher, is forthcoming this October and introduces a new private investigator set against the geographic profiles of Boston’s Harvard University and Washington D.C.’s Embassy Row and Georgetown diplomatic circuit.

Grewell built Brent Malory’s world from years of living in Beantown, studying noir fiction and classical literature, and being inspired by the grit of ordinary lives. The series explores violence, faith, and conscience, using each case to illustrate the human search for truth amid brokenness, uncertainty, and hope. The second installment is forthcoming.

Grewell has a Ph.D. in English and is a professor of English by day. His academic work ranges from noir fiction history to Renaissance drama and studies on the Inklings. His award-winning scholarship shapes his imaginative frameworks in writing fiction.

When he is not writing or teaching, he can usually be found on the golf course, watching baseball, or buried in a good novel.