James Patterson and Dolly Parton Teamed Up to Write a Mystery Novel

Dolly Parton has long been an advocate for literacy and since 1995, has donated more than 100 million books to kids through her Imagination Library program. Now, the 76-year-old country music star is teaming up with one of the biggest names in fiction to publish a book for adults. As Entertainment Weekly reports, Run, Rose, Run, a new mystery novel by Parton and Patterson, hit shelves on Monday, March 7.

The book tells the story of a young country singer named AnnieLee who's running away from her past. In Nashville, she connects with Ruthanna, a country music legend who's retired from the industry. When blockbuster novelist Patterson came up with the idea, he knew who needed someone with firsthand experience in the music industry to help him bring it to the page.

Her knowledge of the business wasn't the only value Dolly Parton brought to the project. She also agreed to write music to accompany the book, and many of her new songs are interwoven into the story. The album, also titled Run, Rose, Run, was released on March 4, three days ahead of the novel's publication.

This isn't the first time Patterson has collaborated with a high-profile figure to inform his work. He cowrote his 2018 thriller The President Is Missing with former real-life president Bill Clinton. Not that he needs help attracting readers; Patterson has already written or co-written over 200 books and amassed a net worth of $560 million through his writing career.

You can purchase Run, Rose, Run on Amazon or wherever books are sold. It's also available as an audiobook with Parton herself providing her vocal talents.

[h/t Entertainment Weekly]