New Philly Mag Cover Story on Chuck Peruto Will Also Be Published as an E-Book

A gripping read by magazine veteran Lisa DePaulo is helping us launch the next phase of our digital evolution.

Over the last few years, the work we do here at Philly Mag has changed pretty dramatically. While once we simply published a monthly magazine, these days we also host a website with seven daily blogs; push out content to (and have conversations with) more than 100,000 followers on social media; and produce more and more editorially driven events, including ThinkFest, the Philadelphia Magazine Fashion Project and Philly Mag Shops.

I’m excited to say that this week we’ll enter another new medium — e-books. Our September cover story — Lisa DePaulo’s gripping investigation into the death of Julia Law, the 26-year-old paralegal who was found dead in the bathtub of her boss and lover, noted Philly defense attorney Chuck Peruto — will be published simultaneously as an e-book, available in Kindle, Nook, iBooks and other e-book formats.

Why a book (or e-single, as these things are called)? For starters because of the length and quality of the story. Lisa DePaulo, who was on staff at the magazine for nearly a decade before going off to write for GQ, Vanity Fair and other leading national magazines, has penned some of the most notable articles in Philly Mag’s history, but this one may outshine all of them. It’s a 12,000-word tale that’s not only absorbing and deeply human, but that also reveals relevant new details about Peruto’s relationship with Law and what happened on the night leading up to her death. (The case is currently being investigated by a Philadelphia grand jury.)

We also see e-books as another way to connect with our core audience — and potentially to reach a new national audience interested in great reporting and writing. The new book, titled The Dead Girl in the Bathtub, will sell for $2.99 and go on sale this week, just as our September issue is hitting newsstands.

And the September story is not a one-off: In the coming months we have plans for other e-books, including expanded versions of upcoming magazine pieces as well as themed collections and guide books.

This is an exciting time to be part of the media world. The digital revolution has opened up possibilities we couldn’t have dreamed of a decade ago; I’m thrilled we continue to find new ways to cover Philadelphia.