Malcolm D. Lee Expands The Best Man Universe With Jayne Allen Delivering A New Novel Series With ‘The Best Man Unfinished Business’

Malcolm D. Lee is bringing The Best Man crew back—this time in book form. The Best Man: Unfinished Business, co-written with bestselling author Jayne Allen, is set to release July 1, 2025, through Storehouse Voices, an imprint of Crown Publishing under Penguin Random House. The novel will be available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

This marks the beginning of a new trilogy that continues the story beyond Peacock’s The Best Man: The Final Chapters. The beloved characters—Harper, Jordan, Robyn, Lance, Quentin, and Julian—are back, tackling middle age, parenthood, and love's many complications.

Lee’s original 1999 film The Best Man became an instant classic in Black cinema, blending romance, friendship, and drama with unforgettable characters. Now, in his debut novel, Lee explores deeper emotional terrain, revisiting Harper and his circle as they try to move forward while realizing some bonds are harder to break.

Jayne Allen, known for her Black Girls Must Die Exhausted series, joins Lee to breathe new life into this fan-favorite story world. Lee reflects: “Writing this series has been unlike anything I’ve done. These characters keep speaking to me, and through this novel, we get to explore who they are in ways film never allowed.”

Fans can expect more heart, conflict, and growth from the characters they’ve grown up with—now on the page.