News update
Some news highlights since our last bulletin:
Highly regarded journalist and author Matthew Teller is putting together a book on Gaza focusing on its people and their long history of resistance to invasion stretching back to the days of David and Goliath, as well as their culture and sense of humour, demonstrating a determination to survive and rebuild even while their territory is being reduced to rubble. Saqi Books will rush the book into print this autumn.
Sian Hughes’ debut novel PEARL has just been longlisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award, following its long-listing for last year’s Booker Prize.
Sharon Bolton has signed a new contract with Orion for two more standalone thrillers – excellent news for her legions of fans across the world. A Daily Mail book reviewer said of Sharon’s most recent thriller THE FAKE WIFE (published by Orion last November): “This is Patricia Highsmith territory — and there can be no higher praise.”
Rachel Lynch’s first standalone thriller THE RICH was published by Canelo in November, following the runaway success of her Kelly Porter crime series, also published by Canelo. Rachel has recently delivered a new standalone psychological thriller to Canelo, and is at work on another one for digital publisher Storm.
Vikas Swarup’s new novel THE GIRL WITH SEVEN LIVES has already been sold in France and in the Indian subcontinent.
Rafael Torrubia’s stunning fantasy debut THE SHIPWRIGHT AND THE SHROUDWEAVER, along with a sequel, has been sold at auction to a major UK SFF publisher. Full details to follow soon, after an official announcement in the trade press.
Julie Hankey’s DAMN THIS WAR!, based on her parents’ letters to each other - his from North Africa and hers from bombed-out London – was published by Icon Books in
November and has been highly praised in the national press.
Cora Harrison is at work on a new story for Severn House in her popular crime series featuring the Reverend Mother Thomas Aquinas who puts her commonsensical mind to work solving murders in 1930s Cork.
Elizabeth Bailey has a new contract for the 11th in her very successful LADY FAN series of Regency crime novels for Sapere Books. Sapere also plan to republish her GOVERNESS trilogy, so making more of her backlist available to her many fans.
Moses McKenzie continues to attract widespread acclaim for his prize-winning debut AN OLIVE GROVE IN ENDS. And The Guardian has listed his second novel, FAST BY THE HORNS (to be published in May by Wildfire), as one of 2024’s ‘novels to look out for’.