Margie Orford signs with Head of Zeus

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Published to acclaim in South Africa by Jonathan Ball, Margie Orford's entire Clare Hart series has been acquired  in the UK by Laura Palmer of Head of Zeus,  in a deal brokered by Isobel Dixon. Head of Zeus will publish the fourth title in the series, GALLOWS HILL, in 2014, accompanied by the re-issued backlist. This will be followed by the fifth Clare Hart book, WATER MUSIC, which is just out in South Africa from Jonathan Ball.

Laura Palmer of Head of Zeus says: 'Margie Orford is a brilliant, sophisticated crime writer dealing with universal themes in an unusual setting. At Head of Zeus, we're looking forward to publishing all of her novels with fabulous new packaging, and bringing Clare Hart to a wider British readership.'

Margie Orford says: 'I am delighted that the Clare Hart series has found such a stylish home in Head of Zeus and  it will  be such a pleasure to be working with Laura Palmer again.'

Isobel Dixon, Margie's agent, says: 'Readers who've loved the suspense and flair of Margie's novels, and the stormy relationship between heroine Clare Hart and cop Riedwaan Faizal, will be happy to know there's more in store soon. Laura Palmer and the excellent Head of Zeus team have exciting plans for Margie Orford in 2014.'

Margie Orford, has been described as 'the Queen of South African Crime Fiction' - the Clare Hart series has been published in France, Germany, Holland, Spain, Russia and the Czech Republic. She was born in London and grew up in Namibia, the setting for BLOOD ROSE, the second novel in the series, which is also optioned for film. A Fulbright Scholar, she was educated in South Africa and the United States. She is Executive Vice-President of South African PEN, the patron of Rape Crisis and of the children's book charity, the Little Hands Trust. She lives in Cape Town.

Praise for Margie Orford:

'Margie Orford writes with great human insight, at times with poetic beauty, and always the ever-present deep, dark undertow of menace.' - Peter James

'The queen of South African crime thriller writers.' - Sue Grant-Marshall, The Weekender

Praise for GALLOWS HILL (Shortlisted for Herman Charles Bosman Prize 2012):

'Published to much acclaim, and it's understandable why. Orford's fourth Claire Hart thriller is the fastest most compelling read of them all.' - Mike Nicol, Books Live

'Orford's fourth Clare Hart thriller offers a superbly packaged, high-energy tale of murder, mass graves, corruption, cover-ups, crooked politicians, smuggling and gangsters. … A complex and intelligent plot unfolds at just the right pace, making this book very difficult to put down. I now have a new favorite crime author.' - James Retief, Cape Times

'Margie Orford's pacy dialogue and expert twist of the genre's base elements is masterful. GALLOWS HILL is the fourth book in the Clare Hart series and a great reason for any crime thriller fan to acquire the preceding titles.' - Nicole Roughley, Fairlady Magazine


For further rights queries contact Isobel Dixon: Isobel@blakefriedmann.co.uk
For PR queries contact Becci Sharpe: becci@headofzeus.co