Bookouture acquires two more Jean Fullerton novels

Bookouture has acquired two more World War Two saga novels from bestselling author Jean Fullerton for publication in 2027. The books will be the fifth and sixth in her East End Girls series, which follows the lives, loves and heartbreaks of a group of four extraordinary young women, who join the WAAF and are stationed in the East End of London as barrage balloon operators. Commissioning Editor Lizzie Brien has agreed a World English Language deal, including audio, from Kate Burke at  Blake Friedmann Literary Agency.

Lizzie says, ‘I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with Jean and Kate to publish more books in this incredible series. Every book that Jean writes opens a door onto our past in such a fascinating and delightful way, and the women of Balloon Site 312 have become firm favourites, capturing many hearts along the way! It’s such a joy to know that we have two more books in this series on the way. I know that readers are going to love them just as much as I do!’

Jean says, ‘I can’t tell you how delighted I am to have signed a new contract with Bookouture. It means I’ll once again be working with Lizzie Brien and the brilliant editorial team, and, best of all, I’m finally able to give all my lovely East End Girls the happy endings they so richly deserve.’

Kate says, ‘I’m delighted that Jean is writing more books in this wonderful series and that we get to continue working with Lizzie and the whole Bookouture dream team!’

 

About Jean Fullerton

Jean was born and bred in the overcrowded streets surrounding London Docks where her family have lived since 1825. Being born within the sound of Bow Bells, she’s a true cockney who grew up in what was then the working-class dockland community in Wapping and Stepney, East London. All her published books are set in the streets and alleyways she roamed as a child.

Jean worked for 30 years as a community nurse in East London, starting as a staff nurse and finishing as a university lecturer in Health Studies at London South Bank University.

Jean’s Ration Book series is published by Corvus, whilst her East London Nurses series and Victorian East London Nolan series are published by Orion. Her first memoir, A CHILD OF THE EAST END, was published by Corvus in August 2022.

 

 Praise for Jean Fullerton

‘The queen of East End sagas’ – Elaine Everest

‘Warmth, humour and characters readers care about are Fullerton’s hallmarks.’ – Peterborough Evening Telegraph

‘A brilliant author who is not afraid of the truth’ – Geoffrey Harfield, Historical Novels Society

 

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Viper signs three new thrillers by Will Dean in six-figure deal

Photo credit: Rosalind Hobley

Miranda Jewess, Publishing Director at Profile Books’ crime imprint Viper, has acquired three thrillers by Will Dean. Jewess acquired UK and Commonwealth rights plus audio from Kate Burke at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency. The first book in the deal, titled THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD, and described as STATION ELEVEN meets AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, will be published in hardback, e-book and audio in April 2027.

The synopsis reads: Nature is reclaiming London. Grass grows through the pavements, buildings are left to crumble, and herds of deer roam the streets. While most Londoners now choose to live in a virtual world, Wendy is one of the few people who still value real human connection enough to stay in the abandoned city. She even finds what might be love, and the hope of a family. But something is very wrong. Her few friends start to disappear one by one, and there is no-one left for Wendy to turn to. No police or authorities to stop the violence or find the culprit. And soon Wendy finds herself completely alone in the city with a killer…

Miranda Jewess commented: ‘I’ve been reading and loving Will’s work since his debut DARK PINES back in 2017, and it is genuinely a dream come true to now be his editor and publisher. The fictional universe in THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD is an extraordinary creation; this combined with Will’s genius for writing incredibly real, fallible characters and his mastery of the propulsive plot makes this a gamechanger. We’re so pleased to welcome him to the Viper list.’

Will Dean added: ‘I am absolutely thrilled to join Viper. I’ve admired Miranda’s work (and superb list of authors) for years, and I’m excited to work with her team to bring atmospheric, genre-bending fiction to readers.’

Kate Burke said: ‘I’m delighted for this next chapter Will’s publishing. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to work with someone so creative and hardworking, and be on this journey with him.’

 

About Will Dean

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands. After studying law at the London School of Economics and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden where he built a wooden house in a vast forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

Dean is the author of eleven novels, the six-book Tuva Moodyson series (Oneworld/Hodder) and five standalone thrillers (Hodder). His books have been selected for the Zoe Ball Book Club and the Richard & Judy Book Club, and shortlisted for the National Book Awards, the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.

 

Praise for Will Dean

‘Will Dean manages to accomplish the rare blend of excellent writing and intriguing, ingenious plotting.’ – Liz Nugent

‘Will Dean is a master at creating moody, oppressive thrillers that are equally as unsettling as they are gut-wrenching, with characters you can’t stop thinking about long after the last page.’ – Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of LOCAL WOMAN MISSING

‘Will Dean writes a mean thriller, with a keen ear for what scares us.’ – Sarah Hilary

‘Like Chris Whittaker, Will Dean is a master of the tense, morally complex, emotionally devastating modern thriller.’ – William Hussey

‘Will Dean’s writing continues to elevate the thriller genre.’ – Anna Bailey’

‘One of the best psychological thriller writers to ever put pen to paper.’ – Stuart Ashenbrenner

 

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Nikki Allen shortlisted for The Book Party’s UK Book Blogger Awards 2025

Nikki Allen has been shortlisted for The Book Party’s UK Book Blogger Awards in the Blogger’s Author category. The Blogger’s Author award celebrates authors that value the importance of the book community and go out of their way to be connected to readers. Nikki made it to the longlist of forty authors after being nominated by members of the book community who then voted her onto the shortlist of eight. The winner will be decided by a panel of judges and announced online on 17th November 2025.

On the shortlist alongside Nikki Allen are TM Logan, Helena M Craggs, Helen Aitchison, G. D. Wright, Tara Lyons, S. J. Gathercole and Rebecca Ryan.

Nikki Allen is the author of THE HIDEAWAY, a twisty destination thriller published by Pan Macmillan in July 2025. When five strangers are chosen for an all-expenses-paid stay at an exclusive retreat, they leap at the chance to rest and get away from it all in the heart of the lush Costa Rican rainforest. Their famous host is nowhere to be seen when they arrive. Confused, but eager to immerse themselves in this once-in-a-lifetime experience, they head into the wilderness in search of a rejuvenating waterfall. But a sudden disaster plunges them into a desperate fight for survival. Lost under the dense canopies with darkness closing in, they soon realise they cannot trust the beauty of their surroundings – or each other…

Nikki is currently writing her second thriller which Pan Macmillan will publish in 2026.

About Nikki Allen

Nikki Allen wrote her first book aged five – sadly, THE ADVENTURES OF SILLY SUSIE SAUSAGE didn’t get picked up for publication – and has been writing ever since. After studying languages at UCL, she decided the best way to write for a living was to become a local news journalist and copywriter. But in her thirties, the call of creative writing got too loud to ignore and she tried her hand at a novel.

Nikki is also a qualified therapist, and her endless fascination with people and their stories inspires much of her writing. She was born in Holland, grew up the only Jewish kid in her Worcestershire village, and now lives in North London with her husband, two young children and a rather overweight cat called Tiny.

Praise for THE HIDEAWAY

‘Fast-paced and imbued with a palpable sense of danger, THE HIDEAWAY is the kind of taut destination thriller you can read in just a few sittings.’ – Culturefly, 24 Books to Add to Your Summer 2025 Reading List

‘A brilliant, twisty thriller that makes you want to shout warnings out aloud to the characters! I was gripped’ – Peter James

‘An absolutely flawless debut from an incredible survival thriller writer. The prose is taut without being plain and wonderfully descriptive without becoming purple. Paced flawlessly from start to the barn burner of a finale, I gobbled this up in two days and can still hear the hum of insects and feel the heat of a tropical summer on my skin. An absolute must-read for your summer. Nikki Allen is one to watch’ – Sarah Goodwin, author of THE YACHT

‘THE HIDEAWAY is THE thriller debut of the summer! With an atmospheric setting that will immediately transport you to the Costa Rican rainforest and a dubious cast of characters, THE HIDEAWAY has all the hallmarks for a perfect destination-based, locked room mystery. Filled with tense twists and turns, it will keep you guessing – and distrusting everyone – until the very end. With THE HIDEAWAY, Nikki Allen cements herself as a thriller author to watch, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!’ – Sara Ochs

‘Dangers and secrets lurk in the shadows in this unputdownable destination thriller set in lush Costa Rican rainforest. An immersive, escapist tale of a tropical paradise that turns into a nightmare’ – Alison Reynolds, author of THE NEAR DAPHNE EXPERIENCE

‘With shades of THE WHITE LOTUS, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR and Agatha Christie’s AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, this Costa Rican-set thriller is an accomplished white-knuckle ride from start to finish.’ – Kate Riordan, author of THE HEATWAVE and SUMMER FEVER

‘Really enjoyed this twisty debut from Nikki Allen, and definitely the closest I’ll get to a Costa Rican jungle, especially after the visceral way Nikki brilliantly brought it to life: the heat, the crawling insects, the danger!’ – Amanda Reynolds, author of CLOSE TO ME

‘Nikki Allen has delivered a captivating, immersive and brilliant read - the perfect destination thriller to lose yourself in this summer.’ – Natasha Boydell, author of THE MISSING HUSBAND and THE FORTUNE TELLER

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Luca Veste returns to Avon with exciting four-book deal

Credit: Ean Flanders Photography

Avon has acquired four novels to launch a new Liverpool-based crime series by Luca Veste. The first two titles, LIAR LIAR and TELL TALE, are scheduled for publication in Spring 2026 and early 2027, respectively. Helen Huthwaite, Publisher at Avon,  acquired World English language rights from Kate Burke at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency.

The multi-book deal marks Veste’s return to Avon, eleven years after the publisher released his first series featuring DI Murphy and DS Rossi. Most recently published by Hodder, LIAR LIAR sees Luca returning to his home town of Liverpool and features a disgraced detective who finds himself caught in the middle of a criminal investigation, racing against time to clear his name with his life on the line.

Helen Huthwaite said: ‘To say that I am delighted to bring Luca home to Avon is something of an understatement. I am ecstatic to see him return and couldn’t be more excited at the prospect of publishing his brilliant new Liverpool-based series. As a proud northerner myself, returning to Luca’s familiar northwest stomping ground will be an absolute joy - albeit one that’s peppered with plenty of bodies along the way! I know that we have an incredible opportunity to put Luca on the TBR pile of every crime reader in the country, with the potential for his new series to take him all the way to the top - where he rightly belongs!’

Luca Veste added: ‘I couldn't be happier to be returning to Avon - going back home, where it all began - to work with the incredible Helen Huthwaite and the amazing Avon team. To be given the opportunity to start a brand-new series, set in my beloved Liverpool, is one I couldn’t turn down. I'm absolutely thrilled and can'‘ wait for the first book to be in readers’ hands.’

Kate Burke commented: ‘I’m delighted to see Luca return to where it all started with the lovely Avon team! This is such an exciting new series and new chapter in his publishing.’

About Luca Veste
Luca Veste is a writer of Italian and Liverpudlian heritage. He is the author of eight novels, including the Murphy & Rossi series, and standalones THE BONE KEEPER and YOU NEVER SAID GOODBYE. He is the co-organiser of the Locked Up Festival, which raised over £25,000 for the Trussell Trust, co-host of the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast, and the bass player in the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He studied psychology and criminology at the University of Liverpool. He lives in Merseyside and is married with two daughters.

 Praise for Luca Veste
‘A writer who just gets better and better.’ – Mark Billingham

‘Re-energises the shop-worn police procedural format.’ – Financial Times,

‘A writer who has been favourably compared to Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay... and rightly so….’ – Belfast Telegraph

‘Luca Veste is leading the new wave in British crime fiction, using mystery novels to explore social issues, armed with heart, insight, and anger.’ – Jay Stringer

‘Luca Veste has talent for exposing the ugliness of the criminal mind... For readers in search of disturbing and dark, you have come to the right place.’ – Crime Review

 

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