Gallic Books snaps up third in Bridget Walsh’s atmospheric Variety Palace Mystery series

Gallic Books has landed THE SPIRIT GUIDE, the latest novel from Bridget Walsh and the third in the Variety Palace Mysteries series. Gallic’s Managing Director Joe Harper acquired world English language rights to the novel from Isobel Dixon at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency for publication in Spring 2025.

The first in the series, THE TUMBLING GIRL, won the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction in 2019, and was published by Gallic Books in May 2023, garnering starred reviews in Publishers Weekly (where it was also a Book of the Week Pick) and the Library Journal. It also peaked at No. 1 in the US Amazon Kindle Historical Thriller chart, and was a Best Historical Fiction Pick for May 2023 in The Times. The second, THE INNOCENTS, will be published in April this year by Gallic Books and has also received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, as well as being a The Financial Times ‘Best New Crime Books’ pick.

THE SPIRIT GUIDE returns to the Victorian London that served as a backdrop to Walsh’s previous two titles. It’s 1879, and an investigation into two mysterious deaths leads detective duo Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook to the Spirit Sisterhood, a female-only spiritualist group purporting to help its members commune with deceased loved ones.

Minnie isn’t buying it. Going undercover at the organisation’s countryside house, she finds herself drawn into a strange but alluring world of seances and spirits. But she is isolated from Albert and everyone she loves, and her situation becomes more dangerous by the hour.

Jo Harper says: ‘We are very proud to publish Bridget, and are delighted to have the opportunity to bring THE SPIRIT GUIDE – an absolutely brilliant crime novel – to existing fans of The Variety Palace Mysteries, and new readers, around the world.”

Walsh says: ‘Working with Gallic on the first two Variety Palace Mysteries has been a real joy. I’m delighted that the next episode in Minnie and Albert’s adventures will remain in such very capable hands.’

Isobel Dixon says: ‘Bridget Walsh takes readers – and her enterprising duo Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook – to thrilling and menacing new places with THE SPIRIT GUIDE, a brilliant follow-up to the first two Variety Palace Mysteries. It’s a wonderful journey to be on with Gallic Books.’

About Bridget Walsh

Bridget Walsh lives in Norwich. She has a PhD in ‘Murder in the Victorian Domestic Sphere’ and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.

 Praise for The Variety Palace Mysteries

‘Historical crime fiction at its most beguiling.’ – Barry Forshaw, The Financial Times

‘A narrative that neatly weds historical detail and quiet wit.’ – Nick Rennison, The Sunday Times, ‘The best historical fiction books of May 2023’

‘Ms. Walsh does a splendid job depicting Minnie’s flea-bitten yet appealing theatrical world and Albert’s monied yet treacherous milieu.’ – Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

‘Diligent research pays off in spades here, and her rich and nuanced portrayal of the period will leave readers feeling like they’re on the soggy streets of London.’ – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review and a ‘Books of the Week’ pick

‘Victorian crime at its exciting and grittiest best. Don’t miss it’ – Essie Fox, author of THE FASCINATION

‘Rich with theatrical detail and brimming with brilliant characters, this is a series not to be missed’ – SJ Bennett, author of MURDER MOST ROYAL

‘You can smell the greasepaint and hear the roar of the crowd on every page.’ – Imogen Robertson

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Three more Elizabeth Chadwick novels for Sphere

Sphere have acquired three more historical fiction titles by Elizabeth Chadwick in a World English language deal struck with Isobel Dixon at Blake Friedmann.

Elizabeth Chadwick is a prize-winning historical novelist and New York Times bestseller, published in 22 languages, with over 1 million copies of her work sold in the UK alone. THE ROYAL REBEL, the first of her new novels, is slated for September 2024 and tells the story of Jeanette, a young royal who refused to let history happen to her, defying the odds – as well as war, plague, and even her king – to blaze her own trail and be reunited with the man she loved.

Molly Walker-Sharp said: ‘Elizabeth Chadwick is renowned for her ability to sweep readers away to a time and place they can hardly imagine, and these novels are no exception. We are so proud to be working hand-in-hand with her to introduce readers to two headstrong heroines that time has all but forgotten.’

Elizabeth Chadwick said: ‘I am so delighted to be working with my wonderful editor Molly-Walker-Sharp and the team at Sphere on this contract for three historical novels set in the fourteenth century – a time of massive social and political upheaval, including a devastating pandemic that has so many parallels with our lives today. At the heart of the novels are two women: Jeanette – known mostly to history as Joan of Kent – a remarkable young woman, pressed by her family into moulds of expectation that she was always going to break, and Katherine Swynford, royal mistress, often vilified in her own time, but a woman of influence, indomitable strength and lasting fascination.’

Isobel Dixon said: ‘Elizabeth Chadwick has an uncanny knack of identifying fascinating historical figures and bringing them vividly to life, enthralling readers in many countries and languages. I am delighted that Sphere will be bringing the stories of Jeanette and Katherine to her fans on both sides of the Atlantic and further round the world.’

Elizabeth’s previous novel, THE KING’S JEWEL, was published in hardback by Sphere in April 2023 with the paperback edition to be published in April 2024.

About Elizabeth Chadwick

Elizabeth Chadwick lives in Nottingham with her husband and two sons. Her historical research is meticulous.  She works with primary and secondary sources, visits the locations and for many years has been a member of Regia Anglorum, an early medieval re-enactment society with emphasis on accurately recreating the past. She tutors in the skill of writing historical and romantic fiction.

Elizabeth won a Betty Trask Award for THE WILD HUNT, her first novel, and has been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Award several times, winning in 2011 for TO DEFY A KING. THE SCARLET LION was selected by Historical Novel Society founder Richard Lee as one of his 'Ten Landmark Historical Novels of the Last Decade'.

Praise for Elizabeth Chadwick

‘An author who makes historical fiction come gloriously alive.’ – The Times

‘I rank Elizabeth Chadwick with such historical novelist stars as Dorothy Dunnett and Anya Seton.’ – Sharon Kay Penman

‘When I read Elizabeth Chadwick's novels I always feel as if I'm looking through a window onto actual historical events, her writing is so vivid, and her research so superb.’ –  Jane Johnson

‘Chadwick's depiction of the Middle Ages is sure and subtle, and her skill in imagining the private conversations that lead to the great decisions of their time is enjoyable.’ – Publisher’s Weekly

‘Chadwick’s research is impeccable, her characters fully formed and her storytelling enthralling.’ – The Historical Novel Review

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Leeanne O’Donnell’s debut novel SPARKS OF BRIGHT MATTER snapped up by Eriu

Credit: Kevin Murphy

SPARKS OF BRIGHT MATTER, Leeanne O’Donnell’s debut novel, has been snapped up by Eriu, the Dublin-based imprint of Bonnier Books UK. Deirdre Nolan, publishing director of Eriu, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Sian Ellis-Martin.

Set in 18th century London and Cork, SPARKS OF BRIGHT MATTER tells the story of the last alchemist, Peter Woulfe. Torn between magical thinking and rational thought, Peter Woulfe seeks enlightenment, but instead he falls in love with the fascinating Sukie, is diverted by lust and embroiled in a dangerous Jacobite plot involving a mysterious book, the Mutus Liber, and a cat-and-mouse chase across London.

Leeanne O'Donnell says: ‘The characters in SPARKS OF BRIGHT MATTER jumped into my heart and mind and insisted on having their stories told. They took me back to 18th Century London and even further back in time into the mythical landscape of West Cork. I had such fun resisting straight forward romantic plotlines and resolutions, going back and forth through time and following these characters the long way around through experiments in Alchemy, obsessive lust and the echoes of ancient family curses as they try to find out what really matters. I’m excited to have SPARKS going out into the world so that readers can meet these characters and share in their painfully human, messy and joyful journeys.’

Deirdre Nolan says: ‘What an honour it is to be publishing this remarkable book by an Irish debut writer. It is sure to be loved by all fans of historical fiction, with its intriguing plot and fascinating characters. I was hooked from the first line.’

Sian Ellis-Martin says: ‘I’m so pleased that Eriu and Deirdre Nolan will be publishing Leeanne O’Donnell, especially at such an exciting time for the imprint. SPARKS OF BRIGHT MATTER is a book that sparkles with life and possesses a rare and numinous quality. I know readers will be completely entranced by Leeanne’s storytelling and her vibrant characters, as I have been.’

SPARKS OF BRIGHT MATTER will publish on 11th April 2024 in hardback, eBook and audio.

About Leeanne O’Donnell

Leeanne O’ Donnell was born in Dublin and now lives in an old farmhouse on the foothills of a mountain in the remote south west of Ireland. She feeds her cats, dogs, chickens, daughters and wife reasonably regularly – and occasionally waters her poly-tunnel. She has yet to learn to write a proper shopping list but has managed to finish her first novel while hiding in an old caravan in the garden.

She started her storytelling career working in radio with RTE and BBC - and has made a number of award-winning documentaries for RTE’s Doc on One series. Notably THE LADIES OF LLANGOLLEN about two Irish aristocrats who ran away together in the 18th century and DIVING AND FALLING about dancer and artist Lucia Joyce. She is also a trained psychotherapist and is frequently awed by the sacred work of helping people to understand and transform their own real-life stories.

Shani Akilah’s stunning short story collection FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS pre-empted by Oneworld

Photo credit: Jonathan Osibo

Fighting off a competing pre-empt, Oneworld has pre-empted UK and British Commonwealth rights to debut Black-British author Shani Akilah’s richly imagined short story collection FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS from Sian Ellis-Martin.

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS will publish in June 2024 as a superlead title under Oneworld’s new book-club imprint, Magpie, underpinned by an extensive publicity and marketing campaign. A sampler of one of the stories will be available at Waterstones’ TikTok Festival later this month.

Partly set during the pandemic years, this collection brings to life the stories of Black-British Londoners as they navigate their way through relationships that break them, shape them, and sustain them through good times and bad. Linked to a central main character, they explore love and friendship, identity and community, loss and faith.

Shani Akilah says: ‘I'm absolutely delighted and honoured to have my debut short-story collection come to life with Oneworld. This journey has been a labour of love, and I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to be in the company of some of my favourite writers whose work has inspired me over the years.’

Juliet Mabey says: ‘Shani has brilliantly captured the Black-British and diasporic experience through a millennial lens, providing a fresh and contemporary spin on the challenges faced by a group of friends living in extraordinary times. Sitting at the literary-commercial sweet spot, it’s a stunning first outing for a writer of real strength and ambition.’

Sian Ellis-Martin says: ‘I’m thrilled that FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS has found a home with Juliet Mabey and the team at Oneworld. Shani’s beautifully crafted stories give an insight into the joys – and struggles – of the many variations of love and friendship and I can’t wait for readers to have the chance to enjoy them as much as I have.’

About Shani Akilah
Shani Akilah is a Black-British writer from South London of Caribbean heritage (Guyana, Barbados and Jamaica). She is an avid reader and book blogger and was spotlighted as a ‘Key Black Influencer’ by DoubleDay Books. Shani is passionate about community and bringing people together and is the co-founder of Nyah Network, a book club for black women and is also the founder of contributor based platform, Bankra, that explored the navigated identities of black millennials. Shani loves travelling, and has spent significant time in Ghana as part of her studies. Shani has a Masters degree in African Studies from Oxford University with research exploring counter-diasporic return and issues of home and belonging amongst second-generation British-Ghanaians.

Follow Shani on Twitter.

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Avon snaps up two more Emma Cowell novels

Avon Books has snapped up two more novels from bestselling author Emma Cowell, following the break-out success of her debut novel, ONE LAST LETTER FROM GREECE, which has sold more than 35,000 copies and is being published in Germany, Denmark, Greece, Poland and Russia. Helen Huthwaite, Publisher at Avon, struck the deal for World English Language rights with Kate Burke.

Publisher Helen Huthwaite said: ‘Working with Emma is as dreamy as the settings for her gorgeous Greek books, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be continuing our fruitful partnership. Escapist, romantic and brimming with Mediterranean sunshine, Emma’s novels are everything you want from a summer read, ensuring that readers fall more in love with Greece with every turn of the page.’

Emma Cowell said: ‘I am thrilled to be able to continue my writing journey with the incredible team at Avon, Harper Collins. They believed in my writing from the get-go, launching my debut novel and to have found a home for my next two books with them is so exciting.’

Agent Kate Burke said: ‘After such a successful start with Emma's first two books, we're delighted to be continuing our journey with the Avon team!’

The new contract will take Emma’s publishing through to May 2025 with her second novel, THE HOUSE IN THE OLIVE GROVE, publishing next month.

THE HOUSE IN THE OLIVE GROVE follows three very different women who come together at the house in the olive grove. Soon enough, unlikely friendships blossom and a season of self-discovery begins. Will the sumptuous flavours, sapphire waters and golden sands of Greece give each of them the answers they so desperately seek?

About Emma Cowell

Emma lives in Cornwall with her husband, Tony, and their fur baby, a Russian Blue called Papoushka Gerald Cowell. A former actress and BBC presenter Emma has worked in the fundraising division of children’s palliative care for the last decade and is currently Head of Philanthropy for national charity Together for Short Lives. Segueing from being paid to talk for a living into writing was a natural progression, since story telling has been at the heart of her career to date. Outside of work, Emma is a keen angler and held a Cornish record for over 10 years until her crown was toppled. She is yet to get over it but tries to keep calm by practising yoga. Also, a keen linguist, Emma is attempting to learn Greek to maintain her love affair with the country where she has set her debut novel. She is yet to achieve a level of proficiency outside of tavernas and bakeries.

Praise for THE HOUSE IN THE OLIVE GROVE

‘I adored THE HOUSE IN THE OLIVE GROVE. It is a hymn to friendship and love, and is utterly perfect.’ – Liz Fenwick

‘A glorious story full of warmth, laughter, healing and hope’ – Adriana Trigiani

‘A culinary twist, female solidarity, friendship and romance, what more does one need for a perfect summer read?’ – Nadia Marks, bestselling author of AMONG THE LEMON TREES

‘Evocative, compelling, moving. A glorious story.’ – Kate Frost, bestselling author of ONE GREEK SUMMER

‘Sunshine and friendship, broken hearts and secrets. Cowell’s exquisite writing is as delicious as the food she describes.’ – Jennie Keer, bestselling author of THE SECRETS OF HAWTHORN PLACE

Visit Emma’s website

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