Tomasz Jedrowski’s SWIMMING IN THE DARK selected by Dua Lipa for the Service95 Bookclub

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We are delighted to share that Tomasz Jedrowski’s debut novel, SWIMMING IN THE DARK, has been selected by international chart-topping singer-songwriter Dua Lipa as the May title for her Service95 Book Club. Writing about the selection on Instagram, Dua Lipa said ‘reading SWIMMING IN THE DARK is a bit like peering into someone’s most intimate moments of self-discovery. It’s poetic and tender, burning with a quiet rage at the persecution the LGBTQIA+ community in Poland has suffered for decades and continues to fight against today. It’s a beautiful story – I hope you love it as much as I do’.

Launched in February 2022, Service95 is a global editorial platform founded by Dua Lipa, with over 300,000 followers on Instagram. The Book Club connects readers from around the world through both classic and contemporary books, by writers from all around the world. Throughout the month of May, Service95 will not only be introducing SWIMMING IN THE DARK to new readers, but sharing interviews, pieces of historical context, and reading guides for fans of the book old and new.

First published by Bloomsbury in 2020, SWIMMING IN THE DARK has since become a worldwide sensation, embraced by both critics and new generations of fans on BookTok. The novel was a finalist for the Polari First Book Prize in 2021, has so far been translated in eighteen languages, with film/TV, theatre and opera rights all under option for adaptation. It was published in the USA by William Morrow.

Poland, 1980. Shy, anxious Ludwik has been sent along with the rest of his university class to an agricultural camp. Here he meets Janusz – and together they spend a dreamlike summer falling in love.

But with summer over, the two are sent back to Warsaw. Confronted by the scrutiny, intolerance and corruption of life under the Party, Ludwik and Janusz must decide how they will survive; and in their different choices, find themselves torn apart.

Photo: Kuba Dubrowski

About Tomasz Jedrowski

Tomasz was born in West Germany to Polish parents and studied law at Cambridge. He lives in France, exploring local history, national identity, and ecology.

His debut novel SWIMMING IN THE DARK was published by Bloomsbury in the UK and William Morrow in the USA, and has been translated into eighteen languages. Film/TV rights and opera rights have been optioned. The novel was a finalist for the Polari First Book Prize (2021).

Praise for SWIMMING IN THE DARK

‘Marvellous, precise, poignant writing; the reader is happy to be overwhelmed. The highest talent at work.’ – Sebastian Barry

‘A lyrical exploration of the conflict between gay love and political conformity. Jedrowski is an authentic new international star.’ – Edmund White

‘Heartbreak – yes, I’m a romantic – is what we get from Tomasz Jedrowski’s exquisite debut novel, SWIMMING IN THE DARK. Set in 1980s Poland, this love story captivates and is so beautifully written I return to it again and again.’ – Guardian

‘Readers will relish the indelible prose, which approaches the mastery of Alan Hollinghurst. Jedrowski’s portrayal of Poland’s tumultuous political transformation over several decades makes this a provocative, eye-opening exploration of the costs of defying as well as complying with social and political conventions.’ – Publishers Weekly

‘A stupendous read: I could not put the book down. I urge you to order this book now. Its eloquence, its understanding of identity, belonging, loneliness and love is second to none. Powerful and uplifting.’ – Lord Michael Cashman, co-founder of Stonewall

BFLA Best of 2021

At Blake Friedmann we’re proud that so many of our authors and their books were included in ‘Best of 2021’ selections. To celebrate these achievements, we have compiled the following summary of the lists they were featured in, along with the praise that accompanied their selection.

THE HIERARCHIES by Ros Anderson

‘The overall winner, our undisputed Book of the Year, goes to THE HIERARCHIES. This book spread through the store like contraband on the playground, pressed into the hands of one bookseller after another. A dystopian, feminist masterpiece that everyone should read.’ – Waterstones Brighton, ‘Book of the Year’

THE YOUNG TEAM by Graeme Armstrong

One of Foyles’ Paperbacks of the Year

One of Waterstones’ Paperbacks of the Year

LOVE IN COLOUR by Bolu Babalola

One of Foyles’ Paperbacks of the Year

One of Waterstones’ Paperbacks of the Year

‘This multifaceted, multitalented Nigerian-British writer – humorist, television creator and now bestselling author – searched the globe to find a radically diverse group of stories about love, from magical folk tales of West Africa to iconic Greek myths and ancient legends from the Middle East. Then, with an evocative and vivid style, she brought new life to old tales and wrote three original stories of her own. The result is a remarkable modern collection of 13 short stories about love.’ – Carole V. Bell, NPR, ‘Best Romance Books 2021’

CASE STUDY by Graeme Macrae Burnet

One of Nicola Sturgeon’s Favourite Books of 2021

‘Beautifully balanced between harrowing and humorous, CASE STUDY follows a woman who seeks out a captivating psychotherapist whom she believes to be responsible for her sister’s suicide.’ – Waterstones, ‘The Best Books of 2021’

‘Graeme Macrae Burnet’s CASE STUDY is a novel about a 1960s psychologist where the blurring between fact and fiction constantly wrong-foots its readers while still keeping us lavishly entertained.’ – James Walton, The Spectator, ‘Books of the Year’

‘Graeme Macrae Burnet is a master of the false but apparently authentic document… This is a novel, which like Macrae burnet’s previous ones, holds the attention, develops an insidious narrative interest, and poses questions about the nature of the self and the authenticity of identity. There is comedy here too. Indeed, depending on the angle of the view, Braithwaite is a comic character, if also a disturbing one. Certainly in his depiction of him, Macrae Burnet catches the self-satisfied idiocy of one strand of 1960s culture. Indeed, he is done so well and seems so authentic in his inauthenticity that you might be surprised to find no mention of him in the index of John Clay’s admirable biography of Ronnie Laing. For the most part, though Macrae Burnet finds different voices for the writer of the notebooks and the unnamed author of the biographical Braithwaite chapters, his style is plain, lucid, very readable and rich in irony. There are fine comic passages… But it is the appalling and yet ultimately rather pathetic Braithwaite who gives the book its momentum, and is through him that the tone and temper of the times are captured. As in his other novels, Macrae Burnet writes with an admirable lucidity, at the same time being able to probe and shed light on the dark places of the mind. Writing in a prose that is spare, deadpan and yet alive, he poses questions about the nature and perception of what we choose to call reality. He is an uncommonly interesting and satisfying novelist.’ – The Scotsman, ‘Scottish Books 2021’

THE BERESFORD by Will Carver

One of LoveReading’s Books of the Year 2021

‘In THE BERESFORD by Will Carver a maze-like boarding-house becomes a scene of carnage as the tenants are dispatched in grisly fashion one by one. What is going on and who can bring an end to the bloodshed? Carver writes in the tradition of the Theatre of the Absurd, but with added grue. Shocking, compulsive and persuasive. It’s one hell of a ride for those of a mind to jump aboard.’ – Ian Rankin, The New Statesman, ‘Books of the Year’

‘The Theatre of the Absurd gets dunked in gore as the residents of a creepy boarding house take part in a never-ending killing spree’ – Ian Rankin, ’Ian’s End of Year Round-up: 2021’

‘The strangest and creepiest novel I read all year. A boarding house becomes a scene of carnage as residents start bumping each other off. What compels them and how can the chain be severed? This is the theatre of the absurd with added grue, and while Carver’s unique and twisted talent won’t be to all tastes I found this persuasive and compulsive.’ – Ian Rankin, Daily Express, ‘Best Books of 2021’

THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean

One of Deadly Pleasures Staff Best of 2021

Winner of the 2021 Rick O’Shea Book Club International Book of the Year Category

A ‘Hot Press Books of 2021’ honourable mention

‘For pleasure reading, I want warmth and pace and narrative and a steady hand, not sentences that have their eyes on prizes. Will Dean, a man with impossibly luxurious hair who lives in a Swedish forest, is known for his Tuva Moodyson crime fiction series. Tuva, a deaf journalist, is a great character but her adventures can get repetitive. There is nothing repetitive about THE LAST THING TO BURN, an astonishing standalone from Dean, in which a young Vietnamese woman lives an appallingly coerced life with a brute called Lenn. Dean gets the voices chillingly right, the tension rises as inevitably as the claustrophobic pressure draws in, and “Jane” is a woman who you want to triumph at whatever cost. This novel will make your skin crawl with fury at the insidious violence of men.’ – Rose George, The New Statesman, ‘Books of the Year’

‘The crime novel that made my heart race fastest was THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean, a timely and unforgettable locked-door mystery.’ – Anne Cater, Daily Express, ‘Books of the Year’

‘THE LAST THING TO BURN – Will Dean’s first stand-alone novel – is an extremely tense read. It centres on a Vietnamese woman held against her will in a remote farmhouse in the East Midlands. She endures her captivity, day-in-day-out, until two things happen that force her to fight back. This is absolutely a story of survival in its most basic form, but more than that it’s about the immense power of the human spirit – how it can be bashed and broken and still persevere. Dean doesn’t just build suspense – he cloaks his story in it, creating a crushing, claustrophobic atmosphere that feels as if it will never end. But the story does contain unexpected and heartening moments of light that remind readers of the power of humanity and compassion. These are the things that linger when the book comes to a close – and still linger all these months later too.’ – Natalie Xenos, Culturefly, ‘The Best Books of 2021’

‘This is the harrowing story of a young Vietnamese woman trafficked into the UK and kept for years as a slave by a psychopathic farmer in the middle of absolutely nowhere. She thinks she's protecting her sister by remaining compliant but when she discovers that she’s been lied to, she attempts to escape with a baby and a broken foot. It’s short, brilliant and gut-achingly tense.’ – Sunday Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell, Amazon Book Review, ‘Lisa Jewell’s Favourite Reads of 2021’

‘THE LAST THING TO BURN works because Will Dean takes a very risky chance with the narrative – the reader spends the entire novel in Jane’s mind, seeing everything from her perspective. Many writers explore points-of-view tactics from a different gender and while making that feel authentic is often challenging, skilled authors make this look easy. In THE LAST THING TO BURN, however, Will Dean goes one step further, embodying the soul and mind of Jane in a way that is not often witnessed – even in cases where authors are writing POVs that match their gender. Not only does Dean do this himself, but he brings the reader along with him to such a level that Jane/Reader almost merge and it becomes like our very safety is at risk.’ – Kristopher Zgorski, BOLO Books, ‘Top Reads of 2021’

THE ENGLISHMAN by David Gilman

One of LoveReading’s Books of the Year 2021

Peter James

One of Bookscan’s Top Ten Fiction Authors for 2021 (number 9, with LEFT YOU DEAD as top-selling title)

SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Tomasz Jedrowski

One of Foyles’ Paperbacks of the Year

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? by Lucy Mangan

One of LoveReading’s Books of the Year 2021

‘An uncannily accurate portrayal of the whirlwind of modern family life, Mangan's side-splitting novel introduces Liz and her weird and wonderful brood as she attempts to make it through the year without losing it completely.’ – Waterstones, ‘The Best Books of 2021’

WAYFARERS’ HYMNS by Zakes Mda

‘In Mda’s 31st book, a boy’s desire to become a great famo musician leads him all the way from the Lesotho mountain region to Johannesburg where he comes up against a sordid underworld of crime and gangs.’ – Brittle Paper, ’50 Notable African Books of 2021’

THE DARK FLOOD by Deon Meyer

‘THE DARK FLOOD, the new Benny Griessel thriller from Deon Meyer – need we say more?’ – Daily Maverick, ‘Essential Books of 2021’

WHEN THEY FIND HER by Lia Middleton

One of Apple Books’ Bestselling Audiobooks of 2021

‘I would also like to shout-out my favourite domestic thriller of the year, WHEN THEY FIND HER by Lia Middleton. Totally unputdownable, it’s the sign of a brilliant author when they can build such empathy with a character making a terrible decision within the first few pages and yet keep the reader glued right until the very end as the rest of the twisting plot unfolds.’ – Amy McCulloch, Dead Good Books, ‘Best Crime Novels of 2021’

THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL by Sheila O’Flanagan

‘Putting a spin on wedding stories, each wedding of a glorious summer brings a new surprise for Delphie, who has the chance to reshape her future.’ – Denise O’Donoghue, Irish Examiner, ‘Best of the Year Lists’ 

THE APRIL DEAD by Alan Parks

One of Deadly Pleasures Staff Best of 2021

‘Alan Parks, like the best writers, makes you keenly aware of all the pain out there and then (almost) alleviates it.’ – Mark Sanderson, The Times, ’16 Best Crime Books 2021’

SHIVER by Allie Reynolds

One of Deadly Pleasures Staff Best of 2021

One of Foyles’ Paperbacks of the Year   

‘Buckle up – this chilling new thriller from professional snowboarder-turned-author Allie Reynolds will have you feeling like you’re hurtling down a black run from page one… for page-turning power, this mystery had us gripped.’ – Woman and Home, ‘2021 Book Awards’

‘I’ve never been snowboarding in my life and have never been tempted to try it. But I love books that give insights into passions I don’t share, and give a feel for how and why they’re so alluring. This is about a group of competitive snowboarders and is a combination of flashbacks—to when they were all competing, ten years ago—and the present, when they attend a reunion and get stuck up a mountain. The book gives a real feel for what it’s like to be in a resort in the French Alps: the drinking, the snow, the lifts, the camaraderie. I was not surprised, after finishing the book, to find out the author, Allie Reynolds, was once a top UK freestyle snowboarder who spent five winters in the mountains of France, Switzerland, Austria and Canada. All in all, it’s a classic Agatha Christie-style locked-room mystery combined with very vivid accounts of being in the mountains and risking life and limb going down the halfpipe.’ – Sophie Roell, Five Books, ‘The Best Crime Fiction of 2021’

THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH By Monique Roffey

 One of Bookshop.org’s ‘The Bookshop 100: Indie Champions 2021’

One of Foyles’ Paperbacks of the Year

One of Waterstones’ Paperbacks of the Year

BFLA BEST OF 2020 AND PICKS FOR 2021

It has been a thrill to see so many of our authors featured in lots of Best of 2020 lists, and others highlighted as hotly anticipated reads for 2021. To celebrate these tremendous achievements, we have compiled a list of the selections our authors were included in, along with the praise they received.

In prize news this year already, Monique Roffey has won the Costa Novel Prize and the overall Costa Book of the Year Award, as well as being longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize. Elsewhere three of our authors have been shortlisted for the 2021 Romantic Novelists Association (RNA) Romantic Novel Awards: SECRETS OF THE LAVENDER GIRLS by Kate Thompson has been shortlisted for The Romantic Saga Award, THE COMING OF THE WOLF by Elizabeth Chadwick has been shortlisted for The Goldsboro Books Historical Novel Award, and CHRISTMAS WISHES by Sue Moorcroft has been shortlisted for The Sapere Books Popular Romantic Fiction Award. Joseph O’Connor’s SHADOWPLAY has been longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award and on the Dylan Thomas Prize long list, Dima Alzayat has been picked for her debut short story collection, ALLIGATOR AND OTHER STORIES, and Romalyn Ante for her poetry collection, ANTIEMETIC FOR HOMESICKNESS.

We’re delighted that Peter James was Number 35 on The Bookseller’s overall 2020 Author Top 50, with lots of anticipation for ITV’s spring broadcast of GRACE, starring John Simm and Richie Campbell, adapted from Peter James’s first two Roy Grace bestsellers, DEAD SIMPLE and LOOKING GOOD DEAD.

THE BEST BOOKS OF 2020

ALLIGATOR & OTHER STORIES by Dima Alzayat

‘ALLIGATOR contains several stories of breath-taking power, worth noting since the title story alone, based on the true story of a Syrian man lynched in Florida in 1929, is worth the price of several volumes. Born in Syria, raised in the United States, and now residing in the United Kingdom, Alzayat “may be the first person to realize that our history is our own black mirror,” wrote a bookseller. Start reading now and you can say you were an early fan, because Dima Alzayat combines superb writing with razor-sharp imagination and focuses on social injustice, racial violence, and global immigration.’ — LitHub, The Best Books of 2020 you might have missed

THE YOUNG TEAM by Graeme Armstrong

‘Two semi-autobiographical Scottish debuts from Picador showcased essential new voices: Douglas Stuart took the Booker prize for his moving, devastating SHUGGIE BAIN the tale of a boy’s desperate love for his alcoholic mother in the deprived, post-industrial 80s; while Graeme Armstrong’s THE YOUNG TEAM, set among teenage gangs in Lanarkshire, updated TRAINSPOTTING for a new generation.’ — The Guardian, Best Fiction of 2020

‘Set in the schemes of Airdrie, THE YOUNG TEAM by Graeme Armstrong had scenes that made me wince and smirk at their North Lanarkshire familiarity.’ — The Scotsman, Laura Waddell’s year in books

LOVE IN COLOUR by Bolu Babalola

‘The most iconic love stories of myth and folklore from West Africa to Ancient Greece, vibrantly reimagined in bold, striking prose; LOVE IN COLOUR beautifully illustrates the timelessness of classic storytelling.’ — Waterstones, Best Books of 2020 - Debuts

‘Bolu Babalola “decolonizes love” in this stunning retelling of ancient love stories. The alluring collection affirms that love is a universal experience that takes varying forms in different cultures, from Mesopotamia to Senegal to Lesotho.’ – Brittlepaper.com, 50 Notable Books of 2020

‘Our busiest period coincided with this year’s demand for a renewed focus on Black Lives. While it’s good that so many people started reading about the reality of racism, it’s important to remember that joy and love are also part of the black experience. LOVE IN COLOUR by Bolu Babalola retells mythical love stories from around the world and serves as a reminder of this.’  – The Observer, Pages of Hackney, The best books of 2020, chosen by Booksellers

THE ENGLISHMAN by David Gilman

‘When Raglan, a former soldier in the French Foreign Legion, is recruited by M16 for an off-the-books operation, he is pitched into a fast-paced, dangerous journey through organised crime in London and Russia that ends in a Siberian prison camp. The narrative goes at breakneck speed but between the action Gilman slowly and deftly unveils Raglan’s back-story.’ — Financial Times, Best Books of the Year 2020

‘Klaxon alert! Discover full-on heart-pounding action, plus smart, sharp writing in this absolute reading feast of a book . . . This is the first in what promises to be a smash-hit spy thriller series and I already can’t wait for the next book . . . His words build a vivid picture, this world feels authentic and I read with full confidence. I was so involved in the unfolding story that my thoughts didn’t skim backwards or forwards, I purely existed in each moment as it hit. And boy, each moment lands with ferocious intensity. Shockwaves of action expanded and the storyline tripped me with unexpected developments. Even though I had read the prologue, the ending still came with a whammy. LoveReading Book of the Month - tick, LoveReading Star Book – tick, one of my personal Picks of the Month – tick! THE ENGLISHMAN comes with a tremendous thumbs up from me, more please!’ – LoveReading, Our favourite Books of 2020

I FOLLOW YOU by Peter James

‘A chilling standalone thriller from the bestselling king of crime, I FOLLOW YOU sees a respectable married doctor descend into an unhealthy obsession for a woman he has never been able to forget.’ —  Waterstones, The Best Books of 2020: Crime & Thrillers      

SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Tomasz Jedrowski

‘Remember the feeling of the last day of summer camp? Nostalgia for something you haven’t quite lost yet? Tomasz Jedrowski captures that wistfulness in his debut novel, set in 1980s communist Poland. Two young men meet and fall in love. One chafes against the restrictions of society; the other finds ways to thrive within the confines of the regime. Jedrowski’s writing reminds us that even in the face of oppression, life continues. As he told me, “People still fall in love. People still go skinny-dipping. People still smoke cigarettes. And people still dream.”’ – Ari Shapiro, NPR Books,  Books of the Year 2020

‘Tomasz Jedrowski’s SWIMMING IN THE DARK is captivating on the twin challenge of being both gay and liberal in communist Poland. An enchanting story of coming out and surviving, just, in a cold climate.’ –  Andrew Adonis, Daily Express, Books of the Year 2020

‘Poland, 1980. Anxious, disillusioned Ludwik Glowacki, soon to graduate university, has been sent along with the rest of his class to an agricultural camp. Here he meets Janusz - and together, they spend a dreamlike summer swimming in secluded lakes, reading forbidden books – and falling in love. This book is a masterpiece of fiction and made me smile and cry! Beautiful!’ – Gay’s The Word, Books of the Year 2020

GLOSSY by Nina-Sophia Miralles

‘The untold story of Vogue, told through the lens of its editors, in GLOSSY journalist Nina-Sophia Miralles asks what – and most importantly who – made the fashion magazine such an enduring success? It’s a story of passion and power, dizzying fortune and out-of-this-world fashion, of ingenuity and opportunism, frivolity and malice. Today, 125 years later, Vogue spans 22 countries, has an international print readership upwards of 12 million and nets over 67 million monthly online users. It is not just a fashion magazine, it is the establishment.’ – Forbes, Holiday Gift Guide 2020: The Best British Stocking Stuffers

CHRISTMAS WISHES by Sue Moorcroft

‘Sometimes fate has a way of keeping people who should be together, apart.

Enter Hannah and Nico, two childhood friends. Having lost her shop in Stockholm, a distraught Hannah is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip, only to discover Nico is there too. Will the two of them find romance under the falling snow or will they be iced out of each other’s lives? Another great read from Moorcroft, who went to Stockholm and tested out the culinary treats… all in the name of authenticity.’ — besteverchristmas.co.uk, Top Cosy Christmas Stocking Reads

SHADOWPLAY by Joseph O’Connor

‘O’Connor’s ingenious novel is based on the life of Bram Stoker, author of DRACULA and his relationship with Henry Irving, renowned actor and impresario. Barry McGovern gives brilliant renditions of the Irishman Stoker and of Henry Irving, whose voice here is a thespian thunder. Anna Chancellor pipes up on occasion as the warm voice of Ellen Terry, Stoker’s friend and Irving’s leading lady’. — The Washington Post, Best Audiobooks of 2020

‘Finally, a paperback, winner of last year's Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year, which reimagines the meeting of three extraordinary people, Bram Stoker, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. Reading this may even prompt me to attempt DRACULA for the first time too.’ — BookBrunch, What we’d like to read - Christmas 2020

BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER by Alan Parks

‘Two girls go missing in Harry McCoy’s third outing (after BLOODY JANUARY and FEBRUARY’S SON). The detective, world-weary at 30, also has to investigate the death of a druggy guitar genius whose global fame was fading. Glasgow, in the summer of 1973, is as fascinating and dangerous as Harry’s best pal, gangster Stevie Cooper. Alan Parks has clearly studied the masters of tartan noir, but has his own distinctive voice.’ – The Times, Best Crime Books of the Year 2020

THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH by Monique Roffey

‘This is Monique Roffey’s sixth novel and seventh book, and each one is markedly different from the other. She is the most adventurous of writers and THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH does not disappoint. Set in 1976 on the imaginary Caribbean island of Black Conch, this is a strange, haunting, original and memorable novel about Aycayia, a mermaid from deep history who is entrapped and taken out of the sea. At the mercy of American tourists, she is saved by a kindly fisherman who gives her shelter. Slowly, she starts to lose her tail and shed her scales and stands to metamorphose back into the indigenous Indian woman she once was, persecuted by other women because of her beauty. This is a novel packed with layers of meaning around womanhood, alienation, masculinity, toxic attitudes towards women, and inter-female rivalry, as well as love, compassion and the search for home.’ – Bernardine Evaristo, Waterstones, Bernardine Evaristo’s Favourite Reads of 2020

‘THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH by Monique Roffey (Peepal Tree) Just in time for my list the Costa shortlists are announced, which brings this book to my attention. A writer from Trinidad (along with another shortlisted author, Ingrid Persaud, whose LOVE AFTER LOVE I highly recommend), I much enjoyed her earlier ARCHIPELAGO, and so look forward to reading this.’ – Jo Henry, BookBrunch, What we’d like to read - Christmas 2020

‘Blending myth and history, magic and reality, this multi-voiced, multi-textured novel (it features journal excerpts and verse) tells a rich tale of love, jealousy and freedom, exposing racism, oppression and gender inequalities through its otherworldly cloak.’ – LoveReading, Our favourite Books of 2020

THE CATALOGUE OF SHIPWRECKED BOOKS by Edward Wilson-Lee

‘A majestic tour de force that explores the mind of a Renaissance great against the flow of Empire. Wilson-Lee presents a fitting tribute to the man behind the legend, impeccably researched, stunningly woven together and as epic in delivery as the West’s most famous explorer.’ — Wreckwatch Magazine, Wreckwatch Magazine Book of 2020

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BOOKS IN 2021

LOVE IN COLOUR by Bolu Babalola (US Edition)

A Goodreads ‘2021’s Hottest Romances’ pick

‘This collection of stories is a pure, joyous celebration of love, folklore, and the power of human connection in an often incomprehensible world. Drawing from mythology from West Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and more, Babolola crafts tales of romance that shift the perspectives and recontextualize well-trod tropes, offering an insightful, thoroughly modern take on what it means to feel guided by fate, captive to something bigger than yourself — to love.’ –Refinery29

‘A Nigerian goddess who longs to be seen, a young businesswoman who makes leaps in her love life, an influential Ghanaian spokeswoman who must decide if she will be true to her heart—these are just some of the characters you’re set to encounter in Babalola’s debut short story collection. Centering the folktales of West Africa, Babalola retells some of the most enduring mythologies with a refreshing voice. And though she also draws on Greek myths and legends of the Middle East, Babalola is keen to decolonize tropes inherent to these stories. This book is a celebration of love—its challenges and its sweet promise.’  – Lit Hub, Rasheed Saka, Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2021

‘After earning acclaim following its UK release in summer 2020, Bolu Babalola's debut is finally hitting the states. In this short story collection, the self-proclaimed “romcomoisseur” retells love stories from around the world. Mythology, folktales, and history from West Africa, Greece, and the Middle East serve as inspiration for her diverse romantic tales that add a new perspective to the genre's tropes.’ – Oprah Magazine, 27 Most Anticipated Romance Novels to Renew Your Faith in Love In 2021

‘I’m a big fan of British journalist Bolu Babalola (if you’re unfamiliar, her Vulture essay “The Innate Black Britishness of I May Destroy You” is the perfect example of her shrewd cultural criticism). Her fiction debut, a collection of reimagined love stories from history and myth, sounds fantastic: As Babalola herself describes it, it’s “a step towards decolonizing tropes of love.”’ —A.R., Buzzfeed

THE SWALLOWED MAN by Edward Carey

An AV Club ‘5 New Books to Read in January’ pick

‘Edward Carey and Elizabeth McCracken are Austin literary royalty, so it’s exciting that both have a new book out this year. Carey’s latest is a retelling of Pinocchio with a vast well of sympathy for the lying puppet’s lonesome and troubled creator, who spends much of THE SWALLOWED MAN contemplating his sins while in the belly of a whale. THE SWALLOWED MAN also has plenty of Carey’s trademark illustrations!’  – Molly Odintz, Lit Hub, Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2021

‘From the acclaimed author of LITTLE comes this beautiful and haunting imagining of the years Geppetto spends within the belly of a sea beast. Drawing upon the Pinocchio story while creating something entirely his own, Carey tells an unforgettable tale of fatherly love and loss, pride and regret, and of the sustaining power of art and imagination.’ – Tor.com, All the New Horror and Genre-Bending Books Arriving in January

CASE STUDY by Graeme Macrae Burnet

‘From the Booker-shortlisted author of HIS BLOODY PROJECT, a metafictional investigation into analysis and responsibility focused on a controversial 60s psychotherapist.’ – 2021 in Books: what to look forward to this year.’  – The Observer 

‘Graeme Macrae Burnet is a novelist who likes playing around with form. CASE STUDY (Saraband, October) comprises a number of notebooks sent to the author in 2020 concerning psychotherapist Arthur Collins Braithwaite, a 1960s contemporary of RD Laing. The notebooks are from a woman who is convinced Braithwaite is responsible for her sister’s death.’ – The Herald, 21 Books for 2021: Nick Major previews the year’s most exciting releases

THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean

A Her Magazine ‘85 Brilliant Books That We Can't Wait to Curl Up with in 2021’ pick

A Novel Suspects ‘30 Thrilling Books to Look Out for This Year’

A Financial Times pick for ‘Best New Crime Fiction’

‘Set on a remote farm and filled with lingering dread, The Last Thing to Burn is a chilling depiction of an obsessively controlling relationship driven to its breaking point.’ – Waterstones, Books to Look Forward to in 2021

‘Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name. She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen. Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished. For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting.’  – Grazia, The 30 Best Books We're Looking Forward to Reading in 2021

‘After three excellent novels featuring the deaf reporter Tuva Moodyson — DARK PINES (2018), RED SNOW (2019), BLACK RIVER (2020) — Will Dean has changed publishers and direction. This is a short, sharp shocker, burning with righteous anger, intended to highlight the evils of human trafficking.’ — Mark Sanderson, The Times, The Best Crime Fiction for January 2021

‘A bleak but brilliantly handled tale of oppression, torture and enslavement that will have you turning the pages late into the night.’ – inews, 75 of the best books for 2021

‘After the dramatic Swedish backdrops of his Tuva Moodyson trilogy, Will Dean switches to a farm in Lincolnshire’s fens in THE LAST THING TO BURN, a two-hander that has been misleadingly compared to Room. The narrator, the Vietnamese migrant Thanh Dao, is the tortured captive of her husband, Lenn, who burns her few possessions if her cooking and cleaning are below standard or she tries to escape. Dean laudably combines gaslighting and modern slavery in this set-up, but it makes for a necessarily repetitive and relentlessly grim read: as if Beckett had tackled the Bluebeard story, although without his merciful moments of poetry and humour.’ –  The Sunday Times, Best Thrillers for January 2021

‘The atmosphere is vivid, the characters are brilliantly drawn — especially Len, who shows surprising human touches despite his almost unconscious monstrousness. If it feels uncomfortable to be deriving entertainment from such a terrible situation, this story at least draws attention to a plight that is rooted in all-too-real-life tragedies. Claustrophobic, harrowing but also inspiring, this book is not for the faint-hearted. It’s hard to read, and hard to put down’ — News Chain, 5 new books to read this week

THE DREAM WEAVERS by Barbara Erskine

A Love Reading ‘Exciting New Books on the Horizon’ pick

LEFT YOU DEAD by Peter James

A Waterstones ‘The Best Fiction Books to Look Forward to in 2021’ pick

Grace (Peter James TV)

A Tatler ‘The Best TV Dramas to Look Forward to This Year’ pick

An inews ‘The Best TV Coming in 2021’ pick

A Mirror ‘Best New TV Shows 2021’ pick

A Telegraph ‘10 New TV Shows to Look Forward to in 2021’ pick

A Sunday Express ‘TV series to Watch in 2021’ pick

A Radio Times ‘Most Anticipated TV Dramas Coming in 2021’ pick

A BBC ‘TV in 2021’ pick

‘The crime writer has been referred to as the “king of police procedural”, thanks to his rigid commitment to authenticity. It is said James routinely accompanies detectives and police officers while they work as research for his 16-part franchise, which focuses on the heady antics of Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. With jolly titles like WANT YOU DEAD, NEED YOU DEAD and DEAD SIMPLE, there’s enough material to see you through until Covid-23 at the very least. From the TV writer Russell Lewis (Endeavour), ITV’s upcoming adaptation stars John Simm as Grace.’ – The Sunday Times

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? by Lucy Mangan

‘The Guardian journalist’s first novel is a comedy of domestic life, inspired by EM Delafield’s classic DIARY OF A PROVINCIAL LADY.’ –The Observer, 2021 in Books: what to look forward to this year

WHEN THEY FIND HER by Lia Middleton

‘WHEN THEY FIND is a haunting, emotional and nerve-shredding debut about a desperate mother, a tragic accident and a terrible lie that spirals out of control. Penned by a barrister specialising in crime and prison law, this is a sharp, sophisticated and intense thriller combining a dark plot with white-knuckle pace – and we couldn’t put it down.’ – Dead Good Books, Debut crime novels to watch out for 2021

GLOSSY by Nina-Sophia Miralles

‘Miralles, the founder of Londnr magazine, turns her hand to social history with this hugely entertaining peek behind the pages of Vogue.’ – inews, 75 of the best books for 2021

THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY by Sheila O’Flanagan

‘THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY by Sheila O’Flanagan (Headline) is a road-trip novel that begins in Ireland but covers France from north to south and Spain as well, as two women accidentally thrown together learn the importance of inter-generational friendship, and of coping with their personal upheavals back in the oul’ sod.’ – The Anglo-Celt, Looking for reasons to be cheerful in a year like no other

SHIVER by Allie Reynolds

An Irish Independent ‘New Voices and Stories Help Balance the Books’ pick

A Her Magazine ‘85 Brilliant Books That We Can't Wait to Curl Up with in 2021’ pick

A New York Post ‘These Three New Thrillers Set in Ski Resorts will Chill You to the Bone’ pick

The Sydney Morning Herald ‘Most Anticipated Books of 2021’ pick

A News Chain ‘Books Set to Create Buzz in 2021’ pick

An Independent ‘Books to Look Out For in 2021’ pick

An Echo Live ‘Experts offer their predictions on what’s going to be hot in the world of books 2021’ pick 

‘A promising debut with a dramatic setting.’ – The Sunday Times, Best Crime Novels for January 2021

‘Buckle up – this chilling thriller will have you feeling like you’re hurtling down a black run. Milla, a former snowboarder, is invited to a reunion in the French Alps. The friends haven’t seen each other for 10 years since the disappearance of the beautiful Saskia. With a broken ski lift, a blizzard setting in and a group turning on each other, secrets are about to emerge – and it isn’t pretty. An unforgettable debut.’ – Woman & Home, Best Books 2021: The reads to look out for this year

‘Written by debut author and former British top ten freestyle snowboarder, Allie Reynolds SHIVER is set in the glitteringly beautiful yet deadly French Alps. In the world of high stakes, professional snowboarding, five friends and former athletes reunite with sinister consequences.’ – Grazia,

 The 30 books We're Looking Forward to Reading in 2021

‘When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. …. In a deserted lodge high up a mountain, the secrets of the past are about to come to light.’ – Shemazing.net, The 10 best books you need to add to your reading list this winter

‘Locked-room mystery set against a snowy, Alpine backdrop, Allie Reynold’s SHIVER centers on five friends who come together to catch up after spending the last years apart. Once they arrive, however, they quickly come to realise that they’re stranded in the cold. Someone wants them to remember a sixth friend, but who is it and – after all this time – why?’  – Bustle, The Most Anticipated Books of January 2021

‘Mind games, a hyper-competitive cast of characters and a dangerous natural environment make SHIVER a seriously suspenseful mystery, with tension that builds and builds. Prepare to be chilled!’ –  Dead Good Books, Debut crime novels to watch out for 2021

‘In the grand tradition of Agatha Christie, Allie Reynolds's debut SHIVER is a locked-room mystery. The story begins with five friends meeting for a reunion, but things turn deadly when it becomes clear someone arranged for them to be stranded during a snowstorm.’ – Popsugar, 10 Must-Read New Thriller and Mystery Books Coming Out This January

BFLA Best of 2019 and Picks for 2020

We are so proud that our authors have been featured in so many of the Best of 2019 selections and picks for 2020. In celebration of these amazing achievements, we have compiled this summary of the lists in which our authors were included, along with the praise that accompanied their selection.

BEST BOOKS OF 2019

MANDALAY: RECIPES AND TALES FROM A BURMESE KITCHEN by Mimi Aye
‘It’s rare to come across a book that opens up a largely unknown cuisine, but MANDALAY does exactly that. Burmese recipes that combine the deliverable with the authentic, written with calm authority leavened with personal touches from an engaging personality.’ – Financial Times, Best Books of 2019: Food and Drink

‘This will likely be an introduction for many to an underappreciated cuisine, partly because of the politics of the place. Worry not, you are in excellent hands. Aye is a gifted recipe writer and opinionated champion of the food of her family (see, for instance, the short section on “Why MSG is A-OK”). This is a book to read as well as cook from, packed with evocative imagery.’ — The Observer, The 20 best food books of 2019

‘The book that opened my mind, and belly, to Burmese food, a cuisine I knew little about. Aye is the most beguiling of guides, weaving in tales of Burmese family and childhood travels, alongside recipes for mohinga and pickled tea-leaf salad.’ — Tom Parker Bowles, Daily Mail, Books of the Year 2019

‘Wonderful… The perfect introduction to a cuisine that draws from its neighbours in Thailand, India and China while making dishes that are quite unique. MiMi gives detailed descriptions of ingredients, techniques and recipes - giving the home cook all the tools, tips and - most of all - inspiration to make these dishes themselves.’ — Hot Dinners, The Best Cookbooks for Christmas Presents in 2019

CTRL+S by Andy Briggs
‘After more than a dozen novels for children, Andy Briggs has turned his hand to adult SF in the fast-paced, hi-tech thriller CTRL+S… A slick plot and a neat resolution.’ — The Guardian, Best Recent Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror

LITTLE by Edward Carey
’Edward Carey’s LITTLE is one of the most original historical novels of the year. Illustrated with the author’s unsettling, black-and-white drawings, it is inspired by the early life of Marie Grosholtz, better known as Madame Tussaud, although it is filled with Carey’s own vivid imaginings… By turns macabre, funny, touching and oddly life-affirming, LITTLE is a remarkable achievement.’ — The Sunday Times, Paperbacks of the Year

LOWBORN by Kerry Hudson
A Book of the Year for the Book Shambles podcast

‘[Kerry’s] writing is bold, beautiful, honest and sometimes painful to read. It gets my vote because Kerry illustrates the realities of what austerity in the UK does to people. At a time when people are relying on food banks, facing homelessness and struggling with cuts – it’s an essential read.’ — Stylist, The Decade’s 15 Best Books by Remarkable Women Authors

‘The power imbalance in Kerry Hudson’s memoir, LOWBORN, is both individual – a childhood surrounded by chaotic, often substance-altered adults – and societal. For her, the combination meant: “1 single mother; 2 stays in foster care; 9 primary schools; 1 sexual abuse child protection inquiry; 5 high schools; 2 sexual assaults; 1 rape; 2 abortions; my 18th birthday.” Also occasional homelessness and eight out of 10 on the Adverse Childhood Experiences scale. She escaped into the middle-class world of novel writing; in LOWBORN she returns, a refugee afflicted with survivor guilt, looking for memories and raging at how little has changed.’ — Guardian, Best Biography and Memoirs of 2019

‘A frank, personal story of Britain’s impoverished hidden millions.’ — Metro, Most Revealing Memoirs and Autobiographies of 2019

‘If there were any justice in the world, there would be a copy of Hudson’s powerful examination of her impoverished upbringing and why it continues to resonate under every politician’s Christmas tree.’  —iNews, Books of the Year 2019

‘In a society which often prefers to look in the opposite direction, Kerry Hudson's LOWBORN is an essential tour-de-force unravelling the realities of being born working class in Britain. Dubbed 'one of the most important books of the year' by the Guardian, LOWBORN is by turns an indictment of the UK's failing welfare state, and a humorous, heart-warming homage to the resilience of the human spirit. Read it, learn from it and pass it on.’ — Penguin, 10 of the Best VINTAGE Books of 2019

Peter James
Number 40 in The Bookseller’s list of the Top 50 highest earning authors of the year.

SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Tomasz Jedrowski
‘The overwhelming SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Tomasz Jedrowski, a young Polish author who writes rather miraculously in English, of which he has magisterial and frankly, Conradian command.’ — Sebastian Barry, Guardian, Best Books of the Year 2019

THE SCARFOLK ANNUAL by Richard Littler
‘This is the blackest of black humour.’ — Daily Mail, The Year’s Most Essential Books 2019

HIS BLOODY PROJECT by Graeme Macrae Burnet
‘If there is anything better than a historical novel, it has to be a historical crime novel, and Burnet proves himself a bit of a master of the genre with HIS BLOODY PROJECT… Multiple perspectives make this novel more twisty and turny than it already is, and although Burnet was an unexpected addition to the Man Booker Prize shortlist, this book more than earns its place. Masquerading as true crime – one of the most popular genres of the decade – it is also a work of strong literary merit, set in a community and a time that doesn’t get too much attention from authors who aren’t part of the Scottish literary scene. Burnet contributes to his own literary heritage with this novel, and honestly it also just a really cracking read.’ — Cultured Vultures, 10 Best Historical Novels of the 2010s

THE WILD REMEDY by Emma Mitchell
’A beautifully illustrated journey through the year, focussing on how nature and the outdoors can help our mental well being. Written with wisdom and kindness, and centred on Emma Mitchell’s own experiences, this is for anyone who loves learning more about the world around us, and for those who seek a way to help an unquiet mind. This book is a joy to own, and I cannot think of anyone whose life would not be a better place for reading it.’ — Joanna Cannon, Waterstones, Top 5 Reads of 2019

SHADOWPLAY by Joseph O’Connor
‘SHADOWPLAY is an absolutely magnificent book. It's not just a portrait of Bram Stoker, but a novel of the here and now. This is one of the best books of the year, anywhere.’ – Column McCann, The Irish Independent, Books of the Year

‘SHADOWPLAY has an extraordinary sense of the period and, using shifting scenes and changing perspectives, displays a brilliant ear for tone and nuance, and a wonderful talent for evoking and creating drama.’ – Sebastian Barry, Irish Independent, Books of the Year

‘A book inspiring deepest gratitude and admiration was Joseph O’Connor’s SHADOWPLAY, whose immaculate sentences were engines of the sometimes strange inner and outer reality of Bram Stoker and Henry Irving.’ — Sebastian Barry, Guardian, Best Books of the Year 2019

‘Resurrecting Victorian theatre in all its gaudy wizardry, this novel throws the limelight on three figures: Ellen Terry, the best-loved actress of the age; Henry Irving, its charismatic actor-impresario; and Bram Stoker, friend of both and author of the vampire classic Dracula. O’Connor’s panache and subtlety wonderfully match the gusto and creative finesse of the High Victorian world he dazzlingly evokes.’ – The Sunday Times, Best Novels of the Year 

‘Joseph O’Connor’s depiction of the theatre world of late 19th-century London in SHADOWPLAY is atmospheric and evocative, while he also manages to explore with verve, humour and acuity the public role and inner turmoil of the intriguing Bram Stoker.’ — Diarmaid Ferriter, The Irish Times, Books of the Year 2019

‘SHADOWPLAY by Joseph O’Connor was a glorious romp through Victorian London in the excellent company of Bram Stoker, Ellen Terry, Sir Henry Irving and the Lyceum Theatre. I believed every word of this fictionalised account of their relationship.’ — Liz Nugent, The Irish Times, Books of the Year 2019

‘I thoroughly enjoyed Joseph O’Connor’s SHADOWPLAY, which offers a dramatic and sensual insight into the lives of Bram Stoker and Henry Irving when they were working alongside each other at the Lyceum Theatre in 1870s London. O’Connor inhabits his characters with all the intensity of a method actor, re-creating an extraordinary world of creativity and self-doubt.’ — John Boyne, The Irish Times, Books of the Year 2019

‘GHOST LIGHT, Joseph O’Connor’s exquisite reimagining of Synge’s love affair with Molly Allgood, did not get the recognition it deserved. Not so SHADOWPLAY, his brilliant portrayal of Bram Stoker’s intense relationships with Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, a witty, wry, astute and tender delight.’ — Martin Doyle, The Irish Times, Books of the Year 2019

‘Now on the shortlist for the Costa Fiction Book of the Year, SHADOWPLAY is a fabulous, atmospheric jaunt back in time to Victorian London's West End, when Bram finds new inspiration and we watch as the immortal Dracula begins to take shape. An unmissable, colourful read about love, performance and creativity, you will practically be able to smell the greasepaint.’ — Penguin, 10 of the Best VINTAGE Books of 2019

‘It’s a book that totally swept me away to that lovely Victorian time in London, moonlight and fog – the atmosphere of it. He paints the canvas so well. You’re with Bram Stoker in the attic of the Lyceum Theatre where he was writing Dracula surrounded by all these ghost stories and the monstrous ego of Sir Henry Irving. Bram must have used Irving as inspiration for Dracula – he comes across as a really insecure monster in the book. It has comical flourishes as well because Oscar Wilde makes a cameo, which is very funny. You have some crazy tantrums by actors. It’s a bit like MOULIN ROUGE meets DRACULA. I absolutely loved it.’ — Oliver Callan, Irish Examiner, Well Known Figures Tell Us About Their Favourite Books of 2019

THE ’D’ MONOLOGUES by Kaite O’Reilly
Welsh Books – The Best of 2019 in Wales Arts Review

BOOKS TO READ IN 2020

ALLIGATOR & OTHER STORIES by Dima Alzayat
‘This rich short story collection exploring gender, identity, family and inheritance packs an emotional punch. Often told through the lens of everyday scenarios, the stories evoke displacement in a variety of ways: as a Syrian, as an Arab, as an immigrant and as a woman. While each story is different, they’re underpinned by experiencing “otherness”.’ — Cosmopolitan, 49 New Books by Black and POC Authors You’ll Be Reading in 2020

LOVE IN COLOUR: MYTHICAL TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, RETOLD by Bolu Babalola
‘In these 18 stories, writer and columnist Bolu Babalola retells love stories with a twist: she (thankfully) modernises the stories by removing sexism, racism and violence from these tales. Spanning Nigerian folktales, Greek myths to ancient tales from South Asia, these tales of romance and desire move across perspectives, continents and genre from the historic to current.’ — Cosmopolitan, 49 New Books by Black and POC Authors You’ll Be Reading in 2020

THE SWALLOWED MAN by Edward Carey
‘Edward Carey’s LITTLE (about the Life of Madame Tussaud) was a bit of a hit. This new one imagines the experiences of Pinocchio’s father, Geppetto, during the years he spent trapped in the belly of a shark.’ — The Times, Best Books of 2020

SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Tomasz Jedrowski
‘Imagine CALL ME BY YOUR NAME set in Communist Poland and you'll get a sense of Jedrowski's moving debut about a consuming love affair amidst a country being torn apart.’ — The Oprah Magazine, 31 LGBTQ Books That'll Change the Literary Landscape in 2020

THE LAST HUNT by Deon Meyer
‘The indefatigable detective duo of Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido has returned in this latest blockbuster adventure from Deon Meyer… You’ll enjoy the suspense and thrills of this runaway train of a mystery.’ — CrimeReads, Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2020

BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER by Alan Parks
Scottish Book Trust, 30 Scottish novels to look out for in 2020

TOMASZ JEDROWSKI’S SWIMMING IN THE DARK SOLD IN A SIX-WAY AUCTION IN UK AND FOR A SIX-FIGURE DEAL IN THE US

SWIMMING IN THE DARK, the tender and passionate debut by Tomasz Jedrowski, caused excitement on both sides of the Atlantic in the lead-up to London Book Fair. Set against the decline of communism in Poland in the 1980s, the novel tells a story of first love between two men as they seek moral integrity under a repressive system.

The manuscript garnered much praise from editors in the UK, leading to a hotly-contested six-publisher auction. Alexa von Hirschberg, senior commissioning editor at Bloomsbury secured UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Samuel Hodder. She praised the “seductive and heartbreaking novel, which as well as being a passionate coming-of-age story, also raises profound moral questions”.

Tomasz said: "I could not be more thrilled to be working with Bloomsbury. Their authors have inspired and sustained me throughout my creative journey and it's incredible that SWIMMING IN THE DARK will be published alongside writers who have helped to bring it to life. Many thanks to my agent Samuel Hodder at Blake Friedmann and to Alexa von Hirschberg at Bloomsbury for setting Ludwig's and Janusz's story free in such a gracious and loving way." 

Jessica Williams, senior editor at William Morrow, snapped up North American rights as part of an impressive six-figure pre-emptive deal. She told The Bookseller it was a “breath-taking debut”.

“I started SWIMMING IN THE DARK on a cold Saturday afternoon in New York, and immediately disappeared into its sensuous language and the lives of its characters,” she said. “I fell so utterly in love with Tomasz’s storytelling that I finished the book in one sitting, immediately sent a note to my publisher, and offered a pre-empt first thing Monday morning.”

Further auctions saw German rights sold to Hoffman und Campe, Italian rights to Edizioni E/O, and UK and Commonwealth audio rights to Audible. An auction for Dutch rights is ongoing.

Tomasz Jedrowski was born in Germany to Polish parents, but has lived in several countries, speaks five languages, and is a graduate of Cambridge University and Université de Paris. He currently lives in Warsaw but often travels to the UK. SWIMMING IN THE DARK is his first novel.