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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