Jo Dickinson, Publisher of the Crime & Thriller list at Hodder & Stoughton has pre-empted two standalone thrillers from Will Dean in the UK and Commonwealth, whilst Emily Bestler, Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief at Emily Bestler Books/Atria Books, has pre-empted both titles for North America.
Dickinson and Bestler bought rights from Kate Burke at Blake Friedmann; Dean will continue his Tuva Moodyson series published by Oneworld.
The first book, THE LAST THING TO BURN, will be published on 7th January 2021 in the UK and 20th April 2021 in the US, in hardback, eBook and audio. The novel is set in the East Midlands and centres around a couple who live in an isolated farmhouse, far from anyone, where the woman is being kept against her will.
Will Dean said: ‘I am delighted to be working with Jo Dickinson and the team at Hodder. This is a dream come true. The Hodder list is absolutely world class and includes many of my favourite authors. I am very lucky to be joining it.’
Kate Burke said: ‘I’m thrilled with this deal and this exciting, new strand of Will’s publishing.’
Jo Dickinson said: ‘I have been an admirer of Will’s writing for a while and this standalone novel absolutely blew me away. Intensely gripping and beautifully written, I felt I lived each moment with the characters. Will has so many fans already and we look forward to growing his readership with this novel. It will be a focus title for the whole company to launch in 2021 and we have exciting plans already in place.’
Readers can sign up for the chance to receive a limited edition early proof of THE LAST THING TO BURN, and the title is also being promoted with a xx campaign on NetGalley. Will Dean has also released new content on his YouTube channel (Forest Author) to talk further about the background to the thriller. The campaign will continue through the year to publication and beyond.
Early praise for THE LAST THING TO BURN
‘MISERY meets ROOM… a triumph!’ – Marian Keyes
‘A masterpiece.’ – Jane Casey
Praise for Will Dean
‘Challenges the Scandi crime giants on their home soil.’ – Sunday Times
‘A haunting example of stylish storytelling…Dean never lets the tension drop.’ – Daily Mail
‘The tension is unrelenting and I can’t wait for Tuva’s next outing.’ – Val McDermid, Mail On Sunday
‘Dean’s series about deaf Swedish reporter Tuva Moodyson is a must read – and this book is his best yet… BLACK RIVER is eerie, unnerving and buckets of fun.‘ — The Observer, Thriller of the Month
‘The best thriller I’ve read in ages.’ – Marian Keyes
‘A stylish, atmospheric and beautifully written thriller with a fascinating narrator.’ – Crime Review
‘A treat… Total Scandi vibes, a cracking plot and a hugely likeable heroine: the dream’ – Grazia
About the Author
Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.
DARK PINES, the first in the Tuva Moodyson series, was published to huge critical acclaim in 2018, was shortlisted for Not the Booker prize, selected for Zoe Ball’s TV Book Club and named as a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year.
Visit Will Dean’s YouTube channel.