PAN MACMILLAN ACQUIRES SARAH LEE’S DEBUT NOVEL

Gillian Green, Publishing Director for fiction at Pan Macmillan, has acquired World rights to Sarah Lee’s debut novel, AN OCEAN APART, from Senior Agent Kate Burke.

Set in the 1950s, AN OCEAN APART follows the lives of three young Caribbean women who come to England and train to be nurses in the then fledging NHS. The book is partly inspired by the author’s mother who originally came to the UK in the Sixties to become a nurse and the stories she has told the author about her training and experiences as a Windrush nurse.

Gillian Green says: ‘Sarah Lee’s debut – as well as being a wonderful story – is a complete love letter to the NHS and the Windrush Generation of nurses who came from the Caribbean to work for it. We’re so proud to be publishing this lovely slice of important historical fiction at Pan.’

Sarah Lee says: ‘I felt compelled to tell this story as many of the experiences of the characters in AN OCEAN APART resemble those of the proud, strong, caring women I grew up around, including my own mother. These pioneering young people left their homes, families and all that they knew to come to the ‘Mother Country’ and help lay the foundations of the NHS, with many giving over their entire working lives to the service. It is a privilege to be able to bring these little known stories to light.’

Kate Burke says ‘Gillian’s vision and passion for this novel has been evident from the start, and I’m delighted to be working with Sarah and the Pan team on this historical gem.’

Pan Macmillan will publish AN OCEAN APART in a library hardback in August, with the paperback to come in September 2022.

About Sarah Lee

Sarah Lee is a journalist and editor of 25 years, across news and features, and has written for regional and national newspapers as well as commissioned for women’s true life magazines. More recently, she has focused her attention on the world of travel, creating luxury blog, LiveShareTravel.com. She also works with destinations and brands worldwide on storytelling marketing campaigns and conferences through her company, Captivate.

Visit Sarah’s website and follow her on Twitter.

THE LAST THING TO BURN LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD

Will Dean’s highly acclaimed first standalone novel, THE LAST THING TO BURN, has been longlisted for the 2022 Theaktson Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.

The Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is one of the UK’s most prestigious crime-fiction awards, with its annual winner announced in a prize ceremony at the Harrogate Crime Festival. Members of the public can vote for their favourite crime novel over at https://harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com/.This year’s winner will be announced on the 21st of July.

On a remote farm Jane is kept under close surveillance by her husband. If he catches her doing something he doesn’t like, then she is punished. One day, though, everything changes, and she sees her chance to escape…

THE LAST THING TO BURN is an extraordinary story of resilience and determination in the most dire of circumstances. As well as winning praise from both readers and reviewers, THE LAST THING TO BURN has been longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger 2022 and was voted International Book of the Year by the Rick O’Shea Book Club.  It was first published by Hodder Books in January 2021, and is now available to buy in paperback.

Will’s most recent standalone, FIRST BORN, was published by Hodder on 14th April 2022. He is also the author of the Tuva Moodyson Mysteries, a crime series set in Sweden and published by Oneworld.

Praise for THE LAST THING TO BURN

‘This is a brilliant, chilling depiction of life on the very edges of society. I read it in one sitting, and lived every second of the book with the characters. Compelling, horrifying and gripping, and written with such empathy and control, it's probably the best thing I will read this year’ — Jane Casey

‘MISERY meets ROOM ... a triumph’ — Marian Keyes

‘Ratchets up the tension to the point where I had to check my pulse’ — Liz Nugent

‘Brilliantly written... Terrifying’ — Ruth Ware

‘Outstanding. The best thriller in years’ — Martina Cole

‘THE LAST THING TO BURN is one of the best thrillers I have read in years: I consumed it in great gulps, desperate to find out how Thanh Dao’s story played out, and then read it again, more slowly, savouring her courage and her unvanquished sense of self, despite everything.’ — Alison Flood, Observer

About Will Dean

Photo credit: Rosalind Hobley

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.

Follow Will on Twitter and Instagram, and visit his YouTube channel.

BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER by Alan Parks wins Edgar Allan Poe Award

BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER by Alan Parks was named the winner of the Best Paperback Original category of the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Awards, in a banquet held last week at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square.

BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER is the third book in the Harry McCoy series. It was published by Canongate in the UK in March 2020, and by Europa in the US in April 2021. It was followed by THE APRIL DEAD, which was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021. The fifth book in the Harry McCoy series, MAY GOD FORGIVE, was released in the UK on 28th April 2022, with the US edition following on 3rd May. The series is sold in more than ten countries around the world.

The 2022 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, now in its 76th year, seeks to honour the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2021. They are awarded by the Mystery Writers of America, which encompasses some 3,000 members including authors of fiction and non-fiction books, screen and television writers, as well as publishers, editors, and literary agents. Past winners of the Best Paperback Original category include

BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER by Alan Parks

July 1973. The Glasgow drugs trade is booming and Bobby March, the city's own rock-star hero, has just overdosed in a central hotel.

Alice Kelly is thirteen years old, lonely. And missing.

Meanwhile the niece of McCoy's boss has fallen in with a bad crowd and when she goes AWOL, McCoy is asked – off the books – to find her.

McCoy has a hunch. But does he have enough time?

Praise for the Harry McCoy series

‘The meticulously described setting is so suggestive readers may even catch whiffs of stale cigarette smoke and patchouli. Fans of Scottish noir will be satisfied.’ – Publishers Weekly

‘Parks’ sprawling plot offers not tidy whodunit puzzles but a wide-angle view of a gritty city in the grip of crime, home to an entertaining cross section of characters. Broad-shouldered McCoy is suitably unflappable as he walks Glasgow’s mean streets.’ – Kirkus Reviews

‘Parks captures the feel of a city long vanished in a breathless and tense retro crime caper.’ – The Sun

‘A series that no crime fan should miss: dangerous, thrilling, but with a kind voice to cut through the darkness.’ – Scotsman

‘Pitch-black tartan noir, set in 70s Glasgow ... Compelling ... with an emotional heart that’s hard to ignore.’ – Daily Mail

About Alan Parks

Alan Parks was Creative Director at London Records in the mid 1990’s, then at Warner Music, where he created ground-breaking campaigns for artists including All Saints, New Order, The Streets, Gnarls Barclay and Cee Lo Green. He was also Managing Director of 679 Recordings, a joint venture with Warner Music. His debut novel BLOODY JANUARY propelled him onto the international literary crime fiction scene immediately and his work has been hailed by contemporary writers and critics alike.

BLOODY JANUARY was shortlisted for the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, FEBRUARY’S SON was nominated for an Edgar Award, BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER was picked as a Times Best Book of the Year and THE APRIL DEAD was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year. The Harry McCoy series is optioned for television.

Alan was born in Scotland and attended The University of Glasgow where he was awarded a M.A. in Moral Philosophy. He still lives and works in the city that is so vividly depicted in the 1970s setting of his Harry McCoy thrillers.

THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean longlisted for CWA Gold Dagger Award

We are delighted that THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean has been longlisted for The Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger. The Gold Dagger is an award for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality, originally published in the UK.  The shortlist will be revealed on 13th May 2022 at CrimeFest in Bristol, and winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 29th June 2022 in London.

THE LAST THING TO BURN is Will Dean’s first standalone thriller, published by Hodder in January 2021 in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US.  A word-of-mouth sensation, it garnered praise from readers and reviewers alike. THE LAST THING TO BURN was a pick of the year in multiple publications, including  New Statesman, Daily Express and Culturefly. It was also voted International Book of the Year by the Rick O’Shea Book Club. 

Will’s most recent standalone, FIRST BORN, was published by Hodder on 14th April 2022. He is also the author of the Tuva Moodyson Mysteries, a crime series set in Sweden and published by Oneworld.

THE LAST THING TO BURN
He is her husband. She is his captive. 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 . . .

Praise for THE LAST THING TO BURN

'Brilliantly written... Terrifying' — Ruth Ware

‘Outstanding. The best thriller in years’ — Martina Cole

‘A short, sharp shocker, burning with righteous anger, intended to highlight the evils of human trafficking.’ — The best crime fiction for January 2021, Mark Sanderson, The Times

‘The tone remains unremittingly grim throughout, but this is a true nail-biter; you’ll be rooting for the astonishingly resilient heroine all the way.’ — Guardian

‘You will not so much read as breathlessly inhale this standalone novel from the author of the Tuva Moodyson mystery series... What happens over the course of this book will haunt you long after you finish reading it. Brilliant - and one of the best books of 2021.’ — Isabelle Broom, Women & Home

About Will Dean

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. He is currently writing his third standalone novel for Hodder.

Follow Will on Twitter

Canelo acquires two novels by Hannah Treave

Senior commissioning editor Emily Bedford of Canelo Books has acquired WEL rights to two standalone novels by Hannah Treave from Senior agent Kate Burke.

The first of these novels, THE NOTEKEEPER, is a warm and uplifting story set in a hospice in Bath. Zoe, a care nurse, has taken it upon herself to become ‘The Notekeeper’ – writing down the last words of her patients to deliver to their loved ones. She knows just how much comfort last words can bring, having experienced losses of her own. However, her new boss, Ben, isn’t too pleased that Zoe is getting so involved in her patients’ lives. His disapproval dissipates once he too opens up to Zoe, and he realises that facing one’s past is the only way to get closure.

Zoe and Ben start to become closer and on their journey to deliver the last words of their patients, love begins to blossom between them. Some devastating news threaten their new-found happiness though – is Zoe about to have her heart broken all over again?

Emily Bedford says: ‘It’s so rare to come across a story that has the power to utterly break your heart and then piece it all together again, but that is exactly what THE NOTEKEEPER does and I am thrilled to be publishing the novel. Hannah is an incredibly gifted writer, able to bring hope and joy even to the most heart-wrenching of scenes. I was utterly spellbound by Zoe’s journey throughout the story and her experiences are a gentle balm that will leave readers feeling both moved and soothed.’

Hannah Treave says: ‘I am beyond delighted to be published by Canelo and know THE NOTEKEEPER is in the best possible hands with the utterly fabulous Emily Bedford as my editor. Writing THE NOTEKEEPER was a real passion project, with a story that consumed me, which is something Emily understood immediately. I can’t wait to introduce readers to Zoe and Ben and am thrilled to be continuing my publishing journey with Canelo.’

Kate Burke says: ‘Emily’s passion and vision for THE NOTEKEEPER were clear from the start, and I’m delighted to have this deal in place with her and the Canelo team.’

THE NOTEKEEPER will be published in November 2022, in ebook and paperback, with a second standalone novel to follow in 2023.

German rights have already been sold in a multi-publisher auction, Chinese rights pre-empted, and audio rights were won at auction by Bolinda.

Praise for Hannah Treave (writing as Fiona Ford)

‘A wonderful, uplifting story of friendship and courage. Characters that you can't help falling in love with! This new saga series will surely touch the hearts of saga readers everywhere’ — Nancy Revell, author of THE SHIPYARD GIRLS series

‘I loved the warmth of the friendship between Mary and her friends and the wonderful world of Liberty’s. It’s a page turner of a book with twists and turns than make you keep on reading to find out what happens next.’ — Rosie Hendry, author of the EAST END ANGELS series

‘A compelling first novel by Fiona Ford, which I promise you won't be able to put down.’ — Daisy Styles, bestselling author of THE BOMB GIRLS

‘A fabulous debut from an immensely talented author.’ —Annie Groves

‘Ford gets to the heart of what it was like to live through the dangerous war years in this warm, captivating, down-to-earth story which is brimming with engaging characters, adventure, romance and heartbreak.’ — Lancashire Post

About Hannah Treave

Hannah Treave is a freelance journalist with fifteen years’ experience working with women's weekly and monthly magazines. Under the name of Fiona Ford she has written four historical novels (set during WW2), published by Penguin Random House, and three contemporary ones (HQ and Head of Zeus).

Visit Hannah/Fiona’s website and her follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.