Isobel Dixon Makes 2021's Bookseller 150

We are delighted that Isobel Dixon, MD and Head of Books at Blake Friedmann, as well as current President of the Association of Authors’ Agents (AAA), has again been included in The Bookseller 150 list. The Bookseller 150 is an annual list of the 150 most influential people in UK publishing.

Isobel has worked in publishing for over 26 years, and represents writers from around the world, including Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers and international prize winners. She is a Trustee of the National Centre for Writing, a Frankfurt Book Fair Fellow and a mentor for the Rebecca Swift Foundation Women Poets’ Prize. She also plays an active role on the board of The Book Trade Charity. As a poet her work is published by Nine Arches in the UK and Jacana and Modjaji in South Africa.

On her inclusion in this year’s 150, The Bookseller stated: ‘It’s been a year of growth and change for Dixon’s Blake Friedmann, with Daisy Way, Kate Burke and Juliet Pickering becoming directors. Dixon’s own highlights included Monique Roffey winning the Costa and inking a new, massive five-book deal for crime king Peter James with Pan Mac. Dixon expertly led the Association of Authors’ Agents in an eventful year, which included joining other trade bodies on the Save our Books copyright campaign and adjusting admission requirements to enable the organisation to become more inclusive.’

Isobel says: ‘The Bookseller 150 is a great encouragement, but it is recognition shared with many and only possible because of the efforts, inspiration and company of many heroes and comrades: my brilliant authors and colleagues, fellow agents, the AAA committee and members, and publishing friends all round. Congratulations to all on the list for the work they do for the book trade, and also to Bernardine Evaristo for her richly deserved special 151st accolade.’

See more on the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency promotions mentioned in the Bookseller 150 – from December 2020 and December 2021.

See more about Isobel and her clients here.

Follow Isobel on Twitter and Instagram, and visit her website.

Blake Friedmann Cultural Highlights in 2021

LIZZY ATTREE

Khadija Abdalla Bajabar THE HOUSE OF RUST (Greywolf Press, 2021)

This novel won the inaugural Graywolf Press Africa Prize ($12,000) in 2018 which was judged by A. Igoni Barrett. The Kenyan author is of Hadrami descent, born and still living in Mombasa. The story follows a young girl who goes to the sea to search for her fisherman father, accompanied by a scholar’s cat. Bajaber blends the folk stories of post-independence Mombasa with a coming-of-age tale, as her protagonist faces the monsters ahead and the demons of her past. A magical realist debut exploring selfishness, independence, family loyalty and individuality.

DISRUPTION – new short fiction from Africa (Catalyst Press, 2021)

I’ve had the great pleasure of working with Short Story Day Africa to get this book published, so a bit biased, but I really do think it’s an excellent collection of short stories. A genre-spanning anthology exploring the many ways that we grow, adapt, and survive in the face of our ever-changing global realities. These evocative, often prescient, stories showcase new and emerging writers from across Africa to investigate many of the pressing issues of our time: climate change, pandemics, social upheaval, surveillance, and more. Authors from across Africa use their stories to explore the concept of change--environmental, political, and physical--and the power or impotence of the human race to innovate our way through it.

OUR GHOSTS WERE ONCE PEOPLE ed. Bongani Kona (Jonathan Ball, 2021)

This poignant and thought-provoking anthology gives us portraits of grief as seen through the eyes of writers and poets such as Sisonke Msimang, Dawn Garisch, Lidudumalingani, Mary Watson, Ishtiyaq Shukri, Hedley Twidle, Karin Schimke, Khadija Patel, Shubnum Khan and many others. Bongani Kona has expertly edited this unique collection so that we can consider the pain of death as transformative, finding beauty in the stories so that we can find ways to live with loss.

Next year: Looking forward to Yomi Sode’s MANNORISM out in May 2022 with Penguin.

KATE BURKE

TV: MARE OF EASTTOWN (created by Brad Ingelsby)

The always-excellent Kate Winslet was particularly brilliant and complex in this crime series about the impact of a young mother’s murder on a small, dysfunctional, American town. Wrestling with her own demons, she shone in an understated way as a dogged detective who would stop at nothing until she solved the crime. Dark, atmospheric, and full of great twists and turns - I loved it!

Book: THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Having read and enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six last year, I picked up one of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s earlier books, THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO, and read it in two sittings! This is rare for me – I have picked up and put down so many books this year – but something about the glamour of 1950s Hollywood sucked me right in and I just couldn’t put this down. It’s a light, entertaining and absorbing read, and quite a poignant story about a talented woman in a (then) male-dominated industry.

Film: CANDYMAN (written and directed by Brandon Rose, 1992)

Ahead of the release of the remake/reimagining in September, I watched horror film CANDYMAN for the first time since the early 90s (when I was far too young to have been watching it – saw it at a friend’s sleepover without my parents knowing!) and it was much better and more thriller-ish than I remembered. I have always thought of it as a gruesome slasher but it had much more depth and plot than I remember, commenting on American society at the time and covering issues such as race, class and religion. That said, it still gave me the heebie-jeebies and you’ll never catch me saying ‘Candyman’ five times while staring in a mirror! And, having watched this again, I was then too scared to go and watch the remake…

ANTONIA COKER

Books: GROWN: THE BLACK GIRLS’ GUIDE TO GLOWING UP by Melissa Cummings-Quarry (Author), Natalie A Carter (Author), Dorcas Magbadelo (Illustrator) (Bloomsbury, 2021)

I got sent this book by a PR company out of the blue, and I’m so glad it reached me. Though meant for younger readers, I think GROWN is essential reading for every black girl in the UK and beyond. It teaches valuable life lessons on health, finance and ultimately growing up. I learned a few things from it myself! It’s the guide I wish I had when I was young, and one that I’m thrilled to have now. I can’t wait to see how the black girl book club progresses after this. 

TV: THE LAST DANCE (ESPN, Netflix)

As an avid basketball fan, I’m ashamed to admit I missed the initial showing of this series when it was premiering on Netflix last year, but I am glad to have discovered it this year! The rise and journey of the famous basketball player Michael Jordan was equal parts insightful and entertaining, and I found myself fully engrossed in his journey to win a ring for the Chicago Bulls. The documentary series contains never before seen footage of the ‘97/‘98 Bulls team, and though I’m not a Bulls’ fan myself, I found myself rooting for them to win anyway. 

Music: AALIYAH by Aaliyah

I was almost four when the news that Aaliyah Haughton had passed away in a plane crash shook the world, so other than her icon status and role as Akasha in The Queen of the Damned, I’ve never really known much about her. Early this year, I listened to her final album AALIYAH and pretty much fell in love. It’s still in my heavy rotations now. To me, it’s one of the best R&B albums I’ve ever heard, and it’s easy now for me to understand her place as a pop legend. 

Next year: Next year I’m looking forward to THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH. I’m a major Shakespeare dweeb and can still recite most of his soliloquy from act 2 scene 1 from memory. I’m excited to see how the latest adaptation plays out!

ISOBEL DIXON

I know I’m not alone in finding it hard to believe that 2021 is nearing its end… I’m thinking back over this surreal year, feeling that complex seam between the still-virtual and the just-out-in-the-world, with flashes of wonderful online events and poetry readings, including ones featuring two Ireland-linked publications, Martina Evans’s American Mules (Carcanet) and Simon Barraclough’s Iarnród Éireann (Broken Sleep). Also the first chance in two years to read In Real Life myself, with other poets, outdoors on a beautiful sunny afternoon in Lewes, for Finished Creatures Issue Five – a blessing of a day.

In my publishing life there were happy reunions with authors and book trade comrades at Harrogate Crime Festival, Frankfurt Book Fair and Crossing Border Festival in The Hague. Each epic in its own way, and never to be taken for granted again.

Three events were particular highlights and feel somehow linked, calling for special mention:

Karoo violet, Aptosimum indivisum

Isobel Dixon

1.      The London Review of Books’ online festival SUBJECT/OBJECT: THE BIRDS. Thoughtfully curated, beautifully executed, I learned so much and revelled in being so immersed in avian life, over a week in May, while at my desk.

 2.      What a joy it was to return to live theatre in June, after so long. For years I’ve had a Faber CD of T.S. Eliot’s FOUR QUARTETS read by Ralph Fiennes, and think he renders the poem superbly. I leaped at the chance to go to his one-man show at the Cambridge Arts Theatre, and loved it.

 3.      Then, out in the wide, bright open, the D.H. LAWRENCE SOCIETY’S FESTIVAL WALK on a glorious blue-gold September day, from Greasley Church near Nottingham, and through the surrounding fields. All the more resonant as it’s the setting of a striking D.H. Lawrence short story, ‘Love Among the Haystacks’.

 The most joyful return of all was to see my beloved sisters and in-laws in South Africa this month, albeit for a trip far too short, and somewhat fraught due to the UK’s precipitous travel ‘red-listing’. What I look forward to most in 2022 is to do again what I and my sisters and young nephew did together last week – walking in the veld above Nieu Bethesda, spotting Karoo flowers that had emerged after the welcome recent rain. A different world. I’ll return with this wonderful gem of a book in hand – KAROO: SOUTH AFRICAN WILD FLOWER GUIDE, text by David Shearing, illustrations by Katryn van Heerden.

SIAN ELLIS-MARTIN

Book: I WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN MEN by Jacqueline Harpman (translated by Ros Schwartz)

I’m not usually a big fan of dystopian fiction but a friend sent me this book and I couldn’t put it down or stop thinking about it when I finished. The story centres on one woman who is trapped in a bunker with 39 older women until one day, something unexpected happens and everything changes. A haunting and compelling read that I’ve recommended to absolutely everyone.

 Music: 30 – Adele

I spent most of the pandemic telling everyone that I was sure Adele was going to help us through it and, better late than never, here she is.

 TV: MAID (created by Molly Smith Metzler, Netflix)

Based on the book by Stephanie Land, MAID follows Alex, a single mother working as a maid to keep a roof over her daughter’s head. It’s a stark exploration of the poverty that still exists in countries as developed as America, and the ridiculously complicated systems that people must navigate to receive very basic support. Stellar acting from everyone involved but I was especially blown away by real-life mother-daughter duo Margaret Qualley and Andie Macdowell.

Looking forward to in 2022:

TO PARADISE by Hanya Yanagihara, of course.

JULIAN FRIEDMANN

Footwear: SKECHERS

I have been a life-long wearer of Timberland shoes; with TLC and hide food they almost never wore out. But I had to buy a pair of red shoes for a 60th birthday party: my friend Thomas Spieker thought red shoes were less onerous than full fancy dress. So, complaining a lot, I bought my first pain of SKECHERS shoes. What a revelation! It was like wearing cotton wool around one’s feet. I did need some kind of arch support and mirabile dictu, you can get that as standard. The older I get the more I appreciate comfort.

Book: HUANDUJ: BRUGMANSIA by Alistair Hay, Monika Gottschalk and Adolfo Holguin (Kew Press, 2012)

For years I have grown beautiful plants I believed were called datura. Carole and I first saw them in Masai Mara on safari: magnificent lily-like flowers with amazing scent at night (propagated by moths). I saw a book at the RHS Wisley bookshop which was so expensive that I decided I would find a cheaper book on the plant, which I did (2nd hand). Then I was given a big book token, so on my next visit to Wisley purchased HUANDUJ: BRUGMANSIA and discovered that my plants were brugmansia not datura.

Carole Drinkwater’s books and TV series

The latter is called A YEAR IN PROVENCE. The books start with AN OLIVE FARM. Since we have access to a family villa in the South of France that has over 30 olive trees, my interest was piqued as the subject of this documentary series is very close to where we stay. I remember Carole and her film and TV producer husband Michel from heady days on the Croisette in Cannes. The series is easy on the eye, full of memories and insights into how to make a baguette, harvest lavender, make cheese. Not high culture (I am sure my colleagues will keep the side up) but delicious nevertheless.

SAMUEL HODDER

TV: IT’S A SIN (Russell T Davies)

This unforgettable, deeply humane short series warms your heart only to break it, as we fall in love with a group of gay friends in 1980s London while the AIDS epidemic is beginning to take its terrible toll. The series is brilliant at capturing the confusion of the time, as wild rumours swirl amidst the general panic and near-silence from the authorities. It’s outrageous to see how the early sufferers were treated. Despite this, the characters are never reduced to being only victims. They are full of life and wit and humour, and there is much joy – and much to be thankful for, especially friendship – among the sadness.

Film: THE POWER OF THE DOG (written and directed by Jane Campion. Adapted from the novel by Thomas Savage)

I’m so glad I stumbled across this on Netflix! It’s a modern Western, richly complicating the stereotype of the rugged rancher who colonised the American West. Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a brutish rancher in Montana, close only to his brother George, who he nevertheless bullies. When George abruptly marries the widowed Rose (the marvellous Kirsten Dunst) and brings her to the ranch, Phil’s psychological bullying drives Rose to drink. But Phil has underestimated Rose’s delicate teenage son, and how Phil’s own secrets and needs might make him vulnerable. This Western becomes an uneasy, unpredictable slow-burn thriller. After watching the film, I immediately sought out the novel (published 1967) by Thomas Savage, which is a joy.

Book: ON PHOTOGRAPHS by David Campany (Thames & Hudson, 2021)

My interest in photography first grew from using Instagram (I guess social media isn’t always bad!) and it quickly became my favourite pastime, helping me to relax, to be a little creative and use a non-verbal part of my brain. Another pleasure has been learning about the history of photography and the work of master photographers. On Photographs (the title is an allusion to Susan Sontag’s On Photography) has been my favourite photography book of the year – erudite, thoughtful but accessible, as it explores photography and what the medium is capable of from many different perspectives, each illustrated by a celebrated photograph.

And in 2022: YOUNG MUNGO by Douglas Stuart (Picador)

Douglas Stuart is such an exciting talent and his debut Shuggie Bain was my favourite novel of 2020 – I was delighted when it won the Booker Prize. I cannot wait for YOUNG MUNGO, published Picador in April 2022. And I was excited to see the cover features an iconic photograph by Wolfgang Tillmans, the first photographer to win the Turner Prize.

LOUISA MINGHELLA

TV: WE ARE LADY PARTS (Nida Manzoor)

It’s rare that you come across a piece of media that gives you everything you want. I watched the whole of WE ARE LADY PARTS in one night, and have been talking about it ever since. There’s something uniquely bold about how quietly revolutionary this show is. Nida Manzoor has created an authentic and gently progressive British comedy, but it’s also a primal scream (literally) in the face of whitewashing and western ideals of representation. Punky in all its forms, I have nothing but good things to say about this show. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, run as fast as you can to All4 and check it out. Absolutely - unbelievably, unapologetically - brilliant.

TV: NEVER HAVE I EVER (Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher)

2021 has given me a lot more time to enjoy the juicier of Netflix’ series, and I put on NEVER HAVE I EVER thinking it would be a silly comedy about teens in America, which was what I fancied at the time. But it wasn’t what I got. Sure, it’s funny and light, but it’s also a masterclass in the modern comedy-drama. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan shines in the role of Devi, as she weaves through the insecurities of high school while trying to process the traumatic death of her father. It’s relatable. It’s heart-breaking. It’s hilarious. And it faithfully represents modern Indian-American culture while navigating universal themes like grief and teen angst and parenthood and sex. Who knew, Hollywood, that you could do both? (We all did.)

Film: ROCKS (Sarah Gavron, Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson)

I watched ROCKS when it first came out as part of a film festival, but I needed to revisit it because I cried so much that most of it was blurry the first time. Honestly, this is a masterpiece of British film-making. I probably can’t say anything more meaningful than just find it and watch it and do it as fast as you can. The actors are beautiful and natural, and since they’re all non-professional young women, Gavron did a fantastic job capturing the feel of their easy inter-personal relationships. Rocks is a wonderful character, and you feel for her the moment you lay eyes on her. There is such an innate sense of love in this film, every moment is soaked in goodness. I’m crying writing this. Go watch it.

HANA MURRELL

Opera: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Rossini, performed by the Welsh National Opera.

I’m slowly being converted into an opera-goer, thanks to a dear family friend who was the stellar female lead in this entertaining, delightful production. She assured me that it sounds even more beautiful sung in Italian, but hearing it in English makes it so brilliantly accessible, in my humble opinion.

Podcast: Movie Therapy

I’ve loved listening to this podcast over the last year, and although I’m feeling bereft now that the hosts have brought it to an end, there are hundreds of episodes for you to enjoy. Kristen and Rafer are film and TV critics who offer compassionate, often very witty advice on listeners’ personal dilemmas, and prescribe films and TV shows that might help the listener find a solution or at least see that they’re not alone in their situation. A brilliant mix of high- and low-brow recommendations.

Book: QUIET: THE POWER OF INTROVERTS IN A WORLD THAT CAN’T STOP TALKING by Susan Cain

Not a new book (published in 2012), but new to me. It’s a really compelling read, narrated by Cain’s curious, empathetic and authoritative voice.  It’s given me a greater understanding of my own (introvert-leaning) personality and those of the people around me.

JULIET PICKERING

Book: SORROW AND BLISS by Meg Mason

I came to this novel expecting it to be the story of one woman’s breakdown and its repercussions, but it was SO much more. It’s a rich, insightful, quick-witted and deeply enjoyable book about family, and the complexities and nuances of behaviour that make you realise a person is not one thing, but many very different things to many, different people – and to themselves. It’s such a good conversation about the ways that we get older and grow together, as families, and how tiny slights become huge fallouts, which can be deflated again with the exposure of a sharp truth. I loved it so much that I’m going to take the exceedingly rare move of re-reading SORROW AND BLISS over the holidays, as a treat.

Film: ROBIN, ROBIN (Aardman Animations)

I love a festive film, and this short animation about a robin who believes he’s a mouse is not only perfect entertainment for my young son, but also fills me with Christmassy warmth, even on the 19th re-watch. Recommended!

Book: HOW TO EAT by Nigella Lawson (audiobook)

I’m still slow to enjoy audiobooks properly – I listen at bedtime and have a great knack for dropping off 5 mins in, and remembering nothing about what I’ve ‘heard’ the next day – but I saw someone online recommend comfort-listening to HOW TO EAT. I was intrigued by the idea of listening to recipes in audio, but the main appeal is really Nigella’s tips and tricks, which offer up some real gems. It’s easy and soothing to listen to her talk about what kind of olive oil to use for hollandaise (mine: Sainsbury’s own brand; hers: Ligurian), and fancy that one day you might be able to live the kind of life that features many exquisite olive oils, the best dark chocolate and organic-only meat. One can dream…  

 JAMES PUSEY

Theatre: THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH by William Shakespeare (Almeida Theatre)

Saoirse Ronan and James McArdle excelled in Yaël Farber’s haunting production.

 Art: JOHN NASH: THE LANDSCAPE OF LOVE AND SOLACE (Towner Gallery, Eastbourne)

A major exhibition of the visionary artist’s oil paintings, watercolours, wood engravings and lithographs, depicting the British landscape.

 Cinema: THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS (Dir: Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw)

Deep in the forests of Piedmont the hunt for the white truffle is on! Charming, quirky, moving and timeless.

TABITHA TOPPING

Film: EMMA (dir. By Autumn de Wilde)

Not being exactly enamoured with the novel or its heroine, I didn’t seek out the 2020 adaptation of Jane Austen’s EMMA (starring Anya Taylor-Joy) despite the acclaim it received. However, when I finally got round to watching it, I was shocked by how much I loved it. Emma still aggravates me no end, but the combination of the acting, aesthetics and sharp, witty script had me spellbound and I even cried at the end! I may even pick the novel up again…

Poetry: HONORIFICS by Cynthia Miller

A stunning collection. I read it sat by a lake on one of the last scorching days of the year. I had just swum for the first time since the Coronavirus pandemic hit and this collection kept me rapt as I slowly dried in the sun. It was shortlisted for the 2021 Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and is truly astonishing, with poems on subjects as wide-ranging as family, immigration and jellyfish. One I’m sure I will continue to revisit in the years to come.

Non-fiction: WHO OWNS ENGLAND? by Guy Shrubsole

A fascinating look at the unequal distribution of land ownership across England and how it perpetuates wealth and class inequality. Sobering and necessary.

2022 pick: OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA by Julia Armfield

Having adored her short story collection SALT SLOW, I am desperately excited for Julia Armfield’s debut novel, OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA, which is due to be published by Picador on the 3rd of March. Love, grief, loss and the deep, deep sea – what more could you want?!

DAISY WAY

Podcast: SENTIMENTAL IN THE CITY (Caroline O’Donoghue and Dolly Alderton)

I’ve listened to and enjoyed several episodes of Caroline O’Donoghue’s books podcast, Sentimental Garbage, over the last few years, and I absolutely loved revisiting Sex and the City through her mini-series, SENTIMENTAL IN THE CITY, which she co-hosted earlier this year with Dolly Alderton. Across 8 episodes, they took a deep dive into each season as well as the films (yes, even the second one) and their witty, silly conversations just gave me all the warm, happy vibes I needed during my many rainy walks of lockdown number three. An honourable mention must also go to Drama Queens, another rewatch podcast for noughties American teen drama One Tree Hill – clearly this year I’ve been feeling nostalgic..!

Book: HAMNET by Maggie O’Farrell

I read HAMNET by Maggie O’Farrell at the start of the year and within the opening chapters knew it’d be one of my top picks for 2021, though I don’t think there’s much I can say that hasn’t already been said. Haunting and beautiful, it’s a heart-wrenching, unputdownable read which will stay with me for a long time. Standing ovation!

TV: SWEET TOOTH (created by Jim Mickle)

Like most, I have without a doubt watched more TV this year than ever before and it’s hard to pick a favourite now, but one series that stands out is SWEET TOOTH (Netflix). I didn’t expect to enjoy a fantasy series set ten years after a virus changed the world forever (ahem), nor did I expect to find the half-deer, half-boy protagonist so endearing, but I did. As you see a frightening world through Gus’ innocent eyes, what could have been a somewhat gloomy dystopian nightmare is actually quite charming, hopeful almost. An unexpected treat.

Hodder & Stoughton snaps up two more standalones from Will Dean

Jo Dickinson, Executive Publisher at Hodder & Stoughton, has acquired two new high-concept standalone thrillers by Will Dean, to be published in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Dickinson bought UK and Commonwealth rights including audio from Kate Burke at Blake Friedmann. The first of these new books is set on a cruise ship, where a woman wakes up in the morning to find she is the only person left on board.

Will’s first standalone novel, THE LAST THING TO BURN was published in January 2021 and received widespread praise. The paperback format publishes in February 2022. The film rights have been optioned by Sigma Films (whose credits include OUTLAW KING, RED ROAD and STARRED UP).

Dean’s second standalone, FIRST BORN, will be published in hardback in April 2022 and will be backed by an ambitious campaign in both the UK and US. A tale of rivalry and deceit, it follows the story of Molly Raven who is attempting to uncover what happened to her twin sister Katie. Could it be murder? She travels to New York City to find out.

Will Dean says: ‘I feel so fortunate to continue working with Jo and the wonderful team at Hodder. I’m glad THE LAST THING TO BURN resonated with readers, and I’m grateful to each and every librarian and bookseller who recommended it. The fact that the amazing people at Sigma Films can now bring the story to screen is a dream come true.’

Kate Burke says: ‘I’m delighted to have this new deal in place with the fantastic Hodder team! It has been a great journey so far and this is just the beginning – I predict amazing things for Will’s next books.’

Jo Dickinson says: ‘Working alongside Will on the brilliant THE LAST THING TO BURN and FIRST BORN has been an absolute joy and I’m delighted to have acquired two new novels. Will is an exceptional writer. He has so many fans already and I believe these new books will take him to even greater heights.’

Will’s Tuva Moodyson series will continue to be published by Oneworld.

Praise for THE LAST THING TO BURN and FIRST BORN:

‘MISERY meets ROOM… a triumph!’ – Marian Keyes

‘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

‘THE LAST THING TO BURN is a remarkable exploration of the misery of life on the fringes of society. Unrelenting tense and chilling, yet impossible to put down, the reader lives every second with Thahn, desperately hoping she can escape the monstrous Lenn. This thriller is a level above anything Dean has written before and an early contender for one of the best books of the year.’ — Sunday Express

‘Equal parts murder mystery and psychological thriller, Will Dean dazzles with FIRST BORN. A tense, taut plot that blows through unexpected twists and turns, you won't be able to look away until the final, shattering page.’ – Julie Clark

‘Tiptoes into Highsmith territory here. Pacy, exhilarating and jaw-dropping, it's a meditation on identity and loneliness as well as a bloody good page-turner. New York buffets the characters about its ruthless streets, just as the reader is propelled from one twist to the next’ – Erin Kelly

Photo: Rosalind Hobley

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,  shortlisted for Not the Booker prize, selected for Zoe Ball’s TV Book Club and named as a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. The second Tuva Moodyson mystery, RED SNOW, won Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers' Awards, 2019, and was longlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2020. His third novel, BLACK RIVER, was chosen as Observer Thriller of the Month.

Follow Will on Twitter and Instagram.

Watch Will on YouTube.

Sally Andrew’s RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER to be adapted for television by M-Net

Principal photography has begun on the new South African murder mystery series RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER, based on the Tannie Maria novels by Sally Andrew. Starring Outlander actor Maria Doyle Kennedy and Tony Kgoroge, the series will premiere on M-Net (DStv 101) in March 2022 in South Africa and Acorn TV will then bring the show to the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Further territory information will be announced in due course.

The ten-episode series being filmed in the Karoo and Scotland is a co-production between South African network M-Net (part of the Multichoice Group), AMC Networks' Acorn TV, German distributor Global Screen (a brand of Telepool) and Cape Town-based Both Worlds Pictures, who are producing in collaboration with Scottish indie Pirate Productions.

M-Net will hold exclusive rights to the series in Africa and Acorn TV will hold exclusive rights in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand, while Telepool-owned Global Screen will handle distribution for the rest of the world. This quirky, heartwarming and deliciously food-filled  murder mystery series is based on Sally Andrew's acclaimed novel RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER: A TANNIE MARIA MYSTERY and centres on Maria Purvis (played by Kennedy), an advice columnist who investigates the murder of one of her correspondents.

When a woman who has written to Maria about her abusive husband is found dead, Maria joins forces with a courageous rookie journalist, Jessie September (played by newcomer Kylie Fisher). Together the two women set out to solve the small-town murder and catch the killer – before the local police find more victims. Tony Kgoroge plays Khaya Meyer, the local Chief Detective.

Read what Sally Andrew has to say about her experience of optioning film rights to her bestselling series:

https://www.paperturn-view.com/penguin-post-magazine/penguinpost14?pid=MTk198872&p=23&fbclid=IwAR2qX4l6Xgc4n5lWPFJsTQomNYrgImkmtc88cE4OxUpyaxyed6Aqv1H8fBI

The series will also star Elton Landrew (Trackers, Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story) as Constable Piet, Arno Greeff (Vaselinetjie) as Warrant Officer Regardt Snyman, Jennifer Steyn (Goodbye Bafana) as the editor of the local paper, and Lee Duru (Mama Jack) as Grace, a domestic worker whose story shakes up the town.

The novel was adapted for television by South African writer Karen Jeynes. Christiaan Olwagen (Kanarie, Poppie Nongena) and David Isaacs (Swartwater, Joe Barber) will direct the project. Karen Jeynes is also an executive producer along with Annie Griffin on the Scottish side, Christiaan Olwagen, star Maria Doyle Kennedy, Acorn’s MD Catherine Mackin, Lesley Pemberton, M-Net’s Yolisa Phahle, Allan Sperling and Jan du Plessis, and Both World’s Thierry Cassuto and Karen Jeynes.

Thierry Cassuto of Both Worlds Pictures says: ‘We are thrilled to partner with M-Net, Acorn and Global Screen to produce this ambitious series brilliantly adapted by Karen Jeynes from the delicious Sally Andrew novels. Viewers can look forward to a dazzling cast and a very intriguing story with a unique tone, which brings together small-town life, murder, love and mouth-watering food, which our extraordinarily talented director Christiaan Olwagen likes to present as The Killing meets Chocolat.’

Yolisa Phahle, CEO of General Entertainment and Connected Video for MultiChoice said: ‘MultiChoice is delighted to partner with Acorn TV and Global Screen on this brilliant murder mystery series. We are proud to be working with South Africa’s talented writer Karen Jeynes and award-winning directors Christiaan Olwagen and David Isaacs. This partnership will continue to put MultiChoice on the forefront of high-quality African television that promotes our ongoing commitment of being Africa’s most-loved storyteller.’

Acorn’s Mackin said: ‘We look forward to bringing this first-ever TV dramatization of Sally Andrew’s renowned novels to life. This series is a prime example of the kind of fascinating, masterfully written stories set around the globe which we’re proud to offer.’

Sally Andrew’s Tannie Maria series has been published in 14 languages and across 5 continents, RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER and THE SATANIC MECHANIC are available from Ecco Press in the US, Canongate in the UK and Penguin Random House South Africa, who have also published DEATH ON THE LIMPOPO . The fourth instalment in the series, THE MILK TART MURDER, will be published by PRH South Africa in March 2022.

Both readers and viewers are in for more Tannie Maria treats!

You can see lots of excellent video clips – featuring beautiful nature and appetising food –  on Sally’s YouTube channel and get a glimpse of Sally and Tannie Maria’s world on her website.

Praise for Sally Andrew’s Tannie Maria series:

‘Sublime’ – Publishers Weekly

‘Vivid, amusing and immensely enjoyable …. A triumph.’ – Alexander McCall Smith

‘Utterly delicious, to the very last morsel.’ — Deon Meyer

‘Detection, recipes and a cracking mystery. An irresistible page-turning debut.’ – Woman & Home

‘An intriguing mystery in an exotic locale, a work of enormous charm.’ — Wall Street Journal

‘A delightful debut, tender and funny.’ – Kirkus

About Sally Andrew

Sally Andrew divides her time between the Cape Town coast and a nature reserve near Ladismith in the Klein Karoo, South Africa, where she lives with her wildlife artist partner, among various wild creatures (including, as she says, ‘a giant eland and a secretive leopard’). Sally has also published a number of non-fiction books on adult and environmental education.

The Tannie Maria series titles are all bestsellers in South Africa – regularly in the Top 5 – and Sally is a firm festival favourite. Sally also receives a stream of fan mail from all around the world – often enquiring how soon the next delicious instalment will reach readers!

Blake Friedmann Literary Agency Promotions

Kate Burke

Sian Ellis-Martin

It’s a great pleasure to share news of significant promotions and appointments within the Blake Friedmann agency team.

We’re thrilled that Kate Burke will be stepping up to become a director on the company’s executive board, working closely with Julian Friedmann, Chairman, and Isobel Dixon, MD and Head of Books, in the management of the agency, along with Head of Finance, Daisy Way and Vice Head of Books, Juliet Pickering, who both joined the Executive Board last year.

Kate Burke joined Blake Friedmann in 2019 from Northbank Talent Management after working as an editor for ten years at Headline, HarperCollins and Penguin Random House. She represents a stellar list of crime, thriller, historical and commercial women’s fiction, including writers Will Dean, Dani Atkins and Allie Reynolds. We’re delighted to be able to recognise Kate’s sterling contribution to the agency, not just through the work of her authors, but also in her sharing of expertise and mentoring support for colleagues. We look forward to developing the company’s future together.

We’re also very happy to announce that Sian Ellis-Martin, who joined the agency three years ago, has been promoted to Associate Agent. She will continue to support Kate Burke’s authors and some of the authors on Isobel Dixon’s list, but will be taking on clients for direct representation too. You can see more about her interests for potential submission here.

Earlier this year we welcomed Tabitha Topping to Blake Friedmann as Book Department Assistant, after she had worked with us part-time since her stint as our Carole Blake Open Doors candidate in 2020 – the first person to do this virtually with the agency. Antonia Coker, who took part in the Carole Blake Open Doors project earlier this year, is also now working with us part-time as an Office Assistant. It’s a joy to see new entrants to the publishing industry flourish in this way.

We continue to work with Kay Peddle of Kay Peddle Literary, and Emma Shercliff of Laxfield Literary Associates, selling rights for their clients internationally and we are very pleased to have expanded our associate agent work with Becky Thomas, at her newly established agency, Lewinsohn Literary.

Further in the Book Department, Samuel Hodder is building a strong list of literary clients and Roya Sarrafi-Gohar supports on Isobel and Juliet’s authors. James Pusey is Head of Rights and Hana Murrell is Senior Rights Manager in the translation rights team, selling our authors’ work in many languages around the world.

Julian Friedmann and Conrad Williams, Head of the Film, TV and Theatre Department, are supported by Louisa Minghella, who also represents a number of her own writers. Lizzy Attree is our Office Manager and Ane Reason is our Contracts Manager – having joined us, like Roya, just as the first lockdown began in March 2020.

We’re exceptionally proud of this talented team, who have done such brilliant work for the agency’s clients over the most challenging time during the pandemic. None of this would be possible without our wonderful clients, and we look forward to sharing more of their work with the world, as we take the agency forward with our excellent colleagues into 2022 and beyond.