​We’re kicking off this weeks’ news roundup with a hearty congratulations to Abi Elphinstone, whose novel Sky Song has been nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019! This superb award is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. The longlist will be announced in February 2019 and the shortlist in March 2019. Good luck, Abi!
 
The eBooks of both Sarah Simpson’s new book Who I Am and R.C. Bridgestock’s Deadly Focus were released this week. Who I Am follows best friends Andi and Camilla, but one of them is hiding a secret - a secret that someone is threatening to bring to light. This stunning psychological thriller will make you question whether we can ever really trust the ones we love.
 
Earlier this year, The Dome Press acquired the rights to the ‘DI Jack Dylan’ series with the aim of reissuing these gripping police procedurals set in Yorkshire, complete with a new edit and original cover art. Deadly Focus is the first in the popular series by husband and wife writing duo, R.C. Bridgestock. When the body of a young girl is found on a windswept moor, the town of Harrowfield is shocked and unsettled. As the murder investigation gets underway, another child is abducted, and another small body is found. The pressure mounts for DI Jack Dylan as he races to solve the case before a third child is snatched.
 
Staying with RC Bridgestock, the cover for Poetic Justice was revealed last week (thanks to @sarahhardy681) and what a corker it is! Poetic Justice is the prequel to all the DI Jack Dylan books written previously and could be the perfect place to start for those who are just acquainting themselves with the series - and we strongly recommend that you do…!
 
Congratulations to Stuart Turton and his debut novel The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which was shortlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association HWA Debut Crown Shortlist Award 2018. Though it didn’t quite make it in to the winner’s envelope, we are immensely proud of Stuart and this “mind-bending”, “gripping”, “original” “unique”, “mind-blowing” (we could go on…) book. 

Finally, while it may not have won the HWA Crown, Seven Deaths was named as one of the Top 50 Books of the Year by this Saturday (10th November)'s Telegraph​. We couldn't agree more...

​Christmas is just around the corner (seriously, where has 2018 gone??) and so now is the time to start thinking about gifts for your loved ones. We were delighted to see Stephen Moss’ The Wren (Spare Peg, October 2018) selected in Saga magazine’s Christmas Books feature under ‘Stocking Fillers’. This charming book takes you through a year in the life of the wren, complete with beautiful illustrations, and is the perfect gift for the nature lover in your family.
 
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton has been shortlisted for the Specsavers National Book Awards in the category of New Writers. The winner will be announced in a ceremony hosted by Zoe Ball on Tuesday 20th November.
            We’d also like to remind you that voting closes at 11.59pm TONIGHT (Monday 5th November) for the Books Are My Bag Reader Awards and Seven Deaths is again nominated. If you’d like to cast your vote (hint, hint) then please click here.
            This superb debut is still impressing on the Sunday Times paperback bestseller charts, riding high at No. 11 this week.
 
Are you looking for something cosy and warm to snuggle up to this winter? Unfortunately, none of the office dogs are available, but Jo Thomas’ A Winter Beneath the Stars is - and for only 99p in eBook, only for the month of November! “A sparkling, heartwarming hug of a story” (Miranda Dickinson).
 
The blog tour continues for J.D. Fennell’s Sleeper: The Red Storm and we are blown away by the incredible feedback from bloggers. “Fennell’s style is sharp, purposeful and never allows the story to drag… fascinating twists and superb plotting” (@NorthernReader); “a compelling and fresh wartime espionage drama” (@karlou); “This second book is a fantastic instalment in the series, and I think that it will thrill fans” (@TheQuietKnitter); “With lots of thrilling events, shocking twists and turns my attention was fully focused on the pages of this book, I really couldn’t ask for much more!” (@rae_reads1).
            If you have yet to get your hands on a copy of this action-packed thrill ride by an author who has been described by Ragnar Jonasson as “truly the rising star of action thriller[s]”, then make sure you rectify that terrible oversight now. Sleeper: The Red Storm is available in eBook, hardback or paperback.
 
New to the DHH stable, our soon-to-be Doctor of Foghorns, Jennifer Lucy Allan, hosted BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction on the 30th and 31st October, celebrating songs by siblings. Catch up here. Jennifer is currently completing her manuscript on the social and cultural history of the foghorn, working on curatorial projects for concert series Kammer Klang and the Outlands touring network.
 
Luke Turner’s debut Out of the Woods (Wiedenfeld & Nicholson, January 2019) was endorsed by none other than Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, in a podcast he hosted for The Quietus. Fancy a listen? Look no further.
 
Saga and historical romance author Anna Jacobs was interviewed by Romance Australia this week in an article entitled The Tasting Table: A Romantic Degustation which gave a fascinating insight in to her life as a writer. Click here to read more.
 
Ane Riel’s Resin was favourable reviewed by Jeff Noon in The Spectator last week, and we’re pleased as punch! “Ane Riel offers an even darker version of family life in Resin… The story is told from several points of view, including that of Live’s mother, who never leaves her bed, growing fatter and weaker, her flesh turning to mush. Her letters to Liv are poignant and tender, the only traces of love, and hope. Riel asks this question: what do we do when the thing which attempts to save us from harm becomes the main instrument of harm?... Resin is brilliantly written and quite relentless in its search for monsters.”
 
On Monday 29th October, we closed our Pitch DHH: York submissions, and now we are busy reading all your submissions! We are aiming to get back to everyone by the 22nd November at the very latest. We were overwhelmed and thrilled with the response, so watch this space for a Pitch DHH event coming soon, to a town near you…

We would like to end this week’s roundup with a massive CONGRATULATIONS to client Faridah Àbíké Íyímídé, whose debut novel Ace of Spades has been bought by Usborne in a deal negotiated between Hannah Sheppard and Becky Walker of Usborne. Ace of Spades is an “explosive” high-school thriller that examines institutionalised racism and will publish in summer 2020. ​

Commissioning editor at Usborne, Becky Walker, has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Àbíké Íyímídé’s debut novel, Ace of Spades, and a second novel, from Hannah Sheppard at DHH Literary Agency. 

Walker said: "Faridah is a truly remarkable new talent, and, with Ace of Spades, has announced her arrival on the UKYA scene. At once peeling back the layers that can mask the magnitude of systemic racism, while simultaneously weaving a nail-bitingly-plotted story that keeps you guessing from beginning to end, Faridah is nothing short of searingly exceptional. We know that Faridah has a glittering future ahead of her, and we couldn’t be more proud to be her publisher." 

According to the acquisition statement: 'Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Or were perfect. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is spreading secrets about two students – rivals Devon and Chiamaka. Secrets that no one should have known. But as Devon and Chiamaka investigate, what appeared to be a high-school prank is revealed as something much more sinister. Suddenly they find themselves at the centre of a disturbing and deadly game. But how can you play the game when the cards are stacked against you?' 

Àbíké Íyímídé describes the novel as "embodying themes that I am very passionate about, such as homophobia in the black community, institutional racism and the diversity of thought amongst black people. I am so grateful for this opportunity to share this story and have others see themselves for the first time in these characters." 

Sheppard said: "I woke up on a Saturday morning to Faridah's Ace of Spades submission and had called in the full by 9am. Her concept excited me but her skill with voice and sharp, witty writing kept me hooked. I couldn't have been more excited when she accepted my offer of representation and I'm delighted we've found such a passionate home for her at Usborne… I anticipate big things!" 

"I am so excited to be working with Usborne on my story Ace of Spades! So many of my favourite books have been published by Usborne and so working with Becky is truly a dream come true," said Àbíké Íyímídé. 
​
Àbíké Íyímídé is a writer from London, currently studying English and Chinese in the north-east of Scotland. The book is to be published in the summer of 2020.

For all translation rights, please contact Jemma McDonagh at The Marsh Agency. 

​For all US rights queries, please contact Hannah Sheppard. 

​Delighted for client Jean Levy whose debut novel What Was Lost is being made in to an audiobook! WF Howes plan to publish this intricately woven, psychological thriller on 29th Nvoember 2018.
 
Dutch rights to the second in the successful ‘Washington Poe’ series, Black Summer, has been acquired by Luitingh Sijthoff, in a deal negotiated by David H Headley. The highly anticipated sequel to The Puppet Show will be published by Constable & Robinson in the UK in June 2018.
 
Clare Boyd’s chilling Three Secrets has this week hit the No. 11 spot on the Amazon charts in Canada.
 
We’d like to bestow huge congratulations to both Abi Elphinstone and Gabrielle Kent, whose novels Sky Song and Knights and Bikes, respectively, have been longlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2019. The shortlist is announced on 8th November 2018.
 
Our nature-loving author Stephen Moss featured on last Saturday’s Today programme to talk about his new book The Wren. To listen, click here (1h25m).
 
Also on the radio this week was Luke Turner, whose debut novel Out of the Woods is out in January 2019. Luke appeared on BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction to talk to Verity Sharp about the weird goings-on that can occur in the forest. To listen, click here (26m).
 
Wishing a very happy publication day to both Stephen Moss for The Wren and JD Fennell for Sleeper: The Red Storm. The Wren follows on from Stephen’s The Robin (Square Peg, 2017) and documents the hidden secrets of the birds that live right on our doorstep. From Birdwatch Extra magazine, “Almost every page has something new, different and thought provoking.” Sleeper: The Red Storm is the second instalment in the Sleeper series (The Dome Press, 2017) and Will Starling has been drafted in to the SOE, joining forces with the French Resistance in the fight against the Nazis - but when the life Will’s sister Rose is threatened it places the entire operation in mortal danger.
 
The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson was featured in last week’s New York Times by Marilyn Stasio: Disappearing Acts. You can read the review here.
 
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle continues to shine on the Sunday Times paperback bestseller charts, last week standing at No. 10.
 
A couple of book deals coming your way! Bookbub.com are running a promotion for Anna Jacobs’ One Special Village and it’s your last chance to snap up any one of these fantastic titles as part of Kindle’s Great Savings Promo: What Was Lost and Smart Moves ​by Adrian Magson. 

The week post-Frankfurt was always going to be on the manic side - but we hadn't quite anticipated just how manic! Read on to get an insight in to the DHH office last week...

​We’ll start with some lovely deal announcements. Congratulations to Paul Burston, whose new “disturbingly relevant” thriller, The Closer I Get plus one untitled novel, was bought by Orenda Books in a Frankfurt pre-empt. David H Headley negotiated World English rights with Orenda publisher, Karen Sullivan and the book is due for publication in 2019.
 
Broo Doherty has sold Stephen Moss’ The Twelve Birds of Christmas to Rowan Yapp at Random House, in a UK & Commonwealth deal. The book will be out in Autumn 2019, and will tell you all you need to know, from your turkey to your partridge!
 
Lizzie Lovell’s second book The West Country Winery has been bought by Allen & Unwin, who published her first, The Juniper Gin Joint. This boozy romp through Thomas Hardy’s domain will be released in July 2019.
 
Spanish rights for M.W.Craven’s The Puppet Show have been sold to Roca Editorial. This follows several other territories the novel has sold in: Germany (Weltbild); Czech Republic (Dobrovsky); Turkey (Arkadya Yayinlari); Russia (AST); Slovakia (Ikar) and Poland (Filia).
 
Editions Bragelonne have bought French rights for Janie Millman’s Life’s A Drag. Bragelonne have also snapped up rights to Matthew Crow’s Baxter’s Requiem.
 
In the ever-growing list for deals for Stuart Turton’s The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle have been sold to Hungary’s Maxim.
 
We are delighted to announce that an audiobook deal has been done this week for Janie Millman’s Sky’s the Limit (Oakhill Publishing / Ulverscroft), which will be out on 15th March 2019.

Lulah Ellender’s Elisabeth’s Lists was mentioned in Laura Freeman’s Sunday Times Style article about the art of list therapy. Also in the media this week, Ragnar Jonasson’s The Darkness was released this week in the US / Canada and has been given a glowing review in The Washington Post: “Icelandic author Ragnar Jonasson takes a major chance - that works extremely well - in The Darkness, the launch of a new detective series about Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir. The Darkness melds an insightful character study with a solid plot for an outstanding novel and shows how he could sustain this as a series.”

Also this week, The Darkness reached No. 10 in the Heatseekers Chart, and the author wrote a Guardian piece entitled “Can the language of the Vikings fight off the invasion of the English?”, a fascinating debate on whether or not the influx of TV and tourism to the Nordic island nation is a growing threat to its “literary vigour”. To read the full article, click here.

Sophie Duffy’s latest novel Betsy and Lilibet continues to garner fantastic praise: “A charming and funny look at family, loyalty and love during the Queen’s reign. I think Her Majesty would approve” (Cathy Bramley); “Told with wit and warmth, this is a gritty, truly British saga; from war time childhood fortitude through to a lifetime of love, loss and laughter. Dive in a enjoy!” (Paul McVeigh); “So atmospheric you can almost smell the Brylcreem” (Laurie Graham); “Clever and charming, I loved this look at the complications of family life” (Katie Fforde).

Abi Elphinstone’s new series, The Unmapped Chronicles has begun its adventures with a taster, Everdark (Simon & Schuster), for World Book Day 2019. Abi says “I hope Smudge’s tale in Everdark shows kids from all walks of life that sometimes the truly extraordinary people - the ones who defeat harpies & save kingdoms - are the ones nobody notices at first.”

In other exciting Abi Elphinstone news, her first picture book The Snow Dragon (illustrated by Fiona Woodcock) will be published by Simon & Schuster in October 2019. The book began as a short story in Winter Magic, a collection of short stories curated by Abi and also published by S&S in 2016.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is sticking on the Sunday Times paperback bestseller this week, at No. 6. Not only that, the book is No. 13 in the whole UK market, and this includes all hardback, paperback, fiction and non-fiction.

Anna Jacobs’ latest book, The Cotton Lass and Other Stories has been published by Allison & Busby. This collection of stand-alone short stories is a treat for new readers and dedicated fans alike.
 
Dutch copies of The Robin by Stephen Moss or, as we should say, Het roodborstje een biografie, have arrived in the office.

The cover for R.C. Bridgestock’s book White Lilies has been revealed! The third in the popular D.I. Jack Dylan series, which was bought and republished by The Dome Press, will be published on 3 January 2019 (ebook) and 31 January 2019 (paperback).

Finally, we’d like to remind budding authors out there that submissions for our Pitch DHH: York event close at 6pm on Thursday 25 October. Have you written a novel? Would you like to talk to us about it and receive one-on-one feedback? Then please think about submitting to us, we’d love to read your work. For more information, click here. David H Headley was on BBC Radio Leeds this week to discuss this exciting event and what it is we’re looking for. Click here to listen. ​

by R.C. Bridgestock from their blog

One thing crime-fiction enthusiasts can be assured of is authenticity in our novels. According to our readers, they love not just the gripping story lines and perfect mixture of crime and insight into what it’s like to be a police officer, but the eye for detail in the narrative, including procedural correctness. We hope we illustrate to the reader the lighter moments as well as the darker side of how police work impacts upon the officers’ private lives, as well as those of the victims of crime.

We want you to be as passionate as Dylan when it comes to chasing the perpetrators, pursuing justice.

We make no apologies in White Lilies for telling it as it is; showing ‘hit and run’ scenes in all their brutality and ensuring you are privy to how it feels for those dealing with these tragedies. That said, every investigation is a team effort and, without light-hearted humour and camaraderie, the job of dealing with man’s inhumanity on a daily basis would be much harder.
Any police officer will tell you the banter between CID and the Road Traffic Department, is legendary.

‘Leave it with you, kid,’ a common phrase used by a traffic officer.

The response from CID, ‘You’ll need to if you want it solving!’

In White Lilies these two departments are brought together to investigate what at face value appears to be a road accident, but which examination of the scene shows was by no means an accident but, a deliberate act, with the vehicle used as the lethal weapon.
​
A new DS is a distraction as Dylan deals with two fatal road accidents, the suspicious death at home of an elderly lady, stabbings and brutal attacks on young girls. Dylan is busier than ever and has little time for heavily pregnant Jen. While Dylan is confronted by a madman, Jen goes into labour alone and collapses unconscious. Dylan needs to make some life-changing decisions.

​One of the busiest weeks in the literary calendar, the Frankfurt Book Fair is over, and our news from that will trickle out over the coming weeks.
 
Pan Macmillan have bought World rights for three new novels by Adam Hamdy. Publishing Director, Vicki Mellor, negotiated for the rights from Hannah Sheppard. The first novel, Black Thirteen, begins a new series featuring ex-Mi6 officer Scott Pearce. In this international, adrenaline-inducing series, Scott Pearce is about to burn the espionage rulebook as he battles the rise of sinister forces in a world where the nation state no longer reigns supreme.

Adam Hamdy said “Black Thirteen is the culmination of two years’ research into the rise of extremism. In addition to being a taut, action-packed thriller, it reveals some of the causes of the social and political challenges we’re all facing… I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Vicki Mellor again and am excited to have a new home at Pan Macmillan, a publisher with such a rich history and track record of success.”
 
In more deal announcements, Polish rights to M.W.Craven’s The Puppet Show have been snapped up by Filia. This follows several other territories the novel has sold in: Germany (Weltbild); Czech Republic (Dobrovsky); Turkey (Arkadya Yayinlari); Russia (AST) and Slovakia (Ikar).
 
UK & Commonwealth rights to Andrew Ewart’s debut novel Forget Me, plus one untitled novel, have been bought by Ben Willis at Orion. Andrew was a finalist in the 2016 ITV Be A Bestseller competition. Forget Me blends together elements of psychological thriller / science fiction, and tells the story of a woman who, after an accident, leaves her husband an amnesiac and goes to extreme lengths to get his memory back. The book will be published in hardback in early 2020, and in mass market paperback in summer 2020.
 
Stuart Turton’s The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle just keeps gathering momentum and blowing us away. This week, it was announced that it would be both No. 1 in the Saturday Times bestseller paperback charts, meaning it is the bestselling book in the country across all branches of Waterstones, and No. 5 in the Sunday Times bestseller paperback charts, making it the No. 5 bestselling book across all bookshops in the country.
 
A huge congratulations to client Yvonne Singh, whose debut novel One Man’s Revolution, has scooped second place in the SI Leeds Literary Prize 2018. This prize is for unpublished fiction by UK Black and Asian women.
 
This week saw the publication of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Vol.2 (Blink Publishing). Following the runaway success of 2017’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, Award founders Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam return with the best – as well as some never-before-seen – photographs of wildlife ever printed.
 
Finished copies of the US version of Ragnar Jonasson’s The Darkness have landed in the DHH office. This will hit US bookshelves on 16 October.
 
Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone is now available in a beautiful, limited hardback edition from Goldsboro Books. It is also signed by the author. Get yours now!
 
In ebook deals, Kindle is running a ‘Great Savings’ promo for Adrian Magson’s Smart Moves and Jean Levy’s What Was Lost. This ends 1 November. For Kobo’s ‘Cheap Thrills’ promo, you can get Adrian Magson’s Rocco and the Nightingale, Jean Levy’s What Was Lost, Claire Dyer’s The Last Day, Shelan Rodger’s Twin Truths and J.D.Fennell’s Sleeper: The Red Storm, for a fraction of the price! This ends on 17 October.
 
Great reviews keep on coming in for Ronnie Turner’s debut Lies Between Us: “Lies Between Us is a real page turner” (Portobello Book Club); “Lies Between Us is a chilling, tense and calculated story of extreme obsession that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it.” (Sarah’s Vignettes); “Twisted, dark, and deeply disturbing, Lies Between Us by Ronnie Turner is an epic debut and I cannot wait for more from this author who is set for stardom in this genre.” (Books Of All Kinds).
 
Also in new quotes, author Veronica Henry has provided a wonderful endorsement for Joanna Toye’s upcoming debut A Store At War: “Joanna writes with a sure hand and a light touch and knows how to keep her readers agog with her vivid portrayal of A Store At War. It’s a real page-turner with a spirited heroine who will worm her way into readers’ hearts. A sparkling new voice in fiction, Joanna Toye is destined for bookshelves everywhere. A joy from Toye!” This heart-warming, full-of-gumption, debut will be published on the 27 December by HarperCollins.
 
Luke Turner’s devastating and highly original memoir, Out of the Woods has also been given superb quotes by Olivia Laing (author of Crudo): “A brave and beautiful book, electrifying on sex and nature, religion and love. No one is writing quite like this.”, and Amy Liptrot (author of The Outrun): “Refreshing, frank, edifying, courageous… had me hooked.”
 
Finally, we’d like to remind you about our upcoming Pitch DHH: York event on Saturday 1 December. David Headley was interviewed on BBC Radio York this week, and since then, we have received a flurry of submissions in response. Keep ‘em coming, budding authors! For full submission guidelines, please click here.

Orenda Books has signed Paul Burston’s “disturbingly relevant” thriller The Closer I Get in a Frankfurt pre-empt, two-book deal.

Karen Sullivan, publisher of Orenda Books, struck the deal for World English language in Burston’s The Closer I Get and a second (untitled) book with David Headley of DHH Literary Agency.

Described as “a dark and disturbing, character-driven psychological thriller”, The Closer I Get focuses on the relationship that develops between a bestselling author, Tom, and a troubled social media ‘follower’, Evie, who won’t leave him alone, thereby also promising a searing commentary on the world of online ‘friendships’.

Sullivan said: “Paul Burston has written a multi-layered, shockingly believable, prescient and powerful page-turner, with two main characters vying for the readers’ trust and attention, and he succeeds not only in confounding expectations but twisting the narrative so convincingly that it becomes impossible to distinguish who is telling the truth and what is real. Paul is a tremendously talented and perceptive writer, and this powerful thriller not only showcases his distinctive voice, but asks questions, and prods the dark side of our online interactions.”
She added: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Paul to ‘Team Orenda’ … his passion for debate, his vibrant personality, his inspiring contribution to the LGBTQ+ community and his exquisite writing add so much to our growing list, and stretch it in all the right directions."
​
The Closer I Get will be published in 2019 by Orenda Books.

Burston has written five novels and is the editor of two short story collections. He is also the curator and host of the award-winning LGBT literary salon Polari at London's Southbank Centre and founder of The Polari First Book Prize for debut authors.

Follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulBurston

Thriller writer Adam Hamdy moves to Pan Macmillan for three new novels
‘set to burn the espionage rulebook’

Pan Macmillan announced today that it has bought three novels by author Adam Hamdy from Hannah Sheppard at DHH Literary Agency. Vicki Mellor, Publishing Director, Fiction, negotiated World rights for the three book deal. Translation rights are controlled by Pan Macmillan with the first manuscript going out at Frankfurt 2019.
 
The first novel, Black Thirteen, begins a new series featuring ex-Mi6 officer Scott Pearce. In this international, adrenalin-inducing series, Scott Pearce is about to burn the espionage rulebook as he battles against the rise of sinister forces in a world where the nation state no longer reigns supreme.
 
Vicki Mellor said “When I acquired Adam’s first mainstream novel Pendulum for Headline I knew that he is destined to be a future bestseller. I couldn’t be more thrilled that he is moving to Pan Macmillan and that we are able to continue this journey together. As soon as I met Scott Pearce, I knew that we had to publish this series. We have seen a decline in sales of this kind of commercial espionage thriller series in recent years as psychological thrillers have come to the fore and we believe that this timely exploration of what it means to live in an age where the political, geographical and social world has changed beyond recognition is important and relevant if we are to understand the current global stage and the issues that we are facing. The success of shows such as Bodyguard demonstrates there’s a definite public appetite for this kind of story and it’s an exciting launch for us. The fact that Adam has also made a name for himself in the crime community, particularly with the recent the launch of Capital Crime, is an added bonus. We can’t wait to share this at Frankfurt and publish next year.”
 
Adam Hamdy said “All over the world we see rising extremism, social polarization and conflict, and people are struggling to make sense of it, largely because we’re only exposed to the effect, not the cause. Black Thirteen is the culmination of two years’ research into the rise of extremism. In addition to being a taut, action-packed thriller, it reveals some of the causes of the social and political challenges we’re all facing. Mixed-race, from humble beginnings, Scott Pearce is a contemporary hero inspired by real life security service operatives. His colleague, Leila Nahum, is one of the strongest characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of writing, and I can’t wait for readers to meet her.  Scott and Leila are engaging and accessible and I hope readers will come to love them as much as I do. I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Vicki Mellor again and am excited to have a new home at Pan Macmillan, a publisher with such a rich history and track record of success.”
 
Hannah Sheppard said “One of the most satisfying things about being an agent is making the perfect match between author and editor and from the very beginning it was clear that I'd found that with Adam and Vicki - they work so brilliantly together and I'm delighted that we've been able to reunite them to publish Adam's exciting new series.”
 
Adam Hamdy is an author and script writer who works with studios and production companies on both sides of the Atlantic. Prior to embarking on his writing career, Hamdy was a strategy consultant for numerous sectors. He is the co-founder with David Headley of Capital Crime.
 
Pan Macmillan will publish Black Thirteen in trade paperback with simultaneous eBook and audio in Autumn 2019, with a mass-market paperback in Spring 2020 and publish on a yearly basis thereafter.

​Follow Adam on Twitter: @adamhamdy

Little Tiger imprint Stripes Publishing has bought a LGBTQ+ YA thriller by debut author Darren Charlton. 

Wranglestone is set after a zombie apocalypse has turned American into a wilderness and people are living in military refuges in national parks. Peter puts the camp in danger by allowing a stranger to enter so is forced to leave the community and help Cooper, a boy he has always admired from afar, herd the dead from the shore. 

Commissiong editor Katie Jennings bought world rights in a two-book deal from Hannah Sheppard and will publish in 2020. A sequel will follow in 2021. 

"This hauntingly atmospheric and thought-provoking debut had me gripped from the opening scene," said Jennings. "This is an apocalyptic thriller, a coming of age story and so much more. In a world in which survival is everything, how can there be a place for love? This is just one of the many questions Wranglestone raises, as it challenges the reader's assumption and expectations at every turn."

Follow Darren on Twitter.