DHH News Roundup 19th May - 8th June 2025
Nicholas Searle
A warm welcome to Nicholas Searle, who joins Harry Illingworth’s list. Nicholas worked in the more secret reaches of the UK government for over twenty-five years before writing his first novel, The Good Liar, in 2016. He has subsequently written two novels.
Eva Verde
The new book from Eva Verde, Them Girls, has been signed by current publisher Simon & Schuster.
Publishing director Clare Hey bought UK & Commonwealth rights from Abi Fellows, with the book due to publishing in spring 2026.
A. A. Dhand
Congratulations to A. A. Dhand, who saw the publication of his new novel, The Chemist.
The book promptly became a top ten Sunday Times bestseller.
Heather Darwent
Also published was the second novel from bestseller Heather Darwent, A Sharp Scratch (Viking Books).
The book is a fantastically dark take on wellness retreats…
Bloody Scotland Debut Prize
Congratulations to David Goodman and Claire Wilson, both of whom have been shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2025. Goodman for A Reluctant Spy (Headline) and published in paperback this week; and Wilson for Five By Five (Michael Joseph, August 2024)
CWA Shortlist
We are delighted that M. W. Craven, Amanda Jennings and Clare Whitfield have all been shortlisted for the CWA Awards.
Craven’s The Mercy Chair for the Ian Fleming Gold Dagger; Jennings’ Beautiful People for the Twisted Dagger and Whitfield’s Poor Girls (published in paperback this week) for the Historical Dagger.
James Goodhand
With the publication of his new novel next month, we’re delighted that James Goodhand’s Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated (Mira, July 2025), has received a fantastic review in Booklist.
“Goodhand’s prose is charming and warm … The novel’s exploration of love and mortality will leave readers with much to discuss.”
Frances Ryan
Frances Ryan has written a piece for the Guardian, centring on more than 100 disabled celebrities urging PM Keir Starmer to scrap ‘inhumane’ benefit cuts. Click here to read.
Who Wants Normal?* (Fig Tree), Frances’ new book, is out now.
Katy Summers
We are thrilled for Katy Summers, who won the Joan Hessayon Award for New Writing at this year’s RNA Awards, for her debut Love, Rebooted (Audible, March 2025).
Nicola Garrard
The new forthcoming book from Nicola Garrard, On the Edge, has been bought by Old Barn Books. Publisher Ruth Huddleston bought World English Rights from Abi Fellows. A YA/crossover novel with huge heart, it will publish in August this year.
Phillipa Ashley
The new beautiful and uplifting romance from Phillipa Ashley, One Cornish Summer With You was published (Century). The perfect companion to your summer holiday!
Richard Swan
The cover for The Scour, a novella set in Richard Swan’s ‘Empire of the Wolf’ series, was revealed (Grimark Magazine, October 2025). Set fifteen years before the events of The Justice of Kings, Vonvalt and Bressinger investigate the imprisonment of a fellow justice for murder.
Ragnar Jónasson
The new forthcoming book from Ragnar Jónasson, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer (Michael Joseph, August 2025), has received a brilliant review from Publishers’ Weekly:
“Cleverly plotted, slyly humorous, and bursting with love for the golden age of detective fiction, this outperforms even its outstanding predecessor.”
E. V. Seymour
Our last happy publication day goes to E. V. Seymour for her new psychological thriller, The Brother (Joffe Books), absolutely breathtaking and with a twist that you won’t see coming!
Ragnar Jónasson
In more Ragnar Jónasson news, very excitingly, the bestselling author has teamed up with Stampede Pictures and producer John-Paul Sarni to launch Dimma Pictures, a new venture to produce film and television projects from Jónasson’s catalogue of IP, as well as writers from across Scandinavia and Europe.
M. A. Hunter
The cover for M. A. Hunter’s new novel, The Tenants (Boldwood Books, August 2025), has been revealed.
If walls could talk…
Theakston Awards
Finally, huge congratulations to both M. W. Craven and David Goodman. Craven’s The Mercy Chair (Constable, June 2024), has been shortlisted for the Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award; while Goodman’s debut, A Reluctant Spy, (Headline, September 2024) has been shortlisted for the Debut of the Year.
*deal done by Diana Beaumont at Marjacq Scripts