​Washington Poe continues to go global! M.W. Craven’s The Puppet Show has been sold to Spring in Taiwan, and Black Summer, its follow-up to Ikar in Slovakia. The Puppet Show has now been sold in over nine territories, and Black Summer, hot on its heels with over five territories under its belt. 

The cover for Death On the Rive Nord, the second in the Inspector Lucas Rocco series by Adrian Magson, was revealed last week.
 
A truck drops a group of illegal workers by a deserted stretch of canal in the dead of night near Poissons-les-Marais, desperate travellers in a pipeline, searching for a better life.
 
Days later, one of them surfaces, stabbed to death.
 
For Inspector Lucas Rocco, finding the victim’s fellow travellers presents problems. Most Algerian immigrants are welcome, but trawling for any who aren’t is a sensitive issue loaded with threats of civil unrest, something which terrifies his bosses in the Ministry. And when Rocco is ordered to stay away from one factory, where he suspects illegals are being employed, it goes against everything he knows.
 
However, his difficulties have barely begun. One of the illegals is a young woman with a small child, on the run from her brutal husband, Samir Farek, an Algerian gangster who has threatened to kill them both. But Farek has another, bigger agenda: to take over as gang lord in Paris. With a history of disposing with anyone who crosses him - a fate he is happy to mete out even to a senior policeman who gets in his way - the potential consequences are frightening.
 
Caught between his instinct to protect a vulnerable woman and her child, of obeying bosses interested only in preserving the status quo, and facing the threat of a dangerous gangster who recognises no boundaries in the murderous pursuit of his plans, Rocco begins to wonder how long he can survive.
 
The Dome Press will be publishing this superb detective novel, set in 1960s Picardie, France, on 06/09/19 (pre-order here) complete with a revised text and brand new cover. 

Congratulations to client Anna Jacobs, whose next book, A Daughter’s Journey was published last week. This is the first in her new Birch End series, and follows Australian Jo Melling as she attempts to navigate a new life in England. Buy your copy here.
 
Also published last week was Julie Caplin’s next Romantic Escapes book, The Secret Cove In Croatia. If you’re yet to go on your summer holidays, these books are the perfect accompaniment. Get your copy here.

We’re over the moon for client Rachel Trezise, whose play Cotton Fingers, won the Summerhall Lustrum Award for Excellence at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. 

​Copies of R.C. Bridgestock’s Snow Kills, the fourth in the DI Jack Dylan series, have landed here at DHH and we are so excited to see these beauties out in the wild, come 4th October 2019. It is available to pre-order now and is a fully revised new edition rocking a very snappy new cover.
 
Poetic Justice, the prequel to the DI Jack Dylan series is in Kobo’s Summer Beach Reads promo, with the focus theme of ‘Adventure’. The promo ends tomorrow (Wednesday 28th August) so act now to get your copy!

Paul Burston appeared in the Hastings Observer last week, to talk about his new novel The Closer I Get and the frightening real-life experience that inspired the psychological thriller. 

​DHH agent Hannah Sheppard gave an interview to The Darling Axe, which details her wishlist and some fantastic advice to writers thinking of going out on submissions with the novel. If you count yourself as in this bracket, have a read here.

Finally, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that submissions for our next #PitchDHH opened yesterday. Following the success of our pitching events in London and York, we have decided to go on the road again, and this time we’re hitting Liverpool!
 
We will be meeting with the chosen pitchers on Saturday 7th December at a location in the city centre of Liverpool.
 
If your novel is ready for submissions, please click this link to find out how to send your work in. Good luck!

​We’d like to kick off this week’s newsletter with the very exciting news that we are partnering with Capital Crime to launch the New Voices scheme - a new competition to help undiscovered crime and thriller authors further their writing careers.
 
Everyone who buys a ticket to attend Capital Crime in September this year, will be able to read your entry and vote for their favourite. The ten entrants who get the most votes will be revealed on Thursday 19th September, and the winner, judged by the Capital Crime team from the top ten entries, will be announced at Capital Crime’s opening night cocktail party on Thursday 26th September to the readers, agents and publishers in attendance.
 
Entries cost £10 and close at midnight GMT on Wednesday 18th September 2019.
 
The winner will receive a trophy and £250.
 
To find out more and submit your entry, please visit this page on the Capital Crime website.
 
Good luck!

Client Jennifer Lucy Allan hosted three episodes of BBC Radio 3’s Late Night Junction last week:

• On Tuesday 13th August, the episode focused on Japanese avant-folk and new Malian music
• On Wednesday 14th August, listeners were treated to sounds of the hurdy-gurdy, a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand crank-turned wheel rubbing against the strings
• Finally, on Thursday 15th August, Jennifer sat down with Meredith Monk, composer and pioneer of extended vocal technique.

 
You can catch up with each episode by clicking on the dates above.

​Phillipa Ashley’s (as Ashley Croft) new book The Love Solution was released as an eBook last week and currently, it is at the staggeringly low price of only 99p on both Kobo and Kindle.
 
Sisters Sarah and Molly are close, but they couldn’t be more different. Sarah makes jewellery and is obsessed with all things shiny and glam, whilst Molly is most at home in her white coat and goggles, working in a science lab.
 
When Molly is put on a new assignment, she’s over the moon. It’s an important, top-secret project - and she has a handsome new boss to ogle when she’s not staring into a petri dish…
 
But when Sarah finds herself on the painful end of a disastrous break-up, no amount of Ben & Jerry’s or trashy rom-coms can cheer her up. She wants to take a more drastic approach to dealing with her heartbreak, and the one that only her sister - and perhaps a sprinkle of science - can help with…
 
Is love really a chemistry? Or will Sarah get more than she bargained for?
 
This is the perfect rom-com to download on to your eReader this summer. The paperback will be released on 17th October 2019.

Janie Millman’s hilariously romantic Sky’s the Limit, Jules Wake’s From Rome With Love and Keris Stainton’s One Italian Summer are all included in Kobo’s Summer Beach Reads, the focus this week being ‘Romantic Comedies and Romance Abroad’. If you’re still looking for books to pack your eReader with, we can’t recommend these fab titles enough! Click on the title to take you straight to the deal.

Keris Stainton’s The Bad Mother’s Book Club has been selected by Marie Claire Australia as one of their ‘Must-Read Books of the Moment’. It is in tremendous company, with Lisa Taddeo’s Three Women, The Subject by Sarah Hopkins and See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill.
 
Already a bestseller, the book introduces you to Emma, the new Mum on the block…
 
Since moving to the Liverpudlian seaside after her husband’s career change, her life consists of the following: long walks on the beach (with the dog), early nights (with the kids) and Netflix (no chill).
 
Bored and lonely, when Emma is cordially invited to the exclusive cool school-mums’ book club, she thinks her luck may finally be about to change. But she soon finds the women of the club aren’t quite what they seem - and after an unfortunate incident involving red wine and a white carpet, she finds herself unceremoniously kicked out.
 
The answer? Start her own book club - for bad mothers who just want to drink wine and share stories. But will this town let two book clubs exist? Or is there only room for one queen of the school gates…?

​Finally, we’d like to give a huge shout out to our client Luke Turner, shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize 2019 for his debut non-fiction memoir Out of the Woods.
 
The winner was announced on the 15th August, and although Luke didn’t scoop the Prize itself, we are immensely proud of our superb, talented client. He was interviewed by Countryfile for BBC Radio and you can catch up here.
 
Out of the Woods is a searingly honest, fierce and highly original work on sexuality, shame and the lure of the trees.

We are delighted to be partnering with Capital Crime to run an exciting new competition to help undiscovered crime and thriller authors further their writing careers.

Everyone who buys a ticket to attend Capital Crime will be able to read your entry and vote for their favourite. The ten entrants who get the most votes will be revealed on Thursday 19th September, and the winner, judged by the Capital Crime team from the top ten entries, will be announced at Capital Crime's opening night cocktail party on Thursday 26th September to the readers, agents and publishers in attendance. 

Entries cost £10 and close at midnight GMT on Wednesday 18th September 2019.

The winner will receive a trophy and £250.

To find out more and submit your entry, please visit this page on the Capital Crime website.

Good luck!

The Cliff House by Amanda Jennings has been selected as a Fern Britton pick for Tesco. The exclusive edition is now available in your local Tesco complete with Q&A and Book Club questions!

Brian McGilloway’s new standalone novel, The Last Crossing, has been bought by The Dome Press. The book begins 30 years ago, when four friends entered woodland near Glasgow; only three of them returned. A lifetime later the same three friends meet again, to return to the woods to see where they buried their friend. The Last Crossing is due for publication in spring 2020.

Congratulations to Erin Green, whose brand new novel New Beginnings At Rose Cottage was published last week.
 
When solo travellers Benni, Emma and Ruth find themselves holidaying together at charming Rose Cottage in Brixham, Devon, they are initially disappointed to be sharing with strangers of a different age group.
 
But 'friendship and home comforts' are guaranteed at Rose Cottage and soon a bond blossoms between the women, who each have valuable life lessons to share.
As the summer unfolds, Benni, Emma and Ruth begin to realise that age is just a number. Before their time at Rose Cottage ends, will they take the chance to grasp the dreams that are now within their reach?

​Rachel Trezise’s new play, Cotton Fingers, has been chosen by the Edinburgh Fringe as one of the top six plays to see at this year’s Festival.
 
Aoife's hungry and bored. Cillian makes a mean
cheese toastie. As boredom and hunger are satisfied by
half an hour in Cillian's bed, Aoife's life changes forever.
As social and political upheaval grips her country, what
hope does Aoife have to regain control? A timely,
politically-charged show written at the time of the
historic referendum of the eighth amendment in
Ireland, Cotton Fingers takes us on a journey from
​Belfast to Cardiff.
 
The Stage has favourably reviewed the play, giving it four stars, calling it “emotionally powerful and rich with poetic language and vivid character.” Cotton Fingers is on at Summerhall’s Main Hall from 13th - 18th August and then 20th - 25th August, at 12:15pm. For more information and to book tickets, click here.

​The covers for M.W. Craven’s forthcoming books with Little, Brown have been revealed. Born In A Burial Gown and Body Breaker are the first and second in the DI Avison Fluke series. They’re available to pre-order now.

Anna Jacobs’ new series, Birch End, which begins with A Daughter’s Journey has revealed its gorgeous cover.

Jo Melling has arrived in Birch End from Australia, still grieving her father's recent death. She's not intending to stay long, but after tracking down her distant family, Jo becomes more involved in village life than she could ever have imagined - and suddenly in danger too.
 
Jo also finds herself drawn to Nick, a handsome newcomer to the village. Nick had planned to settle in Birch End and start a business, but as he grows closer to Jo, he realises he may have to choose between his dreams and a chance at love.
Meanwhile, the new local council are faced with some tough decisions of their own. It's time to take a stand against the poor conditions in Backshaw Moss, the nearby slum, but some councillors want things to stay as they are - and will go to any lengths to make sure they get their way . . .
 
Will the decent people of the valley win a brighter future for themselves? And can Jo find a way to stay with Nick in a place she's grown to love?
 
This heartwarming book will be available in hardback and eBook on 22nd August and you can pre-order here.

​Going on holiday soon? Well there are some fab deals to load up on your eReader:
 
Anna Jacobs’ One Kind Man and One Perfect Family are in the Kindle Monthly Deal for only 99p.

Before we wrap up, we want to tell you about the very exciting news that Pitch DHH is going again and this time we’re going on the road to… Liverpool!
 
On Saturday 7th December, we’ll be holding a pitching event at a location in the city centre and we want you to come and pitch your book to us!
 
For more information on how to apply, click here.
 
Not sure? See below for some testimonials from previous pitchers.

We're going back on the road for our next Pitch DHH session, and this time we're hitting Liverpool, the city that gave us incredible writers such as Beryl Bainbridge and Frank Cottrell Boyce. We cannot wait!

The session will take place on Saturday 7th December 2019 at a venue in the city centre. The event is free and each pitcher will have ten minutes with their chosen agent. The list of pitchers will be decided on based on the strength of their submission. 

Below is an idea of what each agent is looking for:

David Headley is actively seeking well-written stories with strong characters and an original narrative voice across both general and genre fiction with a particular fondness for crime, thrillers, adventure and romance.

Broo Doherty is looking for novels that either put a new spin on the familiar, or take her out of her comfort zone. These could be in any of the following genres: psychological thrillers, crime novels, women's fiction and literary fiction. 

Hannah Sheppard loves novels with an original, standout voice. She's looking for children's fiction from 8+ to YA and commercial adult fiction. She wants an attention-grabbing hook or must-read concept. Amongst other things, she would love to see a swoony, feminist contemporary romance and a thriller with a unique premise. 

Natalie Galustian is looking for compelling narrative non-fiction, literary fiction, short stories and humour.

Harry Illingworth is looking for mould-breaking genre fiction with unique voices and strong concepts; books that can crossover from genre fiction to the commercial market. This could come in the form of epic fantasy, high-concept crime and thriller or accessible science fiction. 

How To Apply:
Email pitchdhh@dhhliteraryagency.com with the name of the agent in the subject line of the email, including a cover letter, one-page synopsis / outline and the first three chapters of the novel, or the first 5,000 words if shorter. You may only approach one agent on the team. If these guidelines are not adhered to, unfortunately we cannot consider your submission. We are also not able to consider pitchers who have attended any previous pitching events with us. 

Important Dates:
Submissions open: 10am on Monday 26th August
Submissions close: 6pm on Friday 4th October
Please do not submit outside of these dates

If you have any questions about this event, please email pitchdhh@dhhliteraryagency.com, but remember - no submissions before 26th August!

TESTIMONIALS

We’re kicking off this week’s roundup with some jolly exciting news, in that client M.W. Craven has been shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2019, for his novel The Puppet Show.
 
The winner of the prize, which rewards ‘compelling storytelling with brilliant characterisation and a distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised’ will be announced at Goldsboro Books on Monday 16th September. The prize, which is judged by the independent’s founder and MD David Headley, and his team, sees the winner awarded a £2,000 and a beautiful, handmade, engraved glass bell.
 
Congratulations, Mike!

We are so pleased to see the cover for Samantha Baines’ Harriet Versus the Galaxy out in the world and available for pre-order!
 
The intergalactic adventure starts at home with Harriet, who discovers that her hearing aid can do more than she ever bargained for when she finds an alien in her room. Discovering that her family secretly work for an intergalactic agency, Harriet becomes the Earth’s first line of defence as she is revealed to be the only one who can understand aliens from across the universe, and it’s all thanks to her hearing aid.
 
Knights Of will be publishing this hilarious and heartfelt debut in October 2019. You can pre-order your out of this world copy right here.

Lizzie Lovell’s fabulously fun gin-soaked book, The Juniper Gin Joint is only 99p in Kobo’s Classic British Summer promo, which runs until the 7th August.
 
It's been a tough year for empty-nester Jen in her seaside Devon town; her kids have left for pastures new and her husband's left for another woman.
 
Home alone with her eccentric home-brewing father and a Jack Russell, she is just getting her life back on track when her job at the local museum is threatened by her first love and nemesis, Councillor David Barton, who intends to sell the beautiful old building to a pub chain. But help is at hand from her colleagues: Jackie, a former Greenham Common warrior; Tish, a flamboyant historian; and Carol, mega-flirt. Plus newcomer and former campaigner, Tom. Who happens to be a widower. And quite sexy. And also the owner of a Jack Russell.
 
The key to saving the day and putting the town back on the tourist map could lie just within reach - when reaching for a cold gin and tonic, that is. Mother's Ruin to some, gin is the making of Jen when she comes together with her friends and family to save the museum and open an artisan distillery in the basement.
With its debauched local history of smuggling, can gin be the town's saviour and bring love back into Jen's life?
 
Download your copy here.

Congratulations to clients Gabrielle Kent and Adrian Magson, who saw their books published last week.
 
The Rebel Bicycle Club, by Gabrielle Kent, is the new stand-alone in the Knights and Bikes series. Buy your copy here.
 
Adventure awaits Demelza and her best friend in the whole world, Nessa, as they embark on a whole new adventure, solving mysteries, fending off bullies and celebrating the greatest friendship of all time.
 
When an unexpected guest arrives in Penfurzy, Nessa and Demelza go out of their way to help them, entering a world of ancient myth and legend.
 
Facing ghosts and monsters, and Conan the bully who just keeps getting in the way at the worst possible moment.
 
Adrian Magson’s Rocco and the Echoes of War is the first in the Inspector Lucas Rocco series, that has been re-released by The Dome Press, complete with a revised edit and a brand, spanking, new cover! The title is out now in eBook and you can grab your copy here.
 
France, 1963.
It's a time of great change in France, not least for Inspector Lucas Rocco. As part of a nationwide 'initiative' to broaden police operations, he finds himself moved from the Paris metropolis to a small village. His new patch might be rural, but it's certainly not uneventful: on his first day, he finds a murdered woman wearing a Gestapo uniform lying in a British military cemetery.

When the body is removed by order of a magistrate from the police mortuary before Rocco can finish his investigation, he realises he's up against a formidable enemy. An enemy who will go to any lengths - even murder - to stop his investigation.

The cover for Adrian Magson’s new Harry Tate thriller, Terminal Black, was revealed last week.
 
Harry Tate has one rule: you don't abandon your friends. When he learns that former colleague Rik Ferris has had a breakdown and disappeared, allegedly in possession of highly sensitive secrets from MI6's archives, he agrees to look for him and, if possible, bring him back in. But where to begin? Rik could be anywhere in the world.
 
All Harry knows is, if he doesn't find Rik, others will be sent out instead. And they won't play by the same rules. What Harry doesn't know is that Rik is being held prisoner and tortured for information relating to a high-level mole in the British establishment. If he doesn't tell his captors what he knows, it will result in a devastating cyber attack designed to bring the UK to its knees.
 
Terminal Black will be published by Severn House on the 31st October 2019 and you can pre-order your copy here.

​The long-awaited third instalment of the Godblind trilogy by Anna Stephens, Bloodchild, is out next month and if you simply can’t wait, an excerpt from the book is available to read now, thanks to Fantasy Hive.
 
Click here to get your Rilporin fix!

​Finally, congratulations to Paul Burston, whose novel The Closer I Get has been longlisted for the Guardian’s Not the Booker longlist.
 
The prize is voted for by the public, and if you fancy casting your vote, it really is very simple:

• Go to the link here
• Choose two books from the longlist, from two different publishers (one of them being The Closer I Get, obviously…)
• In the comments section, write “Vote” along with your two choices
• A review for at least one of the books must be included.

 
And that’s it! Simples!