The cover for Phillipa Ashley's new festive winter-warmer, Four Weddings and a Christmas​ (November 2023, Avon), has been revealed:

We were thrilled / over the moon / delighted (genuinely, all of these things, all at once) to see Anita Frank's latest book, The Good Liars, storm its way into the Sunday Times​ Top 10 bestseller list, within its first week on sale!

The book is a gripping murder mystery set in the 1920s, and has been described as 'exquisitely written' by A Fatal Crossing author Tom Hindle and comes 'highly recommended' from M. W. Craven.

Congratulations, Anita!

When the murderer kidnaps a local MP’s daughter in Bradford and holds the entire city to ransom, Harry realises that he is going to need the help of his brother-in-law Riaz, a drugs kingpin who runs the largest cartel in the county. Pulled together in an alliance that could ruin them both, Harry must make a choice: save himself and his family or save his city. He will not be able to do both.

A. A. Dhand will be adapting the books for the series. ​

Hachette Children’s Group has acquired three non-fiction titles by Suzie Edge: the text-led titles History Stinks!: Poo Through the Ages and  History Stinks!: Wee Through the Ages, illustrated by Luke Newell (to be published in April 2024 and April 2025 respectively) and the colour title A Hole in the Head: A Gruesomely Grisly History of Medical Firsts, illustrated by Sam Caldwell (publishing in September 2025). 

Anna Martin, senior commissioning editor, and Leah James, publishing director at Hachette Children’s Group, acquired world English rights from Emily Glenister.

These are Edge’s first children’s titles; her book Vital Organs: A History of the World’s Most Famous Body Parts will be published by Wildfire this autumn. Wildfire also published her first book, Mortal Monarchs: 1,000 Years of Royal Deaths, in September 2022.

The publisher says: “In the new series, History Stinks!, readers will learn all about history through poo and wee – from Tudor monarchs and humble Roman plumbers, to stinky Saxons and Aztecs – told in Suzie’s hilarious middle-grade voice. In  A Hole in the Head, Suzie will take readers through medical firsts in all their technicolour gory and gruesome detail, from neolithic skull-drilling to Victorian body snatchers.”

Edge is medical historian whose TikTok channel (@suzieedge) has amassed more than 323,600 followers and 6.3 million "likes" since August 2020.

She said: “I am delighted to be working with Hachette Children’s alongside Luke and Sam, whose illustrations will bring the work to life. Having written two adult non-fiction books, it’s incredibly exciting to be able to create something that I hope will get children of many ages excited about history — warts and all!”

James said: “We’re so thrilled to be publishing three titles with Suzie Edge. Suzie’s trademark humour and expert knowledge is perfect for distilling gruesome historical facts to kids. Complemented by illustrator Sam Caldwell’s injection of colourful fun and gore, colour title A Hole in the Head: A Gruesomely Grisly History of Medical Firsts will hit just the right levels of hilarious grisly grossness to entertain and inform children.”

Martin added: “History Stinks!: Poo Through the Ages  and  History Stinks!: Wee Through the Ages are wonderful additions to our text-led list, and we can’t wait for readers to uncover loads about the loo, piles about poo and the funniest and foulest facts from the smelliest corners of history. Suzie’s new middle-grade series will be brought to life by Luke Newell’s amazingly cheeky line art, too.”

From The Bookseller​ article | Lauren Brown

We're kicking off this week's DHH News Roundup with the first of three cover reveals. First up, the gloriously witty and unputdownable debut from Ola Tundun, Roommates (September 2023, Storm Publishing):​

Our next cover reveal this week comes in the form of the debut police procedural from T. M. Payne, Long Time Dead (March 2024, Thomas & Mercer):

Our final cover reveal comes in the form of the highly-anticipated third book from bestselling and award-winning author, Stuart Turton. The Last Murder at the End of the World will be published by Bloomsbury Raven in March 2024.

As we enter a new month, we have a few fantastic Kindle Monthly Deals for you to take full advantage of! Simply click on the book jacket below to nab the book for a fraction of the price - this month only​!

A very happy publication day in Denmark to M. W. Craven, whose Botanikeren (The Botanist) was released last week by Danish publishers, Jentas. The book was also published in Germany by Droemer Knaur as Der Botaniker​.

Mike was also interviewed by the Independent for their 'One Minute With...' column. Catch up here.

We were delighted to see Prima mag's recommendations for August included Anita Frank's historical crime mystery, The Good Liars, and Victoria Selman's new psychological thriller, All the Little Liars. 

"Get ready to be lost in a story of lies and murder in this fabulous story set in 1920 ... Will real Agatha Christie vibes, this will have you captivated." The Good Liars

"I was gripped reading this one, I even had to go back to reread passages to confirm what I thought. The dual timeline added to the tension and kept me eagerly turning the pages." All the Little Liars​

Two writers of the dark genre at the absolute top of their game, the books are available for pre-order now.

We loved seeing this feature by client Mandy Robotham in Prima mag last week, which spotlights the true stories of some of the bravest female heroes of the war Mandy's latest book. The War Pianist, centres around two women from separate nations, brought together by intrigue and espionage.​

One More Chapter (OMC) has signed three new titles by Julie Caplin including her 10th book The French Chateau Dream.

Publisher Charlotte Ledger acquired world all-language rights from Broo Doherty. The first book is due spring 2024 and the second will come in autumn 2024.
​
"With her hugely popular Romantic Escapes series, Caplin has seen incredible success both in her home market and further afield and her books have hit the print bestseller charts in Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic among others," the publisher said.

The HarperCollins rights team have now sold her books into 19 languages and, at London Book Fair, One More Chapter hosted a dinner for the author and her foreign teams with publishers from 10 countries attending and celebrating the success of the series around the globe.

The new deal also features "ambitious growth plans", HarperCollins said, for Caplin’s series in the UK, starting with The French Chateau Dream, which is out now and available in all formats.

Caplin said: "After 20 books, I can say I’ve found my publishing home with the amazing One More Chapter [OMC] team. Working with Charlotte Ledger, publisher at OMC, is an absolute dream. I know authors say this about their editors but she really does brings something special to the editing process.

"She’s been endlessly supportive and encouraging, especially when I’ve wanted to write something in a new genre or go in a different direction. The real bonus has been the work that the rights team have done, they’re the unsung heroes of the publishing world and have secured some amazing foreign rights deals for my series."

Doherty said: "One More Chapter have taken Jules’s books to new heights, both in the UK and on the international stage and I know with this new deal they will surpass themselves."
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Ledger added: ‘There aren’t enough words to describe how proud I am of all that Jules has achieved. We’ve worked together for eight years now and I still love her writing every bit as much as the first time I read her on submission. The whole team here at OMC is hugely ambitious for Jules’s career and this new deal will see a step-change in her publishing in all formats and territories."

From The Bookseller article | Heloise Wood

The cover for bestselling author Tom Hindle's new book, Murder on Lake Garda​, was revealed last week:

Also revealed last week was the cover for Lucy Fulford's debut non-fiction, The Exiled:

Closing out this week's DHH News Roundup, is the phenomenal news that M. W. Craven has won the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2023 for The Botanist, the Sunday Times bestseller and fifth in his 'Washington Poe' series. 

​The award celebrates excellence, originality, and the very best in crime fiction from UK and Irish authors. A highlight in the literary calendar, past winners include Denise Mina, Steve Cavanagh, Val McDermid and Chris Brookmyre. Awarded annually as part of Harrogate International Festivals’ Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the winner of the most wanted accolade in crime fiction receives a cheque for £3000, and an engraved oak beer cask, hand-carved by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakstons Brewery.

Congratulations, Mike!

M. W. Craven has won the 2023 Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. 

The Botanist, the fifth in Craven's bestselling Washington Poe series, fought off stiff competition from the likes of Doug Johnston, Elly Griffiths, Val McDermid, Fiona Cummins, Gillian McAllister and Ruth Ware. 

The award celebrates excellence, originality, and the very best in crime fiction from UK and Irish authors. A highlight in the literary calendar, past winners include Denise Mina, Steve Cavanagh, Val McDermid and Chris Brookmyre. Awarded annually as part of Harrogate International Festivals’ Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the winner of the most wanted accolade in crime fiction receives a cheque for £3000, and an engraved oak beer cask, hand-carved by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakstons Brewery.