Translation Rights List. Including. Fiction

Transcription

1 Translation Rights List Including Fiction August 2018

2 Contents Rights Department p.3 Little, Brown Imprints p.4 General p.5 Commercial p.19 Crime, Mystery & Thriller p.35 Sci-Fi & Fantasy p.52 Rights Representatives p.59 Key Rights sold displayed in parentheses indicates that we do not control the rights An asterisk indicates a new title since previous Rights list Titles in italics were not published by Little, Brown Book Group. 2

3 Rights Department ANDY HINE Rights Director Brazil, Germany, Italy, Poland, Scandinavia, Latin America and the Baltic States +44 (0) KATE HIBBERT Rights Director USA, Spain, Portugal, Far East, the Netherlands, Flemish, Belgium and the Indian Subcontinent +44 (0) HELENA DOREE Senior Rights Manager France, Turkey, Arab States, Israel, Greece, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Macedonia +44 (0) JONATHAN HAINES Rights Assistant +44 (0) Little, Brown Book Group Carmelite House 50 Victoria Embankment London EC4Y 0DZ UNITED KINGDOM Follow us on 3

4 Little, Brown Imprints 4

5 General Highlights GRACE IS GONE NINA X ACROSS THE VOID THIS CHILD OF OURS NOW YOU RE TALKING TRUST HER 5

6 * THE LEBS by Michael Mohammed Ahmad Contemporary Fiction Hachette Australia 272pp March 2018 Confronting, heart-breaking and illuminating in turns, this is the confronting new novel from an award-winning author As far as Bani Adam is concerned Punchbowl Boys is the arse end of the earth. Though he's a Leb and they control the school, Bani feels at odds with the other students, who just don't seem to care. He is a romantic in a sea of hypermasculinity. Bani must come to terms with his place in this hostile, hopeless world, while dreaming of so much more. Michael Mohammed Ahmad is an Arab-Australian writer, editor, teacher and community arts worker. He is the founder and director of Sweatshop, a literacy movement in Western Sydney devoted to empowering culturally and linguistically diverse artists through creative writing. Mohammed's essays and short stories have appeared in the Sydney Review of Books, The Guardian, Heat, Seizure, The Lifted Brow, The Australian and Coming of Age: Australian Muslim Stories. His debut book, The Tribe, received a 2015 Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelists of the Year Award. Mohammed received his Doctorate of Creative Arts at Western Sydney University in * SOMEONE LIKE ME by M.R. Carey Contemporary Fiction Orbit 512pp November 2018 Korea: Duran Kim Japan: Japan Uni From the author of the word-of-mouth bestseller THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS comes an original, haunting and heart-stopping standalone psychological thriller with a supernatural twist When Liz Kendall is attacked by her abusive ex-husband Marc, she feels helpless and knows that she has just seconds to live. But as he grabs her by the throat, something inexplicable happens. Liz suddenly finds herself looking at her own body from the outside, as some unknown power or entity takes it over. Under this influence, she sees herself fighting off Marc in an act of strength and aggression that she never would have been capable of before. This out-of-body experience saves Liz's life, but it also terrifies her, and then it happens again. Liz decides she must confront this entity, this other, which is possessing her. Here begins a journey into a strange and frightening new world for Liz, one where she must examine the depths and darkness of her own soul - and fight for control of her mind Praise for THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS: As fresh as it is terrifying Joss Whedon; Original, thrilling and powerful the Guardian; If you only read one novel this year, make sure it's this one, it's amazing Martina Cole; Keeps you on tenterhooks as the action unfolds ELLE magazine. M.R. Carey is the bestselling author of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS, which was turned into a major film in 2016 starring Glenn Close and Gemma Arterton. Under the name Mike Carey he has written for both DC and Marvel, including critically acclaimed runs on X-Men and Fantastic Four, Marvel's flagship superhero titles. Option publishers: Czech (Host), Farsi (Baazh), French (L Atalante), German (Droemer Knaur), Italian (Newton Compton), Portuguese in Brazil (Rocco), Swedish (Ordfront), Thai (Earnest Publishing) US Orbit 6

7 EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU by Heather Child Contemporary Fiction Orbit 352pp April 2018 Korea: KCC Japan: Quietly terrifying, this cutting-edge debut imagines a world where people can be recreated as data ghosts and lives can be changed by the information they've left behind Freya has a new virtual assistant. It knows what she likes, knows what she wants and knows whose voice she most needs to hear: her missing sister's. It adopts her sister's personality, recreating her through a life lived online. This data ghost knows everything about Freya's sister: every date she ever went on, every photo she took, every secret she ever shared. In fact it knows things it shouldn't be possible to know. It's almost as if her sister is still out there somewhere, feeding fresh updates into the cloud. But that's impossible. Isn't it? Heather Child has an MA in Writing from the University of Warwick. She worked with writers including Maureen Freely, Rebecca Abrams and China Mie ville. Her work has appeared in a range of literary magazines including Mslexia, the Storgy 2014 Short Story Anthology and Notes from the Underground online. Russian Eksmo * A LINE OF DESIRE by Amanda Craig Contemporary Fiction Little, Brown 352pp June 2019 Korea: Duran Kim Japan: TMA Amanda Craig s new novel turns on two women who meet by chance and discover that they are both victims of abusive husbands. Together, they plot their revenge Praise for Craig: She is a humane writer as well a waspish one and it is the plight of London's migrant workers and sink-school pupils with which she is primarily concerned here, and her passion and care are affecting the Observer on HEARTS AND MINDS; A marvellously readable novel, written with great humour and spark, but also social heart and central relevance to the way we live now. To achieve both in one is a terrific - and uncommon The Bookseller on THE LIE OF THE LAND; We are left simultaneously laughing and cringing as we can't fail to see ourselves in the lives of those portrayed in The Lie of the Land. Like all great fiction, it embraces us with a brilliant story while holding up an unflinching mirror asking questions of ourselves Edinburgh International Literary Festival on THE LIE OF THE LAND. Amanda Craig is a British novelist, short-story writer and critic. Born in South Africa in 1959, she grew up in Italy, where her parents worked for the UN, and was educated at Bedales School and Clare College, Cambridge. After a brief time in advertising and PR, she became a journalist for newspapers such as The Sunday Times, the Observer, the Daily Telegraph and the Independent, winning both the Young Journalist of the Year and the Catherine Pakenham Award. She was the children's critic for the Independent on Sunday and The Times. She still reviews children's books for the New Statesman, and literary fiction for the Observer, but is mostly a full-time novelist. HEARTS AND MINDS was long-listed for the 2010 Bailey's Prize for Women's Fiction. Option publishers: Italian (Astoria) 7

8 A BOY AND HIS DOG AT THE END OF THE WORLD by C. A. Fletcher Contemporary Fiction Orbit 416pp April 2019 Korea: Duran Kim Japan: TMA Reminiscent of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS, A BOY AND HIS DOG AT THE END OF THE WORLD reads like a poignant letter from the future to the present Griz is a boy who has never met enough people in his life to play a game of football. He's heard about football. And schools, and friends. His parents have told him what the world used to be like, before all the people went away. But Griz isn't lonely - he's got his family, and his beloved dog. One day, a stranger visits, to trade with his father. But the man leaves in the middle of the night, taking the boy's dog. As Griz chases the stranger out into a world devoid of people - a world without us, he discovers there may be more to both to the history of how the world ended, and what his family's real story is. He begins his hunt searching for a stolen dog, but finds himself on the trail of something bigger and more personally important - the truth. C. A. Fletcher is the pseudonym of an established author and screenwriter. US Orbit THE DEFINITION OF US by Sarah Harris Contemporary Fiction Piatkus 224pp July 2018 Full of irreverent humour, witty dialogue and irresistible characters, this timely novel is perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and Jennifer Niven Florence is pretty sure she's not got much in common with the other patients at Manor Lane Diagnostic & Therapy Centre. Wilf has ADHD and a tendency to punch doors, Andrew's ASD means he likes to run to a schedule as precise as a Japanese train, and Jasper would be far too perky if it wasn't for his moods at mealtimes. It's only when Howard Green, the centre's psychotherapist goes missing that they start to share some common ground. They've told Howard things they've never told anyone before. They trusted him and were making progress. Starting again with someone else is an unbearable prospect. Together the four of them decide that they need answers and set off on a roadtrip, vowing to track him down. Harris is a British author writing YA and commercial fiction. Previously published as Sarah Ball, she had three novels published by Piatkus; NINE MONTHS, MARRY ME and WRITTEN IN THE STARs. 8

9 THE GARDEN ON JERICHO STREET by Francesca Hornak Contemporary Fiction Piatkus 320pp December 2019 Korea: EYA Japan: The second book from the author of SEVEN DAYS OF US Jericho Street is a place where everyone is welcome. Every house in the surrounding London streets owns a key to it. But when a shocking incident involving local teenagers occurs within its iron railings, gossip spreads like wildfire, leaving neighbours nervous about the future of a place they love. For six keyholders, however, this incident could be the start of something remarkable. Three very different couples, from three corners of the London community one old, one young, and one somewhere in the middle. Their lives are about to change, and, as the seasons turn, Jericho Street plays host to the most unexpected of new bonds and new beginnings. Praise for SEVEN DAYS OF US: Francesca Hornak is hilariously funny with characters that jump off the page, grab you, and just won t let go Rosamund Lupton; LOVED it! Warm and humane, funny and sad, with a great, twisty plot, SEVEN DAYS OF US is absolute pleasure reading from beginning to end. Francesca Hornak is a true talent. Just gorgeous! Marian Keyes; The story swallowed me up. It has all the makings of your classic rom-com, with characters that are both remarkable yet wonderfully relatable, thanks to Francesca Hornak's acutely observational storytelling. The family tension is all too real The Unmumsy Mum. Francesca Hornak is a journalist and writer, whose work has appeared in newspapers and magazines including The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Marie Claire, Red, Grazia and Stylist. Option publishers: Bulgarian (Kragozor), Czech (Argo), Danish (Alhambra), Finnish (Tammi), French (J ai Lu), German (Ullstein), Hebrew (Keter), Icelandic (Benedikt), Italian (Mondadori), Norwegian (Cappelen Damm), Polish (HarperCollins), Portuguese in Portugal (Bertrand Editora), Portuguese in Brazil (Bertrand), Swedish (Albert Bonniers), Russian (Ripol) US Berkley * THE SLEEPOVER by Samantha King Contemporary Fiction Piatkus 320pp November 2019 The second novel from the author of THE CHOICE Samantha King is a former editor and a qualified psychotherapist. Her debut novel, THE CHOICE, was published in Option publishers: Bulgarian (Enthusiast Books), Czech (Mlada Fronta), Dutch (WPG), Estonian (Ersen), French (City Editions), German (HarperCollins), Hungarian (General Press), Italian (Newton Compton), Polish (HarperCollins), Serbian (Laguna), Turkish (Beyaz Baykus) US Kensington 9

10 DUST FALLS ON EUGENE SCHLUMBERGER & TODDLER ON THE RUN by Shena Mackay Contemporary Fiction Virago 176pp April 2020 Korea: Danny Hong Japan: EAJ These vivid novellas show Shena Mackay's inimitable skill in recording the lives of the urban dispossessed - the young women and men who kick against authority Abigail pines for her lover during school assemblies where nuns preach sacrifice, but romance is snatched from them when he crashes the car stolen for their joy ride. With Eugene sent down for two years, she has ample opportunity to pursue adolescent angst and to contemplate his escape. Morris, twenty-three years old and only three feet nine inches tall, is often mistaken for a child, though the events that entangle him are far from childish. On the run from the law, he takes refuge in a beach hut with Leda. Camouflaged by donkey rides and festive holidaymakers, they scramble through the days, fortified by salty tea, beset with fear and desperation. Praise: Sinister, hilarious the Guardian (on THE ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY); A marvel of precise, evocative detail and almost sensual intensity poignant and true subtle and compassionate Publishers Weekly (on ORCHARD ON FIRE); Consistently beautiful writing the Guardian (on HELIGOLAND); Brilliant and touching the Independent (on DUNEDIN). Shena Mackay was born in Edinburgh in Her writing career began when she won a prize for a poem written when she was fourteen. REDHILL ROCOCO won the 1987 Fawcett Prize, DUNEDIN won a 1994 Scottish Arts Council Book Award, THE ORCHARD ON FIRE was shortlisted for the 1996 Booker Prize and, in 2003, HELIGOLAND was shortlisted for both the Orange Prize and Whitbread Novel Award. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and lives in Southampton. HELIGOLAND by Shena Mackay Contemporary Fiction Virago 208pp April 2020 Korea: Danny Hong Japan: EAJ Shena Mackay's classic novel, which was shortlisted for the Orange and Whitbread prizes The Nautilus, a strange building shaped like the chambered shell of the same name, was built in South London in the early 1930s. Designed on Modernist and Utopian principles, it was a haven for a floating community of cosmopolitan refugees, intellectuals and artists. Now, at the end of the century, only two of the original inhabitants still occupy their chambers - Celeste Zylberstein, joint architect with her late husband of the Nautilus, and Francis Campion, an elderly poet. Gus Crabb, a dealer in bric-a-brac, is the only other resident until, to the Nautilus, like a hermit crab seeking a home, comes Rowena Snow. Of Indian/Scottish parentage, orphaned, without family or friends, Rowena is in search of her own Utopia. Praise: Sinister, hilarious the Guardian on THE ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY; A marvel of precise, evocative detail and almost sensual intensity poignant and true subtle and compassionate Publishers Weekly on ORCHARD ON FIRE; Consistently beautiful writing the Guardian on HELIGOLAND; Brilliant and touching the Independent on DUNEDIN. HELIGOLAND is Shena Mackay at her very best. Rowena, damaged but courageous, is a brilliant creation, and her path to a sort of contentment is both funny and moving. The other characters are at once utterly strange and entirely believable, and Shena Mackay's eye for the oddities of ordinary life is as sharp as ever. Her writing - sentence by sentence - is sublime, surprising, inimitable. 10

11 YOU FOUND ME by Virginia Macgregor Contemporary Fiction Sphere 416pp August 2018 Korea: Duran Kim Japan: A powerful family drama and an emotional love story, this is the new novel from the critically acclaimed author of WHAT MILO SAW and THE RETURN OF NORAH WELLS Early one morning, Isabel and her eleven-year-old daughter River are walking across Regents Park when they come across a distraught-looking man sitting on a bench. They ask him if he's OK, but he doesn't know the answer. In fact he doesn't know the answer to any of their questions - he doesn't even know his name. Urged on by her daughter, Isabel takes the man to hospital and hopes that will be the end of it. But when the tests show there's nothing physically wrong with him, and yet he still can't remember who he is, she realises she can't walk away. With no ID on him, she will to have to call the authorities but there's a look of fear in the man's eyes and she knows that's the last thing he wants. Isabel made a promise to River that they would help this man but can they trust him? And how far is she prepared to go to keep her word to her only child? Praise for Virginia Macgregor: A future classic - Clare Mackintosh on WHAT MILO SAW; I couldn't put this insightful, compelling novel down - Woman & Home on THE RETURN OF NORAH WELLS; A touching look at the meaning of motherhood - Good Housekeeping on THE RETURN OF NORAH WELLS. Macgregor has written three novels for adults: WHAT MILO SAW, THE RETURN OF NORAH WELLS and BEFORE I WAS YOURS. German Goldmann * RAINBOW MILK by Paul Mendez Literary Fiction Dialogue Books 320pp April 2019 A challenging, potent and rewarding reading experience from a writer with an immediate and singular authorial voice with shades of James Baldwin in the way he addresses race, religion and sexuality Growing up black and gay in an abusive and repressive Jehovah s Witness household, before moving to London to work as an escort to support himself through drama school, Mendez has lived an extraordinary life and Rainbow Milk will be a fictionalised but unexpurgated account of his experiences and coming to terms with the hand life has dealt him. 11

12 NINA X by Ewan Morrison Contemporary Fiction Fleet 320pp April 2019 Korea: KCC Japan: The story of Nina X s imprisonment, and her path to eventual freedom, is compelling and chilling and all too believable. She is a character to stand alongside Offred of The Handmaid s Tale and Jack of Room NINA X is loosely inspired by the real case of a tiny Maoist cult in London whose leader kept five women trapped for more than twenty years. Nina X has no books, no toys and no privacy. She has nothing that might be described as love. Her closest emotional connection is with the birds she sees outside her bedroom window, when she is daring enough to remove the plasterboard that covers it. She has never been outside her small south London house. She has never met another child. She has no mother and no father; she has a Leader (a man), and she has three female comrades. The all-powerful Leader has named her The Project; she is being raised in total ideological purity, entirely separated from the false gods of capitalism and the cult of the self. He makes her record everything in her journal, to track her thoughts; he makes her revise the entries obsessively, until they fit with his narrative. Her words are erased, over and over again. Ewan Morrison is an award winning novelist, screenwriter and director. Russian AST 84K by Claire North Contemporary Fiction Orbit 480pp May 2018 Korea: EYA Japan: TMA A gripping dystopian novel Theo works in the Criminal Audit Office. It s his job to assess each crime, and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full. He knows the value of human life to the very last penny. In his society, everything is defined by its monetary value, even a human life. You can commit any crime and walk away without punishment all you have to do is pay the penalty fee. But when Theo s ex-lover is murdered, it s different. He cannot let her dead body become merely an entry on a balance sheet. THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST was Claire North s first novel. It was one of the fastest-selling new SFF titles of the last ten years. It was nominated for the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel; the Arthur C Clarke Award, and it won the John W Campbell Memorial Award. Praise: Beautiful and gripping the Guardian; A superb novel [ ] Highly recommended Irish Independent; The writing is impeccable Heat. Praise for TOUCH: will linger long after the last shot is fired Kirkus; little short of a masterpiece the Independent; Dazzlingly imaginative Sunday Mirror; Fast-paced, imaginative the Washington Post. THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF HOPE won the World Fantasy Award in Praise: Well-paced, brilliant and balanced the New York Times; Startlingly original the Independent. THE END OF THE DAY was shortlisted for the Sunday Times / PFD Young Writer of the Year in Praise: Funny, ambitious, immensely humane and full of philosophical panache the Sunday Times; Extraordinary [ ] Wildly impressive BBC Radio 4; Wholly original and hauntingly beautiful Kirkus. Claire North s fiction has been variously published in Bulgarian, complex Chinese, simplified Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish. Option publishers: Spanish (Hidra) French Bragelonne; Polish Dressler Dublin; Romanian Editura ART; Russian AST; US Orbit 12

13 * UNTITLED NOVEL 3 by Claire North Speculative Fiction Orbit 480pp May 2019 A hauntingly powerful new novel from the award-winning Claire North - one of the most original voices in modern fiction Sudan in the 1880s. A young and naive English doctor by the name of William Abbey witnesses the lynching of a local boy by the white colonists. He's guilt-struck, but too cowardly and stupid to stand up against this act. And as the child dies, his mother curses William. William isn't sure what this curse means, but begins to understand when the shadow of the dead boy starts following him across the world. It never stops, never rests. It can cross oceans and mountains. And if it catches him, the person he loves most in the world will die... THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST was Claire North s first novel. It was one of the fastest-selling new SFF titles of the last ten years. It was nominated for the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel; the Arthur C Clarke Award, and it won the John W Campbell Memorial Award. Praise: Beautiful and gripping the Guardian; A superb novel [ ] Highly recommended Irish Independent; The writing is impeccable Heat. Praise for TOUCH: will linger long after the last shot is fired Kirkus; little short of a masterpiece the Independent; Dazzlingly imaginative Sunday Mirror; Fast-paced, imaginative the Washington Post. THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF HOPE won the World Fantasy Award in Praise: Well-paced, brilliant and balanced the New York Times; Startlingly original the Independent. THE END OF THE DAY was shortlisted for the Sunday Times / PFD Young Writer of the Year in Praise: Funny, ambitious, immensely humane and full of philosophical panache the Sunday Times; Extraordinary [ ] Wildly impressive BBC Radio 4; Wholly original and hauntingly beautiful Kirkus. Claire North s fiction has been variously published in Bulgarian, complex Chinese, simplified Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish. Option publishers: French (Bragelonne); Polish (Dressler Dublin); Romanian (Editura ART); Russian (AST); US (Orbit) * THIS CHILD OF OURS by Sadie Pearse Contemporary Fiction Sphere 432pp August 2018 Korea: KCC Japan A story of a marriage at breaking point and a child caught in the middle, this is a beautiful novel of parents and their children, and how far we're prepared to go in the name of love Riley, aged seven, says she's not a girl, she's really a boy. Sally, Riley's mother, wants to support her in being who she dreams of being. Theo, her dad, thinks it's a just phase they should wait out. Both feel that their way is the only path that will protect Riley and keep her safe. With the wellbeing of their child at stake, Sally and Theo's relationship is stretched to breaking point - and, to save their family, each of them must look deeply at who they really are. But whose way is the right way? A story of a marriage at breaking point and a child caught in the middle, this is a beautiful novel of parents and their children, and how far we're prepared to go in the name of love. Sadie Pearse lives in north London with her husband and young son and daughter. THIS CHILD OF OURS is her first novel. 13

14 * NOW YOU RE TALKING by P.Z. Reizin Contemporary Fiction Sphere 400pp Korea: EYA Japan: Uni From the critically acclaimed author of HAPPINESS FOR HUMANS comes another wry, witty and hilarious look at how we handle technology and how it handles us Daisy is not exactly living her best life. Her career has stalled, her on-off relationship is more off than on and she s beginning to be quite concerned about her mother, Chloe, whose memory is becoming worse and worse. Chloe is even claiming that she s talking to her fridge and worse, that it s rather better than her at crosswords. Luckily for Daisy, she has one or two guardian angels watching over her. Her fridge, her fitness tracker, her TV even her electric toothbrush, although it tends to oscillate - have begun to talk amongst themselves. They re determined to rescue Daisy from the consequences of her bad decisions. But what can a group of electronics however smart do to help Daisy and her beloved mum? Praise for HAPPINESS FOR HUMANS: A sort of Shakespearean comedy of errors but instead of the gods there are rogue AIs seeking to meddle in the affairs of humans. Great fun Bookseller; One of the most unique love stories ever written, this novel blends the ethereal concepts of true love and fate with a thoughtful examination of the risks and worries of artificial intelligence RT Book Reviews; A frothy rom-com in literary form...a broad and madcap love story...charming Kirkus; This is Jane Austen's Emma for the digital era Keith Stuart, author of A BOY MADE OF BLOCKS. P.Z. Reizin worked as a journalist and producer in newspapers, radio and television before turning to writing. He has been involved in several Internet startup ventures, none of which went on to trouble Google, Twitter or Facebook. His previous title with Sphere, HAPPINESS FOR HUMANS, is being made into a film. Option publishers: Catalan (Planeta), Chinese complex (Solo Press), Chinese simplified (TianJin Manyu), Czech (Euromedia), Dutch (Luitingh-Sijthoff), Estonian (Petrone Print), Finnish (Gummerus), French (Albin Michel), German (Manhattan), Hebrew (Kinneret), Hungarian (Libri), Icelandic (Bokabeitan), Italian (Rizzoli), Japanese (TAC Publishing), Korean (Book21), Lithuanian (UAB Jotema), Polish (Proszynski i S-ka), Portuguese in Portugal (Jacarandá), Portuguese in Brazil (Distribuidora Record), Romanian (Litera), Russian (Eksmo), Serbian (Vulkan), Slovak (Ikar), Spanish (Planeta), Turkish (Penguen), Ukrainian (Family Leisure Club), US (Grand Central) * SAM KILLS CHRISTMAS by Thomas Ridgewell Gift & Humour Sphere 48pp November 2018 A small child embarks on a big adventure in this second book from YouTuber Tomska aka Thomas Ridgewell Sam is a small child with a big problem, they HATE Santa. And so, this Christmas, it's time to embark on a quest to vanquish that villain once and for all. Along the way, Sam will encounter Ice Queens and evil Elves, and not a few rocket launchers and explosives, but the big question is...will they be able to rid the world of the tyranny of Santa? Thomas "Tomska" Ridgewell is an "unprofessonal comedian/filmmaker" with more than 3.5 million YouTube subscribers. His series of short "asdf" films have been viewed more than 300 million times in total. 14

15 * STUBBORN ARCHIVIST by Yara Rodrigues Fowler Fiction Fleet 320pp February 2019 A beautiful experimental novel of identity, family and growing up between cultures In parts unsettling, in parts moving, and with moments of surprising humour, the author s writing about women, and bodies, and belonging in more than one place is compelling and insightful. The novel is rooted in experience and the writing very confident. With touches of Jenny Offill s Dept of Speculation and Valeria Luiselli s Faces in a Crowd, this is a novel which is poignant and poetic, whilst being sharp and funny. Rodrigues Fowler has a BA in English Language and Literature from Oxford and an MA in Comparative Literature at UCL. She has had her writing published in Litro, and the UCL Publishers Prize. She received a Special Mention in the 2015 Galley Beggar Press Short Story Competition and has performed at many events, including 2016's Brainchild Festival. * THE AU PAIR by Emma Rous Contemporary Fiction Piatkus 400pp December 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan EAJ A tautly plotted gothic mystery of dark family secrets, perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Rachel Hore and Kate Riordan Seraphine Mayes and her brother Danny are known as the summer-born Summerbournes: the first set of summer twins to be born at Summerbourne House, a crumbling manor on the Norfolk coast. But on the day they were born their mother Ruth threw herself to her death over the cliffs behind their house, their au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark-cloaked figures, changelings and a stolen baby. Now twenty-five, and mourning the recent death of their father, Seraphine s brothers join her at Summerbourne to go through their father s things. When they uncover a family photograph taken on the day the twins were born featuring both parents posing with just one baby, Seraphine becomes fixated with the notion that she and Danny might not be twins after all, that she wasn t the baby born that day, and that there was more to her mother s death than she has ever been told. With a transporting sense of place and gripping story line, The Au Pair delves into the darkest of family secrets. A great read - Eve Chase; Entrancing and compelling... atmospheric and reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's work, it's a beautiful read that delivers a shocking and satisfying ending. - Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish; This will keep you turning those pages. The characters are still playing on my mind - Jane Corry, bestselling author of My Husband s Wife Rous is Cambridge University graduate who spent eighteen years working as a veterinary surgeon. Dutch Luitingh-Sijthoff; Finnish Minerva; French City Editions; German Blanvalet; Hebrew Tchelet; Italian Sperling & Kupfer; Norwegian Gyldendal; Polish Swiat Ksiazki; US Berkley 15

16 * THIS IS YESTERDAY by Rose Ruane Contemporary Fiction Corsair 256pp June 2019 Korea: KCC Japan: Ruane's turn of phrase, her humour and the nuance of her observations on strained and complicated relationships create this unusual and exciting debut novel Peach gets the dead of night phone call that - in life but especially in fiction - can only bring bad news. Peach's father is in hospital. Her brother's there, her sister's on her way and she's being summoned. Peach is a hot mess and knows it. Still drunk, fuzzy with things she took to make her sleep, she has to call Joseph-who-she-used-to-sleep-with for a lift. Her relationship with her family is hostile at the best of times: whatever happens at the hospital will dredge up a history they've all made a conscious effort to avoid. Against this present drama Peach recalls the summer of 1994, twenty years ago: the summer she left school and began to blur at the edges. The summer her family began to disintegrate. The summer the terrible things happened. Nineties nostalgia, a coming-of-age narrative and sharp observational humour is undercut by the unease of bitter relationships and a woman in her late thirties dealing with guilt, dislocation and her own ambivalence. This is a novel that brilliantly evokes that sense of bursting out of your childhood skin and feeling trapped in your adulthood. Rose Ruane was originally a visual artist working in performance, sculpture, drawing and video. She undertook the MLitt in Creative Writing at Glasgow University, and subsequently won the Off West End Adopt a Playwright award in * HOW IT ENDS by Saskia Sarginson Contemporary Fiction Piatkus 320pp November 2018 With the authenticity and emotional complexity of Emma Cline s The Girls, HOW IT ENDS is an intense drama that explores the wide-spread fears of a postwar era, where one incredible young woman looks to find her place, no matter the cost 1957: Within a year of arriving at an American airbase in Suffolk, the loving, lawabiding Delaney family is destroyed. Did they know something they weren t allowed to know? Did they find something they weren t supposed to find? Hedy is the only one left standing, a rebellious girl cast adrift in a world of post-war anxiety a girl who has the courage to question what really went on behind military closed doors. Hedy s journey to the truth leads her to read a manuscript that her talented twin brother had started months before he died. He called the novel The Wonderful, a story inspired by an experience in the forest surrounding the airbase perimeter. Only through deciding to finish what her brother started does Hedy begin to piece together what happened to her family. Praise for Saskia Sarginson: An engrossing read with endearing characters thrust into traumatic circumstances. It stayed with me long after the last page Lisa Ballantyne on HOW IT ENDS; Outstandingly good. Part thriller, part love story, I guarantee you will not be able to put it down The Sun on THE TWINS; Atmospheric, readable, beautifully evoked Sunday Mirror on WITHOUT YOU; Stunning in its insight and beautifully written Judy Finnigan on THE TWINS; A stunning writer with deep insight into people, their thoughts and behaviour NZ Women's Weekly Saskia Sarginson was awarded a distinction in her MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway after a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University. Her debut novel, THE TWINS, was a Richard & Judy bestseller, has sold over 150,000 copies in the UK and has been translated into sixteen languages. Her other novels are THE OTHER ME, WITHOUT YOU and THE STRANGER. Option publishers: French (Marabout), German (Bastei Luebbe) US Macmillan 16

17 DAYS OF WONDER by Keith Stuart Contemporary Fiction Sphere 480pp June 2018 Korea: KCC Japan: TMA In the beautiful, funny and moving second novel by the author of A BOY MADE OF BLOCKS. Tom, single father to Hannah, is the manager of a tiny local theatre. On the same day each year, he and its colourful cast of part-time actors have staged a fantastical production just for his little girl, a moment of magic to make her childhood unforgettable. But Tom had another reason: that very first production, when he filled their garden with fairies, was the day Hannah was diagnosed with a heart condition that both of them know will end her life early. And now, with Hannah a funny, tough girl of fifteen, that time is coming. Hannah is literally going to die of a broken heart and she can t bear the idea of her dad doing the same. So Hannah resolves to find a partner for Tom, someone else to love, to fill the space beside him. While all the time Tom plans a final day of magic that might just save them both. Option publishers: Bulgarian (Sky Print), Danish (Rosinante), Dutch (HarperCollins), Chinese complex (Apex Press), Chinese simple (TianJin Manyu), Czech (Albatros Media), Estonian (Petrone), Finnish (Bazar), French (Bragelonne), Hebrew (Matar), Hungarian (Kossuth Kiado), Italian (Corbaccio), Korean (Chaek Se Sang), Norwegian (Cappelen Damm), Lithuanian (UAB Jotema), Polish (Muza), Portuguese (Marcador), Portuguese in Brazil (Record), Romanian (Trei), Russian (Azbooka Atticus), Serbian (Vulkan), Slovak (Albatros Media), Spanish (Alianza), Swedish (Massolit), Turkish (Pegasus), US (St Martin s Press) Chinese simplified TianJin Manyu; Dutch HarperCollins; German Manhattan; Hebrew Matar; Italian Corbaccio; Portuguese (Brazil) Record; Russian Azbooka-Atticus * UNTILTED 1 by Keith Stuart Contemporary Fiction Sphere 400pp May 2020 Korea: KCC Japan: TMA Keith Stuart is a journalist and author of two novels, A BOY MADE OF BLOCKS and DAYS OF WONDER. His heart-warming debut novel, A BOY MADE OF BLOCKS, was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and a major bestseller, and was inspired by Stuart's real-life relationship with his autistic son. Keith has written for publications including Empire and Edge, and is games editor of The Guardian. Praise for DAYS OF WONDER: So powerful, yet incredibly gentle and poignant. Utterly and completely beautiful Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep Utterly enchanting... a truly beautiful story Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things; A story of life, love and hope - the perfect antidote to today's world. Phenomenal Clare Mackintosh, author of I Let You Go and Let Me Lie. Option publishers: Chinese simplified (TianJin Manyu); Dutch (HarperCollins); German (Manhattan); Hebrew (Matar); Italian (Corbaccio); Russian (Azbooka-Atticus) 17

18 * TRUST HER by Jessica Vallance Crime & Mystery Sphere 400pp November 2018 Korea: Danny Hong Japan: An unsettling psychological thriller about two women who will go to great lengths to keep the truth buried a tale of lies, obsession and revenge that s perfect for fans of Clare Mackintosh and Laura Marshall For Charlotte, the greatest pleasure in life is to help others. So when she stumbles upon an unconscious man, it s only natural for her to go the extra mile. Brought into the arms of the victim s loving family, she sees an opportunity to be useful. But while his parents happily welcome her into the fold, his sister is another story. It s not just that Rebecca doesn t like Charlotte, she clearly doesn t trust her. But the more time Charlotte spends in Rebecca s company, the more she suspects Rebecca is the one with something to hide. And if Charlotte is to fulfil her duty to this family, she ll do whatever it takes to find out what that is. Jessica Vallance grew up in Bournemouth and studied law at Sussex University. TRUST HER is Vallance s debut psychological thriller. Dutch De Fontein; Italian Corbaccio; Hungarian Maxim; Polish Proszynski Media * UNTITLED BOOK 2 by Jess Vallance Crime & Mystery Sphere 400pp November 2018 Korea: Danny Hong Japan: Jessica Vallance grew up in Bournemouth and studied law at Sussex University. TRUST HER is Vallance s debut psychological thriller. Option Publishers: Dutch (De Fontein); Italian (Corbaccio); Hungarian (Maxim); Polish (Proszynski Media) ACROSS THE VOID by S. K. Vaughn Thriller Sphere 368pp June 2019 Korea: Danny Hong Japan: TMA A blockbuster new love story and survival thriller with the SF thrills of The Martian, the suspense of Gone Girl and the imagination of Station Eleven May Knox floats in space, the only survivor of a catastrophic accident. There is just one person who can save her: a man whose heart she broke, millions of miles away. It's Christmas Day, Silent Night drifts across the ruins of a wrecked spaceship, listing helplessly in the black. A sole woman, May, stirs within - the last person left alive of a disastrous first manned mission to Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. There is only one person who can help her - her ex-husband Stephen, a NASA scientist who was heading up the mission back on Earth. Until, that is, she broke his heart and he left both her and the mission. Now May clings to life and it is only his voice travelling across the fathomless miles that can bring her home. In this twisty, gasp-inducing thriller, when each breath is a fight for survival, love is the difference between life and death. S.K. Vaughn is the pseudonym for an author of three internationally bestselling novels - one of which has been acquired for film adaptation by Sony Pictures and Original Film - and a writer-director with credits at Universal, Paramount, Sony, Fox, and Lionsgate. ACROSS THE VOID is Vaughn's first science fiction story. Czech Host; Dutch Meulenhoff Boekerij; French Bragelonne; German Goldmann; Hungarian Libri; Italian Rizzoli; Korean Chaek-Se-Sang; Polish Swiat Ksiazki; Portuguese (Brazil) Companhia das Letras; Portuguese (Portugal) Bertrand; Russian AST; Spanish Penguin Random House; (US Skybound) 18

19 Commercial Highlights THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS EVERY COLOUR OF YOU DIFFERENTLY NORMAL 19

20 * SUMMER AT THE CASTLE CAFÉ by Donna Ashcroft Romantic Comedy Bookouture 302pp May 2018 Heart-warming, hilarious and utterly romantic, you ll fall in love with SUMMER AT THE CASTLE CAFÉ and want to return time and time again When Alice Appleton escapes to the gorgeous seaside town of Castle Cove it s the change of scenery she didn t even realise she needed. Taking up a job in the charming Castle Café, Alice finds herself surrounded by cream teas, chocolate cake and quirky characters. Could this be the perfect place for Alice to embrace the summer? Mysterious and hunky Jay O Donnell has lived in picturesque Castle Cove since he was a child. As a volunteer on the lifeboats, his days by the sea are far from predictable. Haunted by a tragedy from his past, he s on a mission to save as many people as possible. But when Alice Appleton walks into his life - and turns his world upside down - he begins to realise that perhaps it might just be his turn to be rescued. As Alice and Jay find themselves unexpectedly falling for each other, will they learn the importance of letting go to make way for second chances? And will Alice find the life she s always dreamed of in Castle Cove? * THE UPSIDE OF OVER by J.D. Barrett Contemporary Fiction Hachette Australia 336pp May 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: The brilliant new novel from J.D. Barrett about break ups, breakdowns and breakthroughs Olivia Law had always been the good girl. Great grades, perfect career, husband, house and hairdo. She'd learnt image was everything so she refused to look below the surface of her life. When not at work her minutes were filled with causes, chairing boards and dining at fabulous restaurants with her equally fabulous husband, David. She kept up the Botox, blow-dries and worked hard. It wasn't enough, but whenever doubt crept in she'd head to a pilates class or plan a renovation on her trophy house. Olivia wasn't prepared for David to leave. The fact that they hadn't had sex for two years should have triggered warning bells. It didn't. In an attempt to fix her broken marriage Olivia exposed herself like never before. But when her confession goes viral, the husband, house and job disappear. The woman who once offered glamorous reassurance and a steady gaze is labelled a princess of perversion. Humiliated, defeated, facing fifty shades of failure, she's left wondering who the hell she really is? J.D. Barrett is an Australian television writer and script editor. THE SECRET RECIPE FOR SECOND CHANCES was her bestselling debut novel. THE SONG OF US was her second book and THE UPSIDE OF OVER is her third work of fiction. Option publishers: Bulgarian (Hermes), Czech (Sofa Books), Dutch (De Fontein), German (Blanvalet), Hungarian (Libri), Polish (Foksal), Spanish (Urano) 20

21 THE PALACE OF LOST DREAMS by Charlotte Betts Historical Fiction Piatkus 400pp May 2018 Korea: Japan: From the multi-award-winning author of THE APOTHECARY'S DAUGHTER, THE PALACE OF LOST DREAMS is a gorgeously evocative novel set in 18th century India THE PALACE OF LOST DREAMS follows a young English woman, Bee, brought up in Hyderabad, India who moves back there following the death of her cantankerous mother. Struggling to adjust to the rigid and patriarchal society there, she sets to work founding a new textile business in order to give the local women employment and a sense of community. She also renews her childhood love, Harry, and with him tries to find a hidden diamond, the Rose of Golconda, which according to legend is hidden somewhere within the crumbling palace she and her family have made their home. THE APOTHECARY'S DAUGHTER was Betts s debut novel and won the YouWriteOn Book of the Year in 2010, the Romantic Novelists' Association Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers in 2011 and the RoNA's Historical Category award for The sequel, THE PAINTER'S APPRENTICE was published in 2012 and shortlisted for the Festival of Romance's Best Historical Read Award in THE SPICE MERCHANT'S WIFE was published in 2013 and won the Festival of Romance's Best Historical Read Award in Option publishers: Lithuanian (Alma Littera); Norwegian (Cappelen Damm) Italian Newton Compton * ONE DAY LIKE THIS by Laura Briggs Romantic Comedy Bookouture 302pp July 2018 Can Tessa pull off the dream wedding? Can Blake be convinced to help? And if the electrics are broken, why are so many sparks flying between him and Tessa? Tessa has always dreamed of her own business. And when a beautiful tumbledown house comes up for sale in the Southern town of Bellegrove, she knows it has perfect potential to be an amazing one-stop wedding shop. Teaming up with wedding planner to the stars Stefan, cake-baker extraordinaire Ama, and dress designer Natalie, they re ready for big things. They ve even found their first client a sweet old lady called Bianca, who s desperate to give her grandson a spectacular wedding. (Even though he s equally determined to keep it simple and romantic.) But as the big day approaches, things start to go wrong. Handsome handyman Blake Ellingham breaks the news that the building needs rewiring and the bill for renovations is longer than a royal wedding train. And then Stefan suddenly quits Laura Briggs is the author of several light-hearted romance novels and novellas, including the bestselling Amazon UK series A Wedding in Cornwall. 21

22 * THE BAKERY AT SEASHELL COVE by Karen Clarke Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 262pp June 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: An uplifting, laugh-out-loud rom com that will make you dream of romantic days at the beach Meg Larson thought she had everything she wanted: she works in the local bakery, she s months away from marrying her high-school sweetheart, and home is beautiful, sunny Seashell Cove, where the sky is blue, the sea is turquoise and the sand is golden. Except that the bakery is up for sale and her fiancé Sam s more interested in bikes than their relationship. When Meg receives shocking news about her family, he s on a cycling tour and ignoring her calls and posting selfies on Facebook with a female cyclist he looks far too cosy with. Luckily the bakery s estate agent, Nathan, is understanding and funny, and as the summer goes on as unexpected friendship blossoms. When the bakery is given a second lease of life under a mysterious new owner, Meg realises a change might be exactly what she needs too. Karen Clarke has had over 300 stories published in women s magazines in the UK and abroad, and has written three paranormal romantic comedies, published by Little, Brown/Corsair. Her previous novel with Bookouture was THE CAFÉ AT SEASHELL COVE. * ONE WAY OR ANOTHER by Colleen Coleman Romantic Comedy Bookouture 266pp April 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: A hilarious, heart-warming story about romance, good food, and following your dreams Twenty-nine-year-old Katie Kelly is at an all-time low. The love of her life, gorgeous Ben Cole, took a job abroad and broke her heart, the restaurant she d put her all into went bust, and now she works in a retirement home, cooking beige mush for the residents. So when the opportunity comes up to work for one of the best chefs in the country Katie s idol she is determined to get the job, no matter what. But then she discovers who she s competing against: Ben, who Katie still isn t over. As the competition heats up, Katie and Ben spend more and more time together, and it s clear the old spark is still there. But only one person can win their perfect job. Can Katie have it all, or will she have to choose between the man and the career she loves? Colleen Coleman is an Irish-Canadian novelist. She is the winner of the much-coveted Novelicious Undiscovered People s Choice Award which launched to find the next chick-lit star. She has previously written two titles for Bookouture, DON T STOP ME NOW and I M STILL STANDING. Option publishers: Bulgarian (IBIS), German (Piper) Czech Libri; Polish -Dressler Dublin; Slovak Libri 22

23 * SUMMER AT THE LITTLE COTTAGE ON THE HILL by Emma Davies Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 246pp May 2018 If you loved the heart-warming romance in novels by Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Debbie Johnson, you ll adore this gorgeous, feel-good story about letting love in Thirty-two-year-old ice queen Isobel slams the cottage door and pulls the curtains shut. She has just six weeks to practise for a secret project that could save her career and no one must know she is here. When Tom, the local thatcher with eyes as blue and deep as the ocean, hears the sound of her violin on the breeze he feels a tug at his heart-strings that reminds him of happier times. Who is this mysterious new lodger, and why does she look so familiar? Desperate to find out more, Tom is devastated when Isobel refuses to enjoy everything the farm has to offer. He won t give in, but just when it looks like Isobel is coming out of her shell, someone recognises her and the troubles from her past threaten to take away everything she has been working towards. Italian Newton Compton * MY SISTERS AND ME by Lisa Dickenson Contemporary Fiction Sphere 400pp August 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: A feel-good novel full of humour, romance and second chances When Willow Lake asks her three daughters to help renovate the family home, each woman has a reason to hesitate about returning to Ciderwood, the Devon town they grew up in. The sisters have always looked out for each other and growing up in Ciderwood, they definitely needed someone to watch their backs. Noelle, the youngest, is perfectly comfortable with who she is - now. Once, though, she wanted to fit in so badly that she walked away from her first love. A first love who still lives in Ciderwood. Emmy, the middle sister, has always been quiet and bookish and has no desire to return to where those traits were once greeted with taunts and ridicule, and she finds herself growing more and more anxious. Something has to give. Outspoken and protective, Rae, the eldest, is painfully aware of how much the townspeople hurt her sisters growing up. And there's no way she's going to let history repeat itself. Yet as the sisters settle back into Ciderwood, they realise their return brings with it a chance to rekindle old romances and friendships. After all, the three of them have changed over the years so it's possible that the townspeople have too. Isn't it? Lisa Dickenson has written four novels for Sphere, including THE TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS, which won the Novelicious Debut of the Year, which have been published variously in Spanish, Catalan, Bulgarian, Slovakian and German. 23

24 * HOLLYWOOD HEARTBREAK by C.J. Duggan Contemporary Romance Hachette Australia 320pp April 2018 The fifth standalone novel in CJ Duggan's HEART OF THE CITY series, from the internationally bestselling author of the Summer and Paradise series Abby Taylor is heading for the hills the Hollywood hills. All she has to do first is exorcise some old demons, namely Cassie Carmichael, the character she has been playing on Australia's number-one television drama for the past three years. Wanting to escape the fear of typecasting and malicious magazine covers, Abby is in desperate need of a change. With a new city, new friends and a sweet new condo in West Hollywood, it's time to take her career to the next level. But with disastrous auditions and countless rejections, Abby is going to need to numb the pain in the hope that her next big break comes along, and it does. She just never dreamed that it would be in the form of waiting tables and splitting tips at one of the hottest nightspots on the strip. Action-packed late nights and VIP parties are a sure distraction, but nothing distracts her quite like her new boss, the infuriating Jay Davis. Suddenly, living the dream takes on a whole new meaning, but when something in Jay's past is revealed, Abby has to question, who is the greatest actor of them all? C.J. Duggan is a number one internationally bestselling author of romance. The previous titles in the HEART OF THE CITY series are PARIS LIGHTS, NEW YORK NIGHTS, LONDON BOUND and WHEN IN ROME. * ANNIE S SUMMER BY THE SEA by Liz Eeles Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 243pp March 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: A storm is brewing on the stunning Cornish coast but will sunshine follow the rain? When Annie Trebarwith unexpectedly inherits Tregavara House, her much-loved family home atop the cliffs of Salt Bay, she begins to wonder: with all the good friends and warm memories she s made in the village, could it be her forever home? Luckily her gorgeous Poldark-lookalike boyfriend, Josh Pasco, has exactly the same idea. High on the Cornish cliffs he gets down on one knee, and Annie has everything she s ever dreamed of. But when a summer storm causes catastrophic damage to the beautiful but aging house, Annie and Josh are faced with tumbling tiles and a massive repair bill and a roof that s leaked straight onto her wedding gown. Can the Salt Bay community save Annie s house and her wedding and give Annie the happy-ever-after she s always wanted? Eeles has written two previous novels with Bookouture, ANNIE S HOLIDAY BY THE SEA and ANNIE S CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA. Option publishers: Germany (Rowohlt) 24

25 * THE ISLAND VILLA by Lily Graham Historical Fiction Bookouture 279pp June 2018 A story of two sisters, living in a time of fear and betrayal, and rumours of a stranger on the island When Charlotte s husband James tragically dies, he leaves her an unexpected gift her grandmother s beautiful villa, Marisal, on the Spanish island of Formentera. As she begins to explore her new home, and heal her broken heart in the warm golden sunshine, Charlotte discovers that her grandmother Alba has been keeping secrets about her life on the island. Intrigued by her family s hidden history, Charlotte uncovers a devastating love affair that put many lives at risk and two sisters torn apart by loss. Can the heart-breaking truth of the island s dark history finally be laid to rest? Or will the secrets of the past shake the new life and love that Charlotte is close to finding? Graham s first two novels were Amazon bestsellers and have since been re-published by Bookouture, with THE SUMMER ESCAPE (previously published as An Invincible Summer) and A CORNISH CHRISTMAS (previously published as The Postcard) published in 2016 and * THE SUMMER HIDEAWAY by Jenny Hale Romantic Comedy Bookouture 290pp June 2018 An utterly stunning, uplifting summer romance, about the power of friendship, discovering family secrets, and the beauty of falling in love by the sea Alice Emerson is in need of a new beginning. Broken-hearted after her beloved grandfather passes away and her relationship falls apart, she makes a pact with her best friend Sasha. Swapping city living for the beautiful sun-bleached beaches of the Outer Banks, they launch an ice cream shop together in the crumbling house by the sea where Alice spent blissful childhood holidays. As Alice and Sasha settle into the close-knit community, making friends with the locals and tempting them with their delicious recipes, Alice finds herself falling for the warm charm and golden smile of mysterious doctor Jack Barnes. Spending time together during sunshine-filled days and long romantic evenings, Alice starts to wonder if he could be the one for her? But just when Alice s summer couldn t be more perfect, she discovers an old letter tucked away in the beach house. It contains a family secret that turns Alice s world upside down and makes her question everything she s ever known. Then Jack complicates their summer romance with an unexpected offer. Jenny Hale has written several titles for Bookouture. Option publishers: Bulgarian (Hermes), German (Bastei Lubbe), Italian (Fanucci), Norwegian (Bladkompaniet), Turkish (Pegasus) 25

26 * THE DESERT NURSE by Pamela Hart Historical Fiction Piatkus 368pp January 2019 Amid the army hospitals World War I Egypt, two deeply determined individuals find the resilience of their love tested to its limits It's 1911, and 21-year-old Evelyn Northey desperately wants to become a doctor. Her father forbids it, withholding the inheritance that would allow her to attend university. At the outbreak of World War I, Evelyn disobeys her father, enlisting as an army nurse bound for Egypt and the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. Under the blazing desert sun, Evelyn develops feelings for polio survivor Dr William Brent, who believes his disability makes him unfit to marry. For Evelyn, still pursuing her goal of studying medicine, a man has no place in her future. For two such self-reliant people, relying on someone else for happiness may be the hardest challenge of all. Pamela Hart is an award-winning author. Under the name Pamela Freeman she wrote the prize-winning historical novel The Black Dress. Hart is also well known for her fantasy novels for adults, the Castings Trilogy, published by Orbit worldwide, and her Aurealis Award winning novel Ember and Ash. THE DESERT NURSE is her thirty-first book and follows A LETTER FROM ITALY, THE WAR BRIDE and THE SOLDIER S WIFE. * A MOTHER S GOODBYE by Kate Hewitt Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 348pp June 2018 An absolutely gripping, emotional drama with a tear-jerking twist. If you love Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer or Diane Chamberlain, this will warm your heart, make you cry, and stay with you forever Heather is devastated. There s no way she can keep her baby. She can barely pay the bills as it is. But when she meets Grace, a wealthy, single career woman, who wants a baby more than anything, Heather believes she has found the perfect adoptive mother. As Grace and Heather s lives become entwined, they are tested to breaking point, though neither can deny the other s love for the child. But just when they think they are learning how to live with each other, they receive devastating news that turns their fragile world upside down. Will either mother know what is the right thing to do for the child they both love? 26

27 * THE FACTORY GIRLS OF LARK LANE: by Pam Howes Historical Fiction Bookouture 262pp July 2018 The Factory Girls of Lark Lane is a heart-wrenching family saga about women in wartime, the strength of friendship, and hope. It s 1940 and war is a part of everyday life, casting a shadow over Liverpool. Alice Turner and Milly Burton work for the war effort at Rootes munitions factory, making shell caps and Lancaster bombers. Alice s husband and Milly s sweetheart are both away fighting, and it s only the two girls friendship, a smiling face across the factory floor each day, that keeps their spirits up. For Alice, with a young baby and her mother-in-law to look after, life is hard, and she longs for the day her daughter will meet her soldier father. Milly struggles to support her younger brothers and sisters on her salary alone. But after years of hardship, as Milly and Alice finally join the crowds on the docks to welcome the men back home for good, one will face life-changing heartbreak and not the happy ending she d hoped for Pam Howes s previous series The Mersey Trilogy has sold over 70,000 copies. Having begun writing in her fifties, Pam has now published thirteen historical fiction books. * THE FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHER Natasha Lester Historical Fiction Sphere 448pp October 2019 Inspired by the incredible true story of Lee Miller, Vogue model turned one of the first female war photojournalists, THE FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHER is a story of courage, family and forgiveness, by the bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress and A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald. Manhattan, Paris, 1942: When Jessica May's successful modelling career is abruptly cut short, she is assigned to the war in Europe as a photojournalist for Vogue. But when she arrives the army men make her life as difficult as possible. Three friendships change that: journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules, paratrooper Dan Hallworth takes her to places to shoot pictures and write stories that matter, and a little girl, Victorine, who has grown up in a field hospital, shows her love. But success comes at a price. France, 2005: Australian curator D'Arcy Hallworth arrives at a beautiful chateau to manage a famous collection of photographs. What begins as just another job becomes far more disquieting as D'Arcy uncovers the true identity of the mysterious photographer -- and realises that she is connected to D'Arcy's own mother, Victorine. Natasha Lester worked as a marketing executive for L'Oréal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing. Her other titles include HER MOTHER S SECRET, A KISS FROM MR FITZGERALD and THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS. Option publishers: German (Aufbau) 27

28 * THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS by Natasha Lester Historical Fiction Sphere 448pp March 2018 Korea: KCC Japan: How much will a young seamstress sacrifice to make her mark in the maledominated world of 1940s New York fashion? Parisian seamstress Estella Bissette is forced to flee France as the Germans advance. She is bound for Manhattan with a few francs, one suitcase, her sewing machine and a dream: to have her own atelier Australian curator Fabienne Bissette journeys to the annual Met Gala for an exhibition of her beloved grandmother's work - one of the world's leading designers of ready-to-wear. But as Fabienne learns more about her grandmother's past, she uncovers a story of tragedy, heartbreak and secrets - and the sacrifices made for love. Crossing generations, society's boundaries and international turmoil, THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS is the beguiling, transporting story of the special relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter as they attempt to heal the heartache of the past. Praise for Natasha Lester: [Lester's] engaging writing style and ability to create characters that connect with readers make her a welcome addition to the historical fiction market Herald Sun on HER MOTHER'S SECRET; If you enjoy historical fiction (and even if you don't) you will love HER MOTHER'S SECRET Sally Hepworth. German Aufbau * THE GETAWAY GIRLS by Dee MacDonald Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 340pp August 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: The follow-up to The Runaway Wife, THE GETAWAY GIRLS is a laugh-outloud, life-affirming journey of friendship, romance and living life to the full. Connie McColl is finally free to make her own decisions for the first time in decades. And when she meets glamorous Gill and downtrodden Maggie, at a rather dull flower arranging class, it seems that she s not the only one dreaming of adventure. The three very different women all agree it s about time they had a holiday to remember. So they make a pact for this summer to be their best yet and drive off into the sunset together. As they meander their way along the beautiful beaches of France and onto the glorious delights of Italy in their luxury campervan, the new friends have plenty of fun and frolics in the sunshine. But the vacation isn t quite what they expected. Gill will do anything to have one last holiday romance, Connie has a surprise inheritance awaiting her in Italy, and Maggie has a secret that is going to catch up with them all. In the end, all three women discover that the journey they thought would be their last really is just the beginning. Dee MacDonald is also the author of The Runaway Wife, which has sold over 17,000 copies and reached the Amazon UK Tope 50. She has worked in market research, been a sales representative, and was the receptionist at Thames TV Studios. She then relocated to Cornwall, where she began writing full time. 28

29 * THE RUNAWAY WIFE by Dee MacDonald Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 300pp April 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: A funny, inspiring and joyously uplifting novel Connie McColl has had enough. It s time for her to shake off the apron and the marigolds and start living her life again. She is fed up of her three children expecting her to be available at all hours to sort out one crisis after another mostly involving her unruly grandchildren while her boring husband, Roger, uses her as a free taxi service to his beloved golf course. Surely there must be more to life than this? So Connie gets in her little green car and takes off. On her journey around England, she meets meet familiar faces and new friends. And there is plenty of love and laughter along the way, as she finally begins to rediscover herself again. Because it s never too late to have some fun and you re never too old for an adventure. * EVERY COLOUR OF YOU by Amelia Mandeville Contemporary Fiction Sphere 384pp November 2018 Korea: KCC JAPAN The uplifting debut novel from YouTuber and presenter Amelia Mandeville Living back at home and spending most of her time behind a checkout till, it's fair to say her twenties aren't going as planned. But Zoe has big dreams, and she's spreading her mission of happiness, one inspirational quote at a time. Since his dad died, Tristan's been struggling with a sadness that threatens to overtake everything. As much as he pretends to be better, the truth is he can't even remember what 'normal' feels like. Zoe is sure she can fix the way that Tristan sees the world - after all, she's the perfect person to bring the missing colour to his life. But she soon finds that things aren't that simple. And in trying to fix him, a part of her is breaking. Amelia Mandeville is one half of social media duo the Mandeville Sisters, two sisters who have a passion for film-making, fashion and blabbing in front of the camer. * THE LOVE DELUSION by Nicola Mostyn Romantic Fiction Piatkus 224pp February 2019 Korea: Japan: Neil Gaiman meets Bridget Jones in the second novel from Nicola Mostyn Frida McKenzie just wants to live a nice, normal life with her boyfriend Dan. Trouble is, as the descendent of Eros, and the Delphic Oracle respectively, this happy couple are anything but normal. So when an anti-love cult begins to sweep the city, it's down to Frida and Dan to discover the deadly intentions of The Love Delusion's handsome and charismatic leader, R A Stone. But at least they have each other, right? Wrong. Because as Frida gets deeper into this ancient grudge match, the cost of her destiny becomes clear, and the role of a hero doesn't come with a happily ever after... Nicola was born in Manchester and has worked as a bookseller, copywriter, journalist and a columnist, most recently for the Big Issue. Her tongue-in-cheek agony column Dear Kitty was nominated for Best New Blog in the Manchester Blog Awards and her short stories have appeared in The Flash (Social Disease) and Liverpool publication SevenStreets. She has a Master's degree in English Literature and has spent more time immersed in the works of Philip Larkin than is strictly healthy. Her debut novel, The Gods of Love, was published in February

30 THE FORGOTTEN LETTERS OF ESTHER DURRANT by Kayte Nunn Historical Fiction Hachette Australia pp August 2019 What matters most: love or loyalty? 1951: Esther Durrant is committed to a remote mental asylum by her husband. Run by a pioneering psychiatrist, the asylum is at first Esther s prison but soon becomes her refuge. 2017: Marine scientist Rachel Parker takes a research posting in the Isles of Scilly. When a violent storm forces her to take shelter on a far-flung island, she discovers a cache of unsent love letters. Captivated by their passion and tenderness, Rachel determines to track down the intended recipient. Meanwhile, in London, Eve is helping her grandmother write her memoirs. When she is contacted by Rachel, it sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to reveal secrets kept buried for more than sixty years. Kayte Nunn is also the author of one previous historical fiction novel THE BOTANIST'S DAUGHTER. She is a former book and magazine editor, and the author of two contemporary novels, Rose's Vintage and Angel's Share. Option Publishers: German (Piper Verlag); Spanish (Maeva) THE BOTANIST S DAUGHTER by Kayte Nunn Historical Fiction Hachette Australia 368pp July 2018 A wondrously imagined tale of two women botanists, separated by over a century, in a race to discover the secrets of a rare flower and a hidden sketchbook In Victorian England, headstrong adventuress Elizabeth takes up her late father's search for a rare plant with life-saving properties. She faces a perilous sea voyage, unforeseen dangers and treachery that threatens her entire family. In present-day Sydney, Anna finds a mysterious metal box containing a portfolio of dazzling watercolours, a photograph inscribed 'Spring 1886' and a small bag of seeds. It sets her on a path far from her safe, carefully ordered life, and on a journey that will force her to face her own demons. German Piper Verlag; Spanish Maeva * THE ROAD TRIP by Susanne O Leary Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 263pp June 2018 An hilarious and heart-warming story about friendship, living life to the full and making the most of every moment Maddy and Leanne need a miracle. Maddy can't bear to wash another pair of her husband's Y-fronts and if he continues to drone on about golf she might just scream. Leanne can't stand living with her overbearing mother for a second longer and she's one disapproving eye roll away from a nervous breakdown. But their luck changes when they win the lottery. Setting off from Dublin, Maddy and Leanne lease a red convertible, winding through Europe and heading for the sun-drenched French Riviera. But the pair have their own reasons for their adventure. Maddy has never forgotten her summer romance of twenty years ago with a gorgeous Frenchman and Leanne plans to track down the father who abandoned her as a child. Amongst glorious sunsets and buckets of bubbly, Leanne and Maddy are searching for answers after years of wondering 'what if?'. But there might just be some surprises in store along the wa 30

31 * A WEDDING ON CHRISTMAS STREET by Ivy Pembroke Contemporary Fiction Sphere 400pp November 2018 Korea: EntersKorea More adventures with the residents of Christmas Street who were introduced in SNOWFLAKES ON CHRISTMAS STREET - wonderful characters that you'll want to curl up with all Christmas, and a dog! This year, Christmas Street will have a wedding, a mysterious new resident, and tons of joy and warmth, just in time for the festive season. Ivy Pembroke is a law professor who specializes in copyright and trademark law, with a focus on fan fiction. She splits her time between Mississippi and her home state of Rhode Island. Option publishers: German (Wunderlich Rowohlt); Spanish (Urano); US (Kensington) * MY BIG GREEK SUMMER by Sue Roberts Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 263pp May 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: A hilarious feel-good story of laughter, sunshine and living life to the full, perfect for fans of Kat French, Jenny Oliver and Carole Matthews Carefree, thirty-something Mandy thought she d be married to first-love Danny forever. So when she discovers her heart-throb husband has had a fling, she realises it s time to make some BIG changes. But what will Mandy do now she s single for the first time in her adult life? Determined to find her spark again, Mandy hops on a plane, ready for adventure and a second chance at happiness. Escaping to a sundrenched Greek island, the glittering blue seas, golden beaches and delicious cocktails are exactly what she needs. Over one spontaneous summer, Mandy has the time of her life making new friends in a pretty little Mediterranean village by the sea. And she finds herself unexpectedly falling for a tall, dark, handsome stranger. But Mandy soon realises that even paradise has its problems. Can a holiday romance really heal her broken heart? Or will someone in Mandy s old life call her home again Italian Newton Compton; Polish -Dressler Dublin; Germany - Goldmann 31

32 * HAPPILY NEVER AFTER by Emma Robinson Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 288pp July 2018 She closed her eyes. Think with your head. Your heart can t be trusted. Life is not a fairytale Rory doesn t believe in love. She s got far too many real problems to deal with. She s just bought a tumbledown house. Her mother is generally behaving like a wicked witch, insisting on calling her Aurora, and generally interfering in her (admittedly pitiful lack of) love life. And her 16-year-old daughter has finally grown out of Disney princesses and discovered dating. But Rory s adamant that she doesn t need saving. In fact, the only thing she s wishing on a star for is a bit of practical help. However, when she meets a builder whose name is John Prince and who seems to be in the habit of rescuing her (right down to finding her lost shoe one evening) she might have to face a truth as uncomfortable as hobbling home barefoot that maybe there s something enchanted in the air. Her mother, daughter and friends are convinced her prince has come, but Rory just wishes everyone could let it go. Especially when she hears a story that makes her question whether he is really the hero everyone thinks he is. A hilarious, romantic love story about mothers, daughters and how on earth to find Prince Charming. Emma Robinson is also the author of The Undercover Mother. She has a blog, Motherhood for Slackers, which takes a humorous look at parenthood, and includes poems such as Dear Teacher about her son starting school which has been shared around the world. Emma is and English teacher and lives in Essex with her husband and two children. * THE UNDERCOVER MOTHER by Emma Robinson Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 287pp March 2018 A laugh out loud romantic comedy about love, friendship and parenting Jenny has too much on her plate: literally she s only pregnant with one child but she s already eating for three. Not to mention trying to juggle her future life with a baby, a nightmare boss, a know-it-all sister, and a bizarrely laid back husband. She used to be famous for her Single Girl About Town journalism. But not only is she bored of parties, she also hasn t been single for years, and is now 8½ months pregnant. So when her boss hands her column to a younger colleague, Jenny panics and instead proposes writing about being a clueless new mum. Surely people will find her new friendship group fascinating? Even if the only thing they have in common is that they all had sex around the same time nine months ago. 32

33 DIFFERENTLY NORMAL by Tammy Robinson Contemporary Fiction Piatkus 352pp June 2018 Korea: EYA Japan: A spellbinding love story of hopes, dreams and sacrifice, for anyone who loved John Green's The Fault in Our Stars and JoJo Moyes' Me Before You For Maddy, life is all about routine. It has to be, to keep her autistic sister happy and healthy. With just Maddy and her mother as Bee's full-time carers, there's no time in Maddy's life for complications like friends, let alone a boyfriend. So when Bee meets Albert, the last thing on her mind is falling in love. Albert has resigned himself always to being a disappointment to his strict father. But then he meets Maddy, and gets a glimpse of what being part of a functioning family can be like - and the tremendous sacrifices people will make for the ones they love. But are Maddy and Albert willing to make the biggest of sacrifices for each other? Some things are outside of their control. Praise: How I wish I could give more than 5 stars! Reading this book will make you laugh and cry and feel every emotion in between Goodreads; If you're after an emotional love story, with real feeling characters, that takes you on a journey of struggles and heartache, I highly recommend this book. Just remember to buy a box of tissues Goodreads. Czech Grada; Polish Wydawnictwo Iuvi; Slovak Ikar * THE PHOTOGRAPH by Debbie Rix Historical Fiction Bookouture 328pp June 2018 An utterly beautiful and compelling story of love, loss and a family secret spanning generations Italy, 1958: Rachael is a young widow with a small child. After a lifetime of running for survival, of not knowing who to trust and where to call home, she finds herself in a place of safety. On a sun-drenched Italian island for one carefree summer the troubles of her past fade away and she falls in love. But will Rachael s new-found happiness bring her further heartache? England, 2017: Sophie has a handsome husband, a gorgeous house in the English countryside and a successful career as an anthropologist. But the one thing she longs for is a baby of her own. As she struggles to conceive, cracks begin to appear in her marriage. So Sophie throws herself into her work and tries to seek comfort in childhood memories of her beloved grandmother Rachael. One afternoon, Sophie finds a forgotten letter and an exquisite silk bracelet hidden in Rachael s old writing desk. Intrigued, she begins to unravel the extraordinary story of her grandmother s past - and a secret that has the power to change everything * WHAT HOLLY S HUSBAND DID by Debbie Viggiano Romantic Comedy Bookouture 328pp May 2018 A laugh-until-you-cry, feel-good novel from the bestselling author of Stockings and Cellulite Holly Hart has been married for fifteen blissful years to hubby Alex. Well if you don't count last Christmas, when she accidentally found a load of flirty texts on Alex's phone. But every marriage has its ups and downs and Alex had a perfectly reasonable explanation so why can't Holly forget what she saw? With the help of best friends Jeanie and Caro, as well as their handsome neighbour Jack, Holly resolves to settle her mind once and for all with a bit of sneaky detective work. So what if her husband isn't exactly Brad Pitt? He's hers, and if someone else is trying to steal him she wants to know who... But the truth is way more shocking than Holly ever anticipated. Can Holly, let alone her marriage, ever recover from what she discovers 33

34 * ABSOLUTELY SMASHING IT by Kathryn Wallace Contemporary Fiction Sphere 304pp March 2019 A funny, upbeat novel about parenting, working and the school gate for anyone who has ever shared a #fml moment on Facebook Gemma is only just holding it together - she's a single parent, she's turning 40 and her seven-year-old daughter has drawn a cruelly accurate picture which locates Gemma's boobs somewhere around her knees. So when her new next-door neighbour, Becky, suggests that Gemma should start dating again, it takes a lot of self-control not to laugh in her face. But Becky is very persuasive and before long, Gemma is juggling a full-time job, the increasingly insane demands of the school mums' whatsapp group (how many cupcakes? by when?) and the tricky etiquette of a new dating world. It's going to be a long year - and one in which Gemma and Becky will learn a really crucial lesson: that in the end, being a good parent is just about being good enough. Kathryn Wallace is a full time working parent who somehow finds the time in between regularly losing her shit and screaming "TEETH! HAIR! SHOES!" on repeat to update her blog, I Know, I Need To Stop Talking, which has around 140,000 followers on Facebook and is growing rapidly. * LOVE, LIES AND WEDDING CAKE by Sue Watson Contemporary Fiction Bookouture 229pp March 2018 A delicious romantic comedy about secrets, second chances and following your heart Since Faye met her gorgeous Aussie boyfriend Dan, they ve travelled all over the world to meet in amazing, crazy and romantic locations. They ve eaten gateaux in a chateau, chocolate torte in a moonlit port, and even had stöllen kisses in a sparkling Christmas market. Neither of them wanted to settle down until now. When Dan asks Faye to marry him and to move to Australia it throws a real spanner in the works. Faye s daughter Emma needs her here, so moving to the other side of the world even for a hunk like Dan simply isn t an option. Is it? Faye s been down the marriage road before and it ended up with her having Ryan Gosling fantasies while her ex-husband obsessed about the plumbing. Is that what she has to look forward to? Is she ready to end her adventure? And even if she is, how can she be sure Dan is the right man for her? Sue Watson has written titles for both Bookouture and Sphere, including WE LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS, which sold to Skyhorse in the US 34

35 Crime, Mystery & Thriller Highlights BROTHERS IN BLOOD DEADLY SECRET BRIGHT YOUNG DEAD LET ME LIE BROKEN BONES 35

36 * BROTHERS IN BLOOD by Amer Anwar Literary Thriller Dialogue Books 448pp September 2018 Korea: Japan: A tough new crime thriller set in the heart of West London's Asian community. The first in a new series A Sikh girl on the run. A Muslim ex-con who has to find her. A whole heap of trouble. Southall, West London. After being released from prison, Zaq Khan is lucky to land a dead-end job at a builders' yard. All he wants to do is keep his head down and put the past behind him. But when he's forced to search for his boss's runaway daughter it quickly becomes apparent things aren't all to do with family arguments and arranged marriages. He finds himself caught up in a deadly web of deception, murder and revenge, and, with time running out and pressure mounting, can he find the missing girl before it's too late? And if he does, can he keep her - and himself - alive long enough to deal with the people who want them both dead? Amer Anwar has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London and won the Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Award * THE SILENT SISTER by Shalini Boland Thriller Bookouture 284pp July 2018 From the bestselling author of The Secret Mother and The Child Next Door, this absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller will keep you reading late into the night. Lizzy Beresford is at home alone when she hears a strange noise. Running downstairs to check, she discovers a disturbing letter addressed to her. But who sent it? As Lizzy receives more unsettling messages, she begins to doubt those closest to her her boyfriend, her neighbours, her friends. Because the mystery sender seems to know everything about her. And they want to destroy her perfect life. Desperate for answers, Lizzy reaches out to her sister, Emma. She used to be her best friend. But they haven t spoken in years Surrounded by secrets and lies, Lizzy doesn t know if she should trust her sister. Is the truth more shocking than Lizzy ever imagined? Shalini Boland has sold over 285,000 copies since Nov 2017, with The Secret Mother reaching #9 Amazon UK and #2 Amazon US. Previously a singer/songwriter with Universal Music, Boland now lives in Dorset and writes full-time. She previously self-published three psychological crime novels. Option publishers: Hungary (Muvelt Nep), Germany (Goldmann) 36

37 * THE MILLIONAIRE S WIFE by Shalini Boland Thriller Bookouture 307pp May 2018 For fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins and Louise Jensen When Anna Blackwell opens an from an unknown sender, the shocking image attached shatters her perfect world. A woman has been killed. And Anna knows who did it. The past is catching up with her. Is it her turn next? To protect herself and her husband Will, she must tell him the terrible truth about her first love. But as the secrets of her life unravel, Anna begins to realise that she is not the only one who has been living a lie. Anna doesn t know who to turn to: her best friend, her parents, her husband. But she knows that her ex-lover is dangerous, and she must stop him, before it s too late. NO MAN S LAND by Neil Broadfoot Crime & Mystery Constable 352pp September 2018 Korea: The first in a new series featuring Connor Fraser Japan: TMA The first gruesomely murdered body is found on a bowling green at Cowane s Hospital in Stirling, blood seeping like ink into the grass. For Connor Fraser, it s little more than a distraction, a headline in the local paper and a talking point in the pub. Stirling is his home, neutral ground a No Man s Land between Edinburgh and Glasgow, where he works as a close protection consultant. But then the second body is found, with a message that only Connor can understand. With the police facing mounting pressure to make an arrest and quell growing fears that the murders are somehow connected to a surge in radical nationalism following Brexit, Connor is drawn into an investigation that reaches deep into his past and threatens to expose secrets that those in the corridors of power would pay any price to keep. To survive, Connor must acknowledge his past and the man he tried to bury. War is coming to No Man s Land, and Connor Fraser will be ready. Neil Broadfoot s breakneck debut, Falling Fast, was shortlisted for both the Dundee International Prize and the prestigious Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year Award, immediately establishing him as a fixture on the Tartan Noir scene. Before writing fiction, Broadfoot worked as a journalist for fifteen years at both national and local newspapers. * THE AFFAIR by Sheryl Browne Crime Thriller Bookouture 328pp August 2018 The latest book from the author of The Babysitter, which sold over 46,000 copies to date. When an old colleague turns up at a party, Alicia comes face to face with the man who has the potential to ruin her perfect family life. He wouldn t reveal their affair, though, would he? Sheryl Browne writes psychological thriller and edgy contemporary fiction. A member of the Crime Writers Association, Romantic Novelists Association and awarded a Red Ribbon by The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing. Option publishers: Czech (Euromedia); Italian (Garzanti); Poland (Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal 37

38 * THE BABYSITTER by Sheryl Browne Crime Thriller Bookouture 384pp March 2018 You trust her with your family. Would you trust her with your life? Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children. Having seen her own house burn to the ground, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, can t it? As Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family become ever more reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. And as Melissa begins to slip into depression, it s Jade who is left picking up the pieces. But Mark soon notices things aren t quite as they seem. Things at home feel wrong, and as Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter, what he discovers shocks him to his core. He s met Jade before. And now he suspects he might know what she wants. Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home? Czech Euromedia; Italian Garzanti; Poland - Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal * DEADLY SECRETS: Book 6 in the ERIKA FOSTER series by Robert Bryndza Thriller Bookouture 270pp April 2018 Korea: Japan: EAJ The sixth instalment in the 1.5 million copy-selling series On a cold icy morning, a mother wakes to find her daughter s blood-soaked body frozen to the road. Who would carry out such a horrific killing on the victim s doorstep? Straight off her last harrowing case, Detective Erika Foster is feeling fragile but determined to lead the investigation. As she sets to work, she finds reports of assaults in the same quiet South London suburb where the woman was killed. One chilling detail links them to the murder victim they were all attacked by a figure in black wearing a gas mask. Erika is on the hunt for a killer with a terrifying calling card. The case gets more complicated when she uncovers a tangled web of secrets surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman. Yet just as Erika begins to piece the clues together, she is forced to confront painful memories of her past. Erika must dig deep, stay focused and find the killer. Only this time, one of her own is in terrible danger Originally from the UK, Rob Bryndza lives in Slovakia. His debut novel, The Not So Secret s of Coco Pinchard has grown into a bestselling series of five books. The first of Bryndza s crime thriller series, THE GIRL IN THE ICE, rocketed to #1 on Amazon US. Option publishers: Czech (Grada), German (Penguin Verlag), Chinese simplified (Beijing Xindaboya), Croatian (Znanje), Danish (Politikens), Dutch (Meulenhoff), Estonian (Pegasus), French (Belfond), Greek (Klidarithmos), Hebrew (Rimonim Publishing), Hungarian (Libri), Italian (Newton Compton), Korean (Thenan Contents), Lithuanian (Jotema UAB), Macedonian (Antolog Books), Norwegian (Cappelen Damm), Polish (Filia), Portuguese (Alma dos Livros), Romanian (Editura Trei), Serbian (Vulkan), Slovak (Grada), Slovenian (Ucila International), Spanish (Roca), Swedish (Jentas), Thai (The C Book Publishing), Turkish (Yabanci) Czech Grada; Dutch Meulenhoff; Portuguese in Brazil Autentica; Portuguese in Portugal Alma dos Livros; Russian AST; Slovak Grada 38

39 * MURDER ON THE MARSHES by Clare Chase Crime & Mystery Bookouture 352pp July 2018 The first in a new twisty murder mystery series perfect for fans of Faith Martin, LJ Ross and Joy Ellis. As the sun rises, a young woman is found drowned in the ornamental fountain of a deserted Cambridge college, the only clue a silver crucifix wound tightly around her throat. Beat reporter Tara Thorpe has a professional interest in Miss Seabrook but it becomes personal when she discovers that the woman had been receiving written death threats rather like the one that landed on Tara s doorstep the night that she died. Together with Detective Garstin Blake, Tara tracks the killer to the dank and dangerous fens on the outskirts of the city. But there s something Tara isn t telling Blake about her past and it could make all the difference to whether they live... or die. Clare Chase writes mysteries set in her home city of Cambridge and is fascinated by the location s contrasts and contradictions. She s worked in diverse settings from the 800- year-old University to one of the local prisons. She lives with her husband and teenage children, and currently works at the Royal Society of Chemistry. * DEATH ON THE RIVER by Clare Chase Crime & Mystery Bookouture pp October 2018 The follow-up to Murder on the Marshes * THE PERFECT FRIEND by Barbara Copperthwaite Psychological Thriller Bookouture 308pp July 2018 This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated. She ll do anything for you My name is Alex, and my world has been shattered. My husband has left me. My children won t speak to me. My friend Carrie is the only person I have. She s the only one I can trust to keep all my secrets. She d never do anything to let me down. Would she? Barbara Copperthwaite is the also the author of The Darkest Lies and Her Last Secret which have sold over 130,000 copies to date. 39

40 * THE CHOICE by Jake Cross Thriller Bookouture 403pp March 2018 An absolutely unputdownable thriller, with twist after twist after twist that will leave you breathless On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in his headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright. The woman says her name is Liz Smith, that her home was attacked, and that she was the only one to escape. In a split-second decision, Karl decides to help her to safety. But Liz is hiding a dark secret and now his good deed has put his family in terrible danger. * GRACE IS GONE by Emily Elgar Thriller Sphere 400pp January 2019 Korea: EYA Japan: Japan Uni The heart-breaking new psychological thriller from Emily Elgar, author of IF YOU KNEW HER Meg and her daughter Grace are the most beloved family in Ashford, the lynchpin that holds the town together. So when Meg is found brutally murdered and her daughter missing, the community is rocked by the tragedy. Her daughter, Grace, has been sick for years and all Meg has ever done is look after her. Now Meg is dead, Grace is gone - and fears are growing for her life. Who would kidnap a sick teenager? Who would murder a mother who sacrificed everything? As the community come to terms with what's happened, an unlikely pair start searching for answers: Jon, the most hated journalist in Ashford and Cara, the young woman who found Meg's body. But once they start digging into the past, they will soon realise there's no going back. Praise for IF YOU KNEW HER: Brilliant and cleverly crafted - Jane Corry, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Husband's Wife; A stunning example of psychological suspense - Clare Mackintosh, Sunday Times number one bestseller of I SEE YOU and I LET YOU GO; A wonderfully insidious build-up of tension Guardian. Originally from the Cotswolds, Emily Elgar studied at Edinburgh University and went on to complete the novel writing course at the Faber Academy in Option publishers: Czech (Mlada Fronta), Estonian (Tanapaev), French (Editions Belfond), German (Goldmann), Hungarian (Maxim), Italian (Fanucci), Polish (Marginesy), Portuguese in Brazil (Verus Editora), US (HarperCollins) * GUILTY by Laura Elliot Thriller Sphere 392pp July 2018 An utterly compelling psychological thriller that will keep you guessing to the very last page. It begins with a phone call. It ends with a missing child. On a warm summer s morning, thirteen-year old school girl Constance Lawson is reported missing. A few days later, Constance s uncle, Karl Lawson suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect. Six years later Karl s life is in ruins. His marriage is over, his family destroyed. But the woman who took everything away from him is thriving. With a successful career, husband and a gorgeous baby boy, Amanda s world is complete. Until the day she receives a phone call and, in a heartbeat, she is plunged into every mother s worst nightmare. Laura Elliot is the author of over twelve novels, which have been translated in many languages, including German, Dutch, Italian, Russian, Bulgarian and Lithuanian. She has written for television, radio and stage and gives regular workshops on creative writing. 40

41 BRIGHT YOUNG DEAD: Book 2 in THE MITFORD MURDERS series by Jessica Fellowes Historical Mystery Sphere 400pp October 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: TMA The second in the bestselling series of Golden Age-style crime novels, soon to be a major TV drama from the makers of The Crown It s the 1920s, and the Jazz Age has arrived. All across London, the Bright Young Things are throwing themselves one of the many new treasure hunts that are making newspaper headlines, a hedonistic race against time to find hidden clues. One of these treasure hunters is eighteen-year-old Pamela Mitford, accompanied by her chaperone Louisa Cannon. Their clues lead to a body and with it, murder, mystery and danger. Praise for THE MITFORD MURDERS: An extraordinary meld of fact and fiction Graham Norton; All the blissful escapism of a Sunday-night period drama in a book The Pool; A lively, well-written, entertaining whodunit The Times; Exactly the sort of book you might enjoy with the fire blazing, the snow falling etc. The solution is neat and the writing always enjoyable - Anthony Horowitz. Jessica Fellowes is an author, journalist and public speaker, best known for her work as author of five official companion books to Downton Abbey, various of which have hit the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists. Former deputy editor of Country Life and columnist on the Mail on Sunday, she has written for publications including the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Lady. Option publishers: Finnish (Otava), Ukraine (Family Leisure Club) Czech Euromedia; Danish Politikens; Estonian Varrak; French J C Lattes; German Piper Verlag; Greek Dioptra; Italian Neri Pozza; Norwegian Gyldendal Norsk; Polish HarperCollins; Portuguese (Brazil) Record; Russian Eksmo; Spanish Roca Editorial; Swedish Polaris; US St Martin s Press * FINDERS KEEPERS by K.T. Finch Crime & Mystery Bookouture 273pp April 2018 A split-second decision throws ordinary family man Noah s life into chaos in this utterly gripping thriller that will have you hooked from the first page to the last Noah Kendall loves his family, but hates his teaching job. Mortgage, bills and mouths to be fed: he s stuck in a rut. And with more debts piling up each day, he knows that something has to change. As he opens yet another red letter, he has to get out and clear his head, despite the heavy Alaskan snow outside. His legs ache as he runs deeper into the forest, until he notices something in the distance a crashed car, sitting dead still. Inside, a girl sits slumped in the driver s seat, eyes closed, mouth open, skin grey beneath the winter frost. And then beside her he sees it: a bag of money. And lots of it. Enough to pay off his debt and start a whole new live. And it s just sitting there, waiting for him to take it. KT Finch was raised in Pennsylvania and she spent her adult life in Southern California. She s a bestselling fiction author and novelist, writing in the mysteries and thrillers genre. She writes thrillers, mysteries and suspense novels about ordinary people put in extraordinary circumstances. 41

42 * A PLACE TO LIE by Rebecca Griffiths Crime & Mystery Sphere 448pp December 2018 Korea: EYA Japan: A creepy, chilling thriller for fans of Sharon Bolton, The Bones of You and In a Cottage In a Wood In the 1990s, Caroline and Joanna are sent to stay with their great-aunt, Dora, to spend a summer in a sunlit village in the English countryside. It's a blissful, innocent time - but the shadowy woods on the edge of the village hide dark secrets. Someone is watching the little girls - and when their friend, Ella, is found drowned in the hidden lake, their innocence is brought to an abrupt end. Present day: another shocking act of violence sends Joanna back to Witchwood. In her greataunt's lonely cottage, Joanna will unravel the secrets of that terrifying summer, and place herself in grave danger in the present. This is Rebecca Griffiths s second novel for Sphere. Her first, THE PRIMROSE PATH, was published in Option publishers: Arabic (Yola), Dutch (Ambo Anthos), French (City Editions), Norwegian (Cappelen Damm), Polish (Proszynski Media). * NOW SHE S GONE by Alison James Crime Bookouture 307pp May 2018 A breath-taking, tense roller-coaster crime thriller featuring unforgettable series detective Rachel Prince Sixteen-year-old Emily had everything to live for. A bright, beautiful teenager with a promising future ahead of her. But in one night her life is cut short. The police say it s an accident. But her parents think she was murdered. When Detective Rachel Prince is called in to investigate the shocking death at the height of the Edinburgh festival, her instincts tell her that things are not as they first appear. Something is very wrong. As the case takes an unexpected turn, Rachel discovers a chilling link with the suspicious death of another international student, who stayed in the same house as Emily two years before. Just as Rachel finds herself on the hunt for a serial killer, a painful relationship from her own past catches up with her. And Rachel must decide what is more important catching the killer or keeping her own secrets? Alison James was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of her formative years abroad. After studying languages at Oxford, she became a journalist and author, returning to university after her two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, Alison worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again. 42

43 THE VENETIAN MASQUERADE by Philip Gwynne Jones Crime & Mystery Constable 352pp April 2019 Korea: Japan: Uni Philip Gwynne Jones' third book featuring English Honorary Consul, Nathan Sutherland - set against the background the most beautiful city on earth, a game of blackmail and betrayal is played among the backstreets and canals of Venice... Carnevale is in full swing, the streets and waterways of Venice are crowded with masked revellers and Nathan Sutherland's birthday is about to be ruined. A night at the opera at La Fenice is always a memorable experience - and this time it will be so for all the wrong reasons, as the curtain call is interrupted by a fatal stabbing. But why is the dead man carrying one of Nathan's business cards in his wallet? The mystery of the murdered stranger takes Nathan on the trail of a lost opera by Monteverdi. But what begins as a harmless treasure hunt leads to ruthless criminals asking the highest of prices for the lost score... and then a second body is found in the sanctuary of Venice's English church. The quest for the lost manuscript will bring Nathan back to the stage of La Fenice, where a final confrontation has deadly consequences... Praise for the VENICE series: Superb - always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid - Stephen Glover; Sinister and shimmering, The Venetian Game is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself - L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra; Clever and great fun - The Times Philip Gwynne Jones now works as a teacher, writer and translator, and lives in Venice with Caroline. He enjoys cooking, art, classical music and opera; and can occasionally be seen and heard singing bass with Cantori Veneziani His previous books, THE VENETIAN GAME and VENGEANCE IN VENICE also featured Nathan Sutherland, the former being Waterstone s nationwide Thriller of the Month in March Option publishers: German (Rowohlt); Italian (Newton Compton) VENGEANCE IN VENICE by Philip Gwynne Jones Crime & Mystery Constable 352pp April 2018 Korea: Japan: Uni An absolutely charming crime novel where Venice is the real star There aren't that many perks to being Honorary Consul in Venice, but Nathan Sutherland does at least receive an invitation to the official opening of the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. A chance for prosecco in the sunshine, and to meet some of the greats of the art world. And then a world-famous critic is decapitated by one of the installations. A terrible accident, it seems, until a postcard is discovered in the victim's pocket. An image of Judith beheading Holofernes. Then a viperous arts columnist receives an image of The Death of Marat. A journalist with a shady past receives a postcard of Dore's Triumph of Death. And a corrupt agent receives Mantegna's Martyrdom of St Sebastian. As the bodies pile up, all signs point to Paul Considine, a brilliant British artist with a motive for revenge against all the victims. Nathan, however, isn't convinced, and sets out to prove his innocence. But then Nathan himself receives an image of Death bearing a scythe, and finds himself in a race against time to save his own life. Philip Gwynne Jones lives in Venice and works as a teacher, writer and translator. His previous book, THE VENETIAN GAME, also featured Nathan Sutherland and was the Waterstone s nationwide Thriller of the Month in March German Rowohlt; Italian Newton Compton 43

44 THE CASE OF THE FOOL by E.V. Harte Crime & Mystery Constable 288pp May 2018 Korea: KCC Japan: TMA A contemporary crime novel featuring Tarot Card-reading Dolly Greene Tarot reader Dolly Greene, returning from a Very Happy Holiday in St Lucia with her hot new police sergeant boyfriend, arrives home to find a surly Russian girl waiting for a reading. Marina is young and beautiful but oddly charmless - and her cards reveal nothing but conflict, misery and death. Dolly knows she should feel concerned, but the girl is so disagreeable she s only too relieved when the reading is over and she can escape to catch up with her daughter and neighbours. And what news! During Dolly's two week absence squatters have taken over no.7, and a mysterious Brazilian woman has moved into no.3. Dolly would prefer to forget about the Russian beauty s malign reading but, like ripples radiating from a stone tossed into Barnes pond, Marina's cards come back to disturb Dolly and all those around her and Death will surely leave his calling card for someone on Tinderbox Lane. E. V. Harte operates under several aliases. As Daisy de Sales she is a professional Tarot reader, much preoccupied with the occult and all magical arts. As Daisy Waugh, she has written several historical novels, a couple of non-fiction books, and a lot of newspaper articles and columns. The first E. V. Harte title was THE PRIME OF MS DOLLY GREENE. * FOLLOW ME HOME by D. K. Hood Crime Bookouture 336pp June 2018 Book three in the Kane and Alton series The body of Amos Price lies in a pool of blood on the polished floor of an otherwise empty house. With no signs of a break in, and no clues left at the scene, Detective Jenna Alton is at a loss.but as the team begins to unpick the life of the reclusive victim, they discover a disturbing link between Amos and the disappearance of several young girls in the county going back years. Days later, another brutally murdered body is found, in a remote motel on the outskirts of town. Ely Dorsey was killed in a frenzied attack and Jenna fears not only that the murders are connected to the missing girls, but that the killer hasn t finished yet. As Jenna tries to work out who will be next, the killer suddenly starts sending her deputy, David Kane, messages. Is she being taunted? Or does the murderer want to be caught? And will Jenna discover who s behind these killings before more people die? * A DEATH IN REMBRANDT SQUARE by Anja de Jager Crime & Mystery Constable 320pp November 2018 The fourth novel in the atmospheric Detective Lotte Meerman series Praise for Anja de Jager: A novel brilliantly evoking the isolation of a woman with an unbearable weight on her conscience Sunday Times on A COLD DEATH IN AMSTERDAM; Detective Lotte Meerman is damaged by her past and tortured by the dreadful mistake she's made at work... Amsterdam in the vicious grip of a bitter winter is the other star here, beautiful and deadly Cath Staincliffe; An impressive debut... De Jager is as good on dodgy family relations as she is on police procedure The Times on A COLD DEATH IN AMSTERDAM. Anja de Jager is a London-based native Dutch speaker who writes in English. She draws inspiration from cases that her father, a retired police detective, worked on in the Netherlands. She worked in the City for twenty years but is now a full-time writer. 44

45 * THE NEXT GIRL by Carla Kovach Thriller Bookouture 312pp April 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: THE NEXT GIRL will keep you guessing until the very last page As a body is dragged from the river, Detective Gina Harte is called in to investigate. The ravaged corpse fits the description of a woman who went missing weeks earlier. Gina is convinced that she s found Deborah Jenkins. Tests prove that the body isn t Deborah, but as the two women are so strikingly similar in appearance, with their long dark hair and hazel eyes, Gina is sure the two cases are linked. With no more clues, both cases remain unsolved. Three years later, a newborn baby is found wrapped in blankets on a doorstep one stormy night and an anonymous phone call urges the police to run a DNA test. The child belongs to Deborah Jenkins, the woman who vanished and has been presumed dead. Battling with the demons of her own troubled past, Gina throws herself into the investigation determined to solve the mystery of the two women. How far will Gina have to go to solve the case? And will she find Deborah before it s too late? LET ME LIE by Clare Mackintosh Contemporary Fiction Sphere 416pp March 2018 Korea: EYA Japan: TMA The stunning, twisty new psychological thriller from number one bestseller, Clare Mackintosh Two years ago, Tom and Caroline Johnson chose to end their lives; one seemingly unable to live without the other. Their daughter Anna is struggling to come to terms with her parents' deaths, unable to accept the verdict of suicide. Now with a young baby herself, she feels her mother's presence keenly and is determined to find out what really happened to her parents. But as Anna digs up the past, someone is trying to stop her. Sometimes it's safer to let things lie. Praise for I LET YOU GO: [A] sensational debut... searing twists Daily Mail; Astonishingly good Lee Child; Tense and fast-paced with a heart-hammering shock of an ending Good Housekeeping; Chilling, compelling and compassionate, I LET YOU GO is a finely-crafted novel with a killer twist Paula Hawkins. Praise for I SEE YOU: Feverishly tense, devilishly clever, I SEE YOU will creep up on your before giving you the fright of your life Mark Edwards; Wonderfully sinister. Had me looking over my shoulder every time I travelled on the tube Fiona Barton; This psychological thriller will have you sucked in from the moment you begin. A completely believable story that will leave you looking over your shoulder Best. Clare Mackintosh read French at Royal Holloway University. She joined the police force on a graduate training programme and worked for Thames Valley Police, including time on CID, in Custody and as a Public Order Commander. She is the Director of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival. Her previous novels, I LET YOU GO and I SEE YOU are both bestsellers and have been sold in over thirty territories. Option publishers: Albanian (Living), Catalan (La Campana), Chinese complex (Emily Publishing Company), Danish (Forlaget Aronsen), Hebrew (Yedioth), Hungarian (Maxim), Italian (De Agostini), Latvian (Zvaigzne), Lithuanian (Alma Littera), Portuguese in Brazil (Intrinseca), Serbian (Vulkan), Slovak (Albatros), Thai (WeLearn), Turkish (Altin Kitaplar), Vietnamese (Phuc Minh) Arabic Arabic Cultural Center; Bulgarian Ciela Norma; Chinese simplified Sichuan People s Publishing; Croatian Mozaik Knjiga; Czech Vikend; Danish Forlaget Aronsen; Dutch DeFontein; Estonian Petrone Print; Finnish Gummerus; French Marabout; German Bastei Luebbe; Greek Metaichimo; Italian DeA Planeta Libri; Korean Tornado Media; Norwegian Cappelen Damm; Polish Proszynski Media; Portuguese in Portugal Particular; Romanian Editura Trei; Russian Family Leisure Club; Spanish Debolsillo; Swedish Lind & Co; US Berkley 45

46 DYING TRUTH: Book 8 in the KIM STONE series by Angela Marsons Crime Thriller Bookouture 384pp May 2018 Korea: Japan: EAJ The eighth instalment in the two million copy-selling series When teenager Sadie Winter jumps from the roof of her school, her death is ruled as suicide a final devastating act from a troubled girl. But then the broken body of a young boy is discovered at the same school and it s clear to Detective Kim Stone that these deaths are not tragic accidents. As Kim and her team begin to unravel a dark web of secrets, one of the teachers could hold the key to the truth. Yet just as she is about to break her silence, she is found dead. With more children s lives at risk, Kim must consider the unthinkable - whether a fellow pupil could be responsible for the murders. Investigating the psychology of children that kill brings the detective into contact with her former adversary, Dr Alex Thorne the sociopath who has made it her life s work to destroy Kim. Desperate to catch the killer, Kim finds a link between the recent murders and an initiation prank that happened at the school decades earlier. But saving these innocent lives comes at a cost and one of Kim s own might pay the ultimate price. Angela Marsons s Kim Stone series, which began with SILENT SCREAM, has sold over two-million copies. Option publishers: German (Piper), Arabic (Jumeirah Publishing), Czech (Euromedia Group), Danish (Jentas), Estonian (Pegasus), French (Belfond), Greek (Klidarithmos), Hungarian (General Press), Italian (Newton Compton), Japanese (Hayakawa), Lithuanian (Jotema UAB), Norwegian (Cappelen Damm), Polish (Burda), Portuguese in Portugal (LeYa), Russian (Eksmo), Slovakian (Ikar), Spanish (Planeta), Swedish (Lind & Co), Turkish (Kuzey Yayinlari), Thai (Amarin), Vietnamese (Co Nguyet Books), Icelandic (N29), Bulgarian (Ednorog), Chinese simplified (China South Booky), Croatian (Mozaik Knjiga), Portuguese in Brazil (Autentica) * HER MOTHER S GRAVE: DETECTIVE JOSIE QUINN BOOK 3 by Lisa Regan Crime & Mystery Bookouture 316pp July 2018 Korea: KCC Japan: The latest Josie Quinn book is a gripping rollercoaster ride that will have you totally hooked. When two young boys discover human bones buried beneath a tree in a trailer park, Detective Josie Quinn races to join her team at the scene. She used to play in those woods as a child, happier outside and away from her abusive mother, Belinda Rose. Josie s past crashes into her present when a rare dental condition confirms the bones belong to a teenage foster child who was murdered thirty years ago. A girl named Belinda Rose Josie hasn t seen her mother in years but, with an undeniable connection between her mother and the dead girl, does she dare try to track her down? Just as Josie gets closer to uncovering a secret that will shatter her world forever, another body is uncovered. It s suddenly clear that someone very close to Josie will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried forever. As she battles the demons from her past, can Josie stop this killer before another precious life is taken? Lisa Regan is a USA Today and Amazon chart bestseller. Her previous two titles The Vanishing Girls and The Girl With No Name have sold over 100,000 copies. She has a Bachelor s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. 46

47 * THE GIRL WITH NO NAME: DETECTIVE JOSIE QUINN BOOK 2 by Lisa Regan Crime & Mystery Bookouture 337pp April 2018 Korea: KCC Japan: A nail-biting, twisty and impossible to put down mystery, for fans of Angela Marsons and Robert Dugoni Detective Josie Quinn is horrified when she s called to the house of a mother who had her newborn baby snatched from her arms. A woman caught fleeing the scene is Josie s only lead, but when questioned it seems this mysterious girl doesn t know who she is, where she s from or why she is so terrified. Is she a witness, a suspect, or the next victim? As Josie digs deeper, a letter about a mix-up at a fertility clinic links the nameless girl and the missing child to a spate of killings across the county. Josie is faced with an impossible decision: should she risk the life of one innocent child to save many others, or can she find another way? Option publishers: German (Weltbild) * THE BONE READERS by Jacob Ross Crime & Mystery Sphere 288pp July 2018 Korea: Japan: TMA Winner of the 2016 Jhalak Prize for best book by a BAME writer in the UK When Michael (Digger) Digson is recruited into DS Chilman s new plain clothes squad in the small Caribbean island of Camaho he brings his own mission to discover who amongst a renegade police squad killed his mother in a political demonstration. Sent to London to train in forensics, Digger becomes enmeshed in Chilman s obsession with a cold case - the disappearance of a young man whose mother is sure has been murdered. But along with his new skill in forensics, Digger makes rich use of the cultural knowledge he has gained from the Fire Baptist grandmother who brought him up, another kind of reader of bones. And when the enigmatic Miss Stanislaus joins him on the case, Digger finds that his science is more than outmatched by her observational skills. Together, they find themselves dragged into a world of secrets, disappearances and danger that demands every ounce of their brains, persistence and courage to survive. Jacob Ross is a poet, novelist, short story writer and tutor who was born in Grenada but has lived in the UK for over thirty years. * CROSS YOUR HEART by Kierney Scott Thriller Bookouture 242pp April 2018 The second in the FBI Special Agent Jess Bishop series Three young girls are missing. All of them cold cases. All of them forgotten. But when Detective Jess Bishop identifies a disturbing link between them, she s determined to find out what happened to the girls as she fights to re-open their cases. At the scene of each abduction the killer left a clue a small bag of cotton candy in place of the missing child. And then a fourth child is taken. Eight-yearold Ava is snatched from her hospital bed and Jess suspects right away that it s linked to the other cases. As Ava s illness worsens, Jess is in a race against time to save the girl before it s too late. But is she missing something right in front of her, something that could put other lives in danger? Will she risk the lives of her loved ones to rescua mother se the child she so badly wants to save? And can she get there before another child is taken? Kierney Scott has a great commercial fiction voice and she writes for an audience who just love a fastpaced commercial thriller. An American living in Scotland, Scott has previously written romantic fiction for Carin 47

48 * THE DAY I LOST YOU by Alex Sinclair Thriller Bookouture 240pp July 2018 A gripping and addictive psychological thriller that will have you holding on tight to the ones you love. You only let her go for a second Now she s gone. Erika Rice is in an elevator with her four-year-old daughter Alice when it stops on the wrong floor and her little girl runs out. The doors close before Erika can follow, and the daughter she loves more than anything is suddenly nowhere to be seen. Erika can t bear the thought of her daughter in danger or afraid, and will do anything to get her back. But with no sign of Alice, Erika has no idea where to begin. The residents of the apartment block claim not to have seen anything, but Erika realises someone s lying to her and that there s something darker at play. How could a four-year-old disappear into thin air? Alex Sinclair s previous title The Last Thing I Saw sold over 25,000 copies. He s from a quiet country town outside of Melbourne, Australia and has a background in IT, bookkeeping, and 3D animation. * THE LAST THING I SAW by Alex Sinclair Thriller Bookouture 275pp April 2018 An addictive and page-turning psychological thriller you won t be able to put down When Emma wakes up in hospital, she knows something terrible has happened, but she can t remember what only that someone was watching her family, stalking them, and that she would have done anything to protect them. As Emma slowly starts to remember what she did, she realises that her family has been torn apart forever but who is to blame? * RUNAWAY GIRL by Emma Tallon Crime Bookouture 352pp May 2018 When hiding doesn t work, you have to come out fighting Anna Davis has spent her life terrified of her sadistic gangster husband. Right up until she finally ran away in the dead of night, she was frightened he d that he d kill her. And he still will, if he can find her. As Anna starts a new life, she meets two strangers who will change her fortunes forever. Tanya Smith is a gorgeous East London stripper with a big heart. Anna loves Tanya s attitude to life and the pair quickly become best friends and business partners. But can their friendship survive when Tanya reveals her biggest secret? East End Nightclub Baron Freddie Tyler is everything Anna s husband is not he s strong and caring and he d do anything to keep Anna happy. But he s living a lie, and it s only a matter of time before the truth catches up with him. As Anna begins to see a future for herself with Freddie, the past finally catches up with her and her new life could be about to crumble around her. Does she finally have the strength to fight back? Emma Tallon has previously self-published her novels, selling over six thousand copies. 48

49 THE BLOOD by E. S. Thomson Crime & Mystery Constable 384pp April 2018 Korea: Japan: A literary thriller set in Victorian London, highly atmospheric and darkly Gothic, featuring a woman in disguise in a man's world who hides another terrible secret Summoned to the riverside by the desperate, scribbled note of an old friend, Jem Flockhart and Will Quartermain find themselves on board the seamen's floating hospital, an old hulk known only as The Blood, where prejudice, ambition and murder seethe beneath a veneer of medical respectability. On shore, a young woman, a known prostitute, is found drowned in a derelict boatyard. A man leaps to his death into the Thames, driven mad by poison and fear. The events are linked - but how? Courting danger in the opium dens and brothels of the waterfront, certain that The Blood lies at the heart of the puzzle, Jem and Will embark on a quest to uncover the truth. In a hunt that takes them from the dissecting tables of a private anatomy school to the squalor of the dock-side mortuary, they find themselves involved in a terrible mystery. Praise for BELOVED POISON: This outstanding debut historical enthrals with its meticulously researched details of 19th-century hospitals Library Journal; Thomson excels in evoking the claustrophobic feel of the back alleys Jem must tread in search of the truth. The plot builds to a logical but surprising reveal Publishers Weekly. Elaine Thomson was born in Ormskirk, Lancashire. She has a PhD in the history of medicine and works as a university lecturer. She was shortlisted for the Saltire First Book Award and the Scottish Arts Council First Book Award. BELOVED POISON has been optioned for film. THE BLOOD is preceded by DARK ASYLUM. US Pegasus THE WIFE S SHADOW by Cath Weeks Contemporary Fiction Piatkus 336pp September 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: What happens when the man you married discovers you re not the woman you say you are? Everyone admires Suzy and her doll s house life. She has a gorgeous family, a beautiful home and a successful business. But Suzy hasn't always been in control. In her past lies a shadowy tale of fear and instability a life that she ran away from thirty-five years ago, and has hidden from ever since. Now a terrifying incident throws everything into turmoil. Is it her past catching up on her? Suzy s life begins to unravel, as her hold on everything her family, her business and even her sanity comes under strain. What happens when the woman who everyone thought could do everything finds herself unable to do the most important thing: keep her loved ones safe? How far will she go to win everything back? Cath Weeks s debut novel, BLIND, was published in 2017 and she was named as an Author to Watch by Elle magazine. Option publishers: Italian (Newton Compton); Turkish (Beyaz Balina) 49

50 IT ENDS WITH YOU by S. K. Wright Crime & Mystery Atom 256pp September 2018 Korea: KCC Japan: Twisted loyalties, lies and betrayal It s late and Rob s house party is in full swing. Eva and Luke slip upstairs someone hears arguing, someone else sees a bathroom door slam. Eventually the couple creep out through the back garden and head for the woods, both are reported to have looked like hell. Outside, it s pitch black, deathly quiet, and the two start arguing. Forty-five minutes later, Eva is dead and Luke is arrested for her murder. Case closed. Except for one thing: Luke swears blind he didn t do it, and the daughter of the investigating officer believes it. But with the police recklessly fixated on him, and only him, evidence is lost, leads scuppered and time is running out. The thing is, it s impossible to tell with Luke, and the deeper one probes the more conflicted one becomes. Villain or victim. Psychopath or cruelly misunderstood. Piecing together the voices of Luke s classmates, this is the story of twisted loyalties, lies and betrayal with two sides to every story and an agonising amount at stake if someone has got this very, very wrong. S. K. Wright is an award-winning author who has previously published novels for both teenagers and adults under her real name. She studied English at Oxford and now works in publishing and lives in London. This is her debut book under the name S. K. Wright. * THE CHOSEN ONES by Carol Wyer Crime Bookouture 409pp May 2018 The fifth book in the Detective Robyn Carter series On a hot summer s morning, a young father is found murdered in a cornfield, outside the quiet town of Colton. Tied to a post, arms spread wide; Detective Robyn Carter is reminded of the crucifixion, and she knows she s looking for a killer with a twisted sense of right and wrong. The victim s girlfriend is devastated, unable to fathom how she will tell her sick little boy. Still reeling from her own loss, Robyn vows she will find the killer no matter what. But then a local doctor a popular woman with a young family of her own is found dead outside her surgery. There are similarities between her and the first body and Robyn must take another look at the picture-postcard town, where no one has any enemies. Can Robyn untangle the hidden web of secrets, lies, and smouldering grudges, at the heart of this closeknit community, before another life is lost? The first book in the Detective Robyn Carter series, LITTLE GIRL LOST, shot to the number two bestselling spot on Kindle, number nine best-selling audiobook on Audible, and was also a USA Today top 150 best-seller. Option publishers: Czech (Euromedia), German (Piper), Hebrew (Ivrit), Hungarian (Konyvmolykepzo), Norwegian (Cappelen Damm), Polish (Amber), Slovak (Ikar), Turkish (Profil Kitap) 50

51 * BLOOD RUNS COLD by Dylan Young Thriller Bookouture 331pp May 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: A heart-pounding thriller that will get right under your skin. If you love Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni and Angela Marsons you ll love this killer crime thriller When eleven-year-old Blair Smearton is abducted near a river bank on the hottest day of the year, no-one can trace the man spotted taking her. Detective Anna Gwynne is back at work with her cold case unit following a brutal attack that nearly cost her her life. She s investigating the death of young Rosie Dawson, whose bones were found hidden in a hole in the ground ten years ago. At least avenging Rosie s murder, focussing on her past, can help Anna ignore her own. The only lead Anna has is a photo of Rosie posted on a chat room hidden deep online. And then she finds one of Blair. Kidnapped. In the exact same dark room. The same concrete walls. The same stony floor. The killer is bragging. No-one can trace the photo. Blair s time is running out. But Anna has a contact who knows the dark web better than anyone. He s the key to finding those girls. Can Anna get his help to find Blair alive? Dylan Young has written psychological thrillers for Random House and, under pseudonyms, children s books and a contemporary fantasy series for adults. BLOOD RUNS COLD is the follow-up to THE SILENT GIRLS. THE BETEL NUT TREE MYSTERY by Ovidia Yu Crime & Mystery Constable 352pp June 2018 Korea: EYA Japan: Japan Uni Peopled with memorable characters and with a very strong sense of time and place, this is Singapore's answer to Alexander McCall Smith's Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency Singapore, 1936, and the Crown Colony is agog with the news of King Edward VIII's abdication to marry Wallis Simson. Chen Su Lin, now Chief Inspector Le Froy's assistant in Singapore's new detective unit, still dreams of becoming a journalist and hopes to cover the story when the Hon Victor Glossop announces he is marrying an American widow of his own, Mrs Nicole Covington. But things go horribly wrong when Victor Glossop is found dead, his body soaked in betel juice. The beautiful Nicole claims she was the intended target. When investigations into her past reveal a dead lover as well as a husband, Su Lin still can't persuade the men defending Nicole to see her as a black widow murdereress. So Su Lin agrees to chaperone Nicole at the Farquhar Hotel, intending to watch and discreetly question her. But as she uncovers secrets and further deaths result, Su Lin realises she may not be able to save Nicole's life - or even her own. Ovidia Yu is one of Singapore's best-known and most acclaimed writers. She has had over thirty plays produced and is the author of a number of comic mysteries published in Singapore, India, Japan and America. She received a Fulbright to the University of Iowa's International Writers Program and has been a writing fellow at the National University of Singapore 51

52 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Highlights THE CULTURE THE GUTTER PRAYER ROSEWATER 52

53 * THE CULTURE: NOTES AND DRAWINGS by Iain M. Banks and Ken MacLeod Sci-Fi Orbit 256pp June 2019 Original drawings by Iain M. Banks, author of the hugely popular CULTURE novels, will be included in a book that celebrates the author s vision of the Culture universe Previously unseen drawings, most of which are annotated by the author, and many of which predate the writing of the novels themselves, will be curated by the Estate of Iain M. Banks and Iain s life-long friend and science fiction writer Ken MacLeod. With additional commentary by MacLeod, further notes on the Culture, and extracts from the CULTURE novels, the book will provide a unique insight into the Culture, including its history, language, technology, philosophy and values. Iain Banks came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, THE WASP FACTORY, in He has since gained enormous popular and critical acclaim for both his mainstream and his science fiction novels. Ken MacLeod is the author of twelve previous novels, five of which have been nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and two which have won the BSFA Award. US Orbit BURNING ASHES: Book 3 in THE REMNANTS series by James Bennett Fantasy Orbit 320pp November 2018 Korea: EntersKorea Japan: Mythology and the modern world collide in Red Ben Garston's third actionpacked adventure, from stellar new British talent The uneasy truce between the human and the mythical world has shattered. Betrayed by his oldest friend, with a tragic death on his hands, there isn't enough whiskey in England to wash away the taste of Ben's guilt. But for a one-time guardian dragon, there's no time to sit and sulk in the ruins. Because the Long Sleep has come undone. Slowly but surely, Remnants are stirring under the earth, unleashing chaos and terror on an unsuspecting modern world. Worse still, the Fay are returning, travelling across the gulfs of the nether to bring a final reckoning to Remnants and humans alike. A war is coming. A war to end all wars. And only Ben Garston stands in the way. James Bennett is a British writer raised in Sussex and South Africa. His travels have furnished him with an abiding love of different cultures, history and mythology. His short fiction has appeared internationally and the acclaimed Chasing Embers was his debut fantasy novel. Iranian Vida Publications; US Orbit 53

54 ADRIFT by Rob Boffard Sci-Fi Orbit 400pp June 2018 Korea: Danny Hong Japan: TMA A thrilling and claustrophobic adventure set in space: this new novel from the author of TRACER takes him in a whole new commercial direction In the far reaches of space, a group of tourists board a small vessel for what will be the trip of a lifetime - in more ways than one. They are embarking on a tour around Sigma Station - a remote mining facility and luxury hotel with stunning views of the Horsehead Nebula. During the course of their trip, a mysterious ship with devastatingly advanced technology attacks the station. Their pilot's quick evasive action means that the tour group escape with their lives - but as the dust settles, they realise they may be the only survivors. Adrift in outer space, out of contact with civilisation and on a vastly underequipped ship, these passengers are out of their depth. Their chances of getting home are close to none, and with the threat of another attack looming they must act soon - or risk perishing in the endless void of space. Rob Boffard has worked as a journalist for over a decade, and has written articles for publications in more than a dozen countries, including The Guardian and Wired. The OUTER EARTH series was published by Orbit. German Heyne; US Orbit MAKER S CURSE: Book 4 of MILLENNIUM S RULE series by Trudi Canavan Fantasy Orbit 560pp December 2019 The latest instalment of THE MILLENNIUM S RULE series Rielle the Maker, restorer of worlds. That is how she is known now. She has lost count of the number of worlds Baluka has sent her to save. But when he sends her to a world that isn't magically dead, she is caught up in far more complex troubles than she has time to sort out. Because her next visit to her own world, to check on Qall, is fast drawing close. After five cycles in exile, is he ready to return to the worlds? Tyen has cast off his old identity. No longer a spy, his attempts to teach new sorcerers and find ways to counteract the war-machines have been thwarted by interference from Liftre. Then when the chance comes to amend past wrongs it also brings a possible solution to his troubles. Until an old enemy brings news of something worse than dead worlds and sorcerers, and not even the most powerful sorcerers can stop it. Trudi Canavan published her first story in 1999 and it received an Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story. Her debut series, the Black Magician trilogy, made her an international success, and all three volumes of her AGE OF THE FIVE trilogy were Sunday Times bestsellers. Option publishers: Spanish (Random House Mondadori) Polish Galeria Ksiazki; US - Orbit 54

55 * THE WITCH WHO COURTED DEATH by Maria Lewis Fantasy Piatkus 288pp September 2018 From the author of WHO S AFRAID? and WHO S AFRAID TOO? Praise for Maria Lewis: If you haven't heard about Maria Lewis's new urban fantasy novel WHO'S AFRAID you must have been living under a rock - Good Reading Magazine; Pay attention urban fantasy fans - Maria Lewis is a name you'll want to remember - One More Page; Gripping, fast-paced, and completely unexpected, WHO'S AFRAID has more twists than a tornado. I loved this story! - Darynda Jones. Maria Lewis is a Sydney-based journalist and has written for The Daily Telegraph, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, Empire magazine and many other publications. She appears on 2SER FM's weekly Drive segment Gaggle Of Geeks every Wednesday, talking the latest comic book and pop culture news and every Tuesday Breakfast for TV Talk. * DAUGHTER OF LIGHT AND SHADOWS by Fantasy Bookouture pp October 2018 A dark and magical debut novel that will keep you turning the pages. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Bella Forrest and Amy Bartol. When Faye Morgan casts a wish into the Scottish sea one cold January morning, her call brings her to the attention of the wild and capricious faerie overlord Finn Beatha. Finn offers Faye an invitation to follow him into another world, or risk the eternal wrath of his people. When Faye arrives, it s to discover that everything in the glittering world of Fae has its price. A single misstep could mean she s trapped forever never to see her family again. She must have all her wits about her but it s difficult with Finn Beatha passionate and dangerous watching her every move. What secrets are hidden behind Finn s marsh-fire eyes? Why do the people of the court whisper when Faye walks past, and call her by the mysterious title: sidheleth? Is there something in her past connecting her to this place and dare she find out more when every moment draws her further away from her old life her old world? Anna McKerrow has written poetry, children s and adult books. She lives in London and is originally from the West Country. SUPERCUTE FUTURES by Martin Millar Fantasy Piatkus 352pp August 2018 Japan: EAJ Japanese rights only A glorious offbeat mix of manga and cyberpunk, by acclaimed author Martin Millar If Phillip K Dick had understood the concept of 'kawaii', this is what he might have written. A magnificent juxtaposition of cute, bright and entertaining creatures against a background of a slowly decaying world, this manages to highlight everything that is both terrifying and inspiring about the human condition: we are fiddling while Rome is burning, but isn't the music beautiful. Praise for Martin Millar: Undeniably brilliant The Guardian; The funniest writer in Britain today GQ; Martin Millar writes like Kurt Vonnegut might have written, if he'd been born fifty years later in a different country and hung around with entirely the wrong sort of people - Neil Gaiman; For the deceptively simple poetry of the everyday, nobody does it better The List. Under the pseudonym of Martin Scott, Millar, as the Guardian put it, invented a new genre: pulp fantasy noir. Thraxas, the first book in his Thraxas series, won the World Fantasy Award in As Martin Millar and as Martin Scott, he has been widely translated. To find out more about Martin Millar, visit his website at 55

56 * ROGUE: Book 2 in the LOWTOWN series by Lindsay Pryor Fantasy Romance Piatkus 384pp November 2018 A spin-off from the bestselling Blackthorn series by Lindsay J. Pryor, set in Lowtown, the neighbouring district to Blackthorn. The product of a brutal class system, the dark, gritty world of Lowtown will grip you and never let you go Rowen's nephew is missing somewhere in Lowtown. But when the overstretched and under-resourced authorities refuse to help her, she turns to the only other option she has: finding him for herself. Acts of defiance against his pack leader lead to lycan Connor being banished from his pack in Blackthorn. Having taken haven in Lowtown, he has no sense of purpose - until he discovers he's not quite the bastard he likes to convince himself he is when he finds a feisty redhead way out of her depth. Rowen knows as much as everyone else does that rogue lycans are bad news. But she also knows the sixfoot-two-inch walking embodiment of reckless danger is exactly what she needs to help her navigate the lethal streets of Lowtown - maybe even Blackthorn - to get the answers she needs. Connor knows Rowen's mission is a lost cause, and starting to care is the last thing he needs. Finding just how much trouble her nephew is in, and now Rowen too, leaves Connor knowing he should walk away - even more so when he finds himself facing a past he'd rather forget. But it's hard to turn his back in a girl who has started to trust him, to depend on him, even if she doesn't want to admit it. Lindsay J. Pryor is the author of the Amazon bestselling Blackthorn series, her dark, complex and gritty urban paranormal romance having achieved numerous Gothic and PNR number ones in both the UK and the US. * THE GUTTER PRAYER by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan Fantasy Orbit 480pp January 2019 A thrilling and visceral debut from an exciting new talent Three thieves - an orphan, a ghoul, and a cursed man - are betrayed by the master of the thieves guild. Their quest for revenge uncovers dark truths about their city and exposes a dangerous conspiracy, the seeds of which were sown long before they were born. Cari is a drifter whose past and future are stranger than she can know. Rat is a Ghoul, whose people haunt the city's underworld. Spar is a Stone Man, subject to a terrible disease that is slowly petrifying his flesh. Chance has brought them together, but their friendship could be all that stands in the way of total devastation. Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan is an Irish game designer and novelist, and has worked primarily on roleplaying games. US - Orbit 56

57 US Orbit EXODUS: Book 2 in the ETERNITY WAR series by Jamie Sawyer Sci-Fi Orbit 480pp November 2018 The adrenaline-fuelled second novel in the Eternity War Lieutenant Keira Jenkins and her Jackals may have survived confrontations with the Black Spiral terrorist network and a betrayal by one of their own. Yet their troubles are only just beginning. With their starship badly damaged, they find themselves adrift in hostile territory. Somehow they must find a way to warn the Alliance before the Black Spiral unleashes a new war across the galaxy. But first they must face the Alliance's oldest enemy: the Asiatic Directorate. And the Directorate has a score to settle with Jenkins. Jamie Sawyer studied law at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, acquiring a master's degree in human rights and surveillance law. Jamie is a full-time barrister, practising in criminal law. He has previously written THE LAZARUS WAR trilogy for Orbit. Option publishers: French (L Atalante) THE WINTER ROAD by Adrian Selby Fantasy Orbit 480pp September 2018 Korea: Japan: Uni A gritty and epic adventure to appeal to fans of Mark Lawrence, Andrzej Sapkowski and Joe Abercrombie - THE WINTER ROAD is a fantasy novel which remembers that battles leave all kinds of scars The Circle - a thousand miles of perilous forests and warring clans. No one has ever tamed such treacherous territory before, but ex-soldier Teyr Amondsen, veteran of a hundred battles, is determined to try. With a merchant caravan protected by a crew of skilled mercenaries, Amondsen embarks on a dangerous mission to forge a road across the untamed wilderness that was once her home. But a warlord rises in the wilds of the Circle, uniting its clans and terrorising its people. Teyr's battles may not be over yet ADRIAN SELBY studied creative writing at university before embarking on a career in video game production. He is a Tolkien fanatic and an online gaming addict. His debut novel SNAKEWOOD is an epic and inventive fantasy about a company of mercenaries and the assassin trying to destroy them. You can find Adrian on Twitter, tweeting Option publishers: German (Bastei Luebbe) US Orbit 57

58 ROSEWATER: Book 1 in the ROSEWATER TRILOGY by Tade Thompson Sci-Fi Orbit 384pp September 2018 Korea: EntersKores Japan: Uni The start of an award-nominated cutting edge trilogy by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices - Neuromancer in Nigeria, with aliens Rosewater, Nigeria, is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless - people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumoured healing powers. Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn't care to again - but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realisation about a horrifying future. Tade Thompson is a John W. Campbell Award finalist and won the 2017 NOMMO Award for African speculative fiction. His novella The Murders of Molly Southbourne has recently been optioned for screen adaptation. He also writes short stories, notably The Apologists which was nominated for a British Science Fiction Association award. French J ai Lu; Spanish Alianza; US Orbit US Orbit THE LAND YOU NEVER LEAVE: Book 2 in the WEST OF WEST series by Angus Watson Fantasy Orbit 496pp September 2018 German and Polish rights only The David Gemmell Award-shortlisted author of AGE OF IRON returns with WEST OF WEST, an epic fantasy trilogy Newly and uneasily allied, two tribes from different worlds set off across the Ocean of Grass. Their mission is to fulfil a prophecy and take Ottar the Moaner west of west to save mankind. In their way are the denizens of the Badlands, the most terrifying and powerful collection of murderers and monsters the world has ever seen. As well as writing epic fantasy, Watson has written hundreds of features for newspapers including The Times, Financial Times and The Telegraph. You can find him on Twitter or find his website: Option publishers: Polish (Fabryka Slow) 58