There’s been a flurry of sensational deal announcements, in what has been another dynamic week for our authors! 

Firstly, we must acknowledge the breath-taking cover for Nell Carter‘s A Thing Called Love (Welbeck Publishing) which was recently revealed. This unique story follows the lives of two people as they attempt to navigate love in all its beauty and strife, and is available for pre-order now here.

Benjamin Dean also shared the glorious cover for his debut novel, Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow (Simon & Schuster), a heart-warming LGBTQ+ Middle Grade story of love, family and changing relationships. We’ll certainly be giving this video a rewatch:

And Caroline Mitchell has revealed the enticing cover for Flesh and Blood (Amazon Publishing / Thomas & Mercer), the fourth instalment in her outstanding ‘DI Amy Winter’ thriller series. Caroline has also just launched her new True Crime YouTube channel – keep an eye out for the first episode which is being released today.

We’re also sending many congratulations to the duo behind Ben Creed, on the publication of City of Ghosts (Welbeck Publishing/ Portland Press)! You may have caught Chris and Barney on their cross-country radio tour this Thursday, discussing the book, which will be the first in a trilogy. This crime thriller, set in 1950s Leningrad, follows a haggard Russian policeman who is shaken by his discovery of five mysterious corpses. The book is a critical favourite, having been picked as a thriller of the month in The Times, due to its seamless narrative and incredible main character – buy it here, to see for yourself.

Abbie Greaves‘ The Silent Treatment was also published by Penguin Random House in its snazzy new paperback jacket. Her stunning debut, which was an instant top 10 hit upon its hardback release back in April, dissects the secrets within a marriage which has descended into a stalemate of silence. Be sure to buy a copy here, and be swept away in this emotional journey. 

American readers will also be overjoyed that The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss has been published in the US by Penguin  Random House / Putnam! Purchase now to get a dose of festive cheer.

We are over the moon to congratulate the following authors on four excellent deals announced this week:

Ashley Audrain‘s eagerly anticipated thriller, The Push (Penguin Random House / Michael Joseph), which took the industry by storm last year after selling into a record-breaking number of territories following submission, is set to be adapted for the screen. TV and film rights have gone to Heyday Television, after a heated nine-way bidding war. Ashley will serve as Executive Producer on the project. This is hugely exciting news for what will undoubtedly be the hottest debut of 2021. Read the full write-up here for more.

Barrister and already-published author, Alexandra Wilson, who released her widely praised memoir, In Black and White (Hachette / Octopus), back in August, will be entering the fiction space.  Her second book, The Witness, is a crime thriller with resonant societal tones, and will be published by Little, Brown / Sphere in 2022. Read here for more.

Michelle Elman will also be releasing her second book, The Joy of Being Selfish: Why You Need Boundaries and How to Set Them, in February 2021. This timely self-help manual has been snapped up by Welbeck – read more on the deal now.

And last but certainly not least, we’re delighted that author-illustrator Jen Carney has secured a massive three-book deal with Puffin for her high-spirited Middle Grade comedy series. The first up will be her debut, The Accidental Diary of B.U.G, to be released in April 2021. Read all about the deal here.

Bestselling author Clare Mackintosh took to Instagram Live for a TBR chat, in which she mentioned three of our authors’ fantastic upcoming novels:  Nell Carter‘s A Thing Called Love,  Deborah O’Connor‘s The Captive and Inga Vesper‘s The Long, Long Afternoon. Get yourselves a cup of tea, and take a watch here.

We are delighted to announce that Helly Acton’s The Shelf (Bonnier Zaffre) has officially sold over 8,000 copies. This comes as no surprise, given Helly’s brilliant comedic voice and hilariously original plot. The title has also been selected as Apple’s Audiobook of the week, so do make sure to have a listen.

Holly Bourne‘s Pretending has been featured in Buzzfeed‘s roundup of the best romance novels to cosy up with this Autumn, and we couldn’t agree more! Read the full list here. And if you want to know more about the dynamic author herself, you can catch Holly on this week’s episode of Hatch podcast. Listen in here, to learn all about her old jobs, her creative process, and how she procrastinates with her super-cute cat. 

We love it when Agency books do well in other countries, which is why it’s our pleasure to confirm that two  have been Summer bestsellers in Italy. Gail Honeyman’s endlessly popular Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine went in at No.2 on the paperback charts in July. Further to this, Beth Morrey‘s gorgeously uplifting debut Saving Missy hit No.9 on publication in August. Read more on their overseas success here.

Janelle Harris‘ addictive thriller, Keep Your Friends Close (Amazon Publishing / Lake Union), is also currently the #9 best seller in the British & Irish Literature category on Amazon US.

Our authors tend to pop up everywhere – in one of the more unique examples of this, Lara Williamson‘s A Boy Called Hope (Usborne) has been immortalised in Manchester’s Metrolink map this week, as part of their transport authority’s joint initiative with Manchester Libraries. The usual map has been turned into a list of children’s book recommendations and distributed to every year 5 and 6 in the city. Take a closer look here.

C.J. Tudor‘s creepy thrillers The Other People and The Chalk Man (Penguin Random House / Michael Joseph) received a glowing review on Hayley’s Book Room, on which they are the October reads – see the full post here.

The talented and generous Teresa Driscoll has kindly donated signed copies of  I Will Make You Pay, to the ‘Children in Read’ book auction. All proceeds will go to Children in Need – you can place a bid here.

As well as being hard at work with virtual Frankfurt events this week, IRD have made the following stellar deals:

German rights to Lizzie Pook‘s Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter have gone to Diana.

Czech rights to Nikki May’s Wahala have gone to Host.