DHH News Roundup 13th - 19th November 2023
Femi Kayode
We're kicking off this week's DHH News Roundup with the superb news that Femi Kayode's just-released Gaslight (Bloomsbury Raven), was selected as one of the best new thrillers for November from The Times:
"Shades of Raymond Chandler ... Gaslight’s particular appeal is the sharp glimpses it provides of local ways of getting things done."
Read the full article here.
Maddie Please
We had two publication days to celebrate last week, and the first is the new uplifting and laugh-out-loud story from Maddie Please, The Old Ducks' Hen Do (Boldwood Books).
Recently retired, Denny Lambert is finding life just a little bit…well, dull. So when her stepsister Juliette announces she’s getting married – again! – and invites Denny on a hen do with the Old Ducks, Denny really can’t say no.
Denny knows something about the Old Ducks and their wild exploits, but she’s just glad to be somewhere hot and sunny and away from her grey life back in the UK. She’s definitely not going to be pulled into any Old Duck mayhem…
But when they arrive at their beautiful Mallorcan villa, Denny is in for a shock. Because right next door is the man who once broke her heart – Bruno Browning. Now with the Old Ducks and an old flame to contend with, Denny’s life suddenly feels anything but dull!
But if she’s learnt one thing from her time with the Old Ducks it’s that life is for living…and that’s exactly what Denny is finally going to do!
Because it's never too late for even the newest Old Duck to learn new tricks...
Jenny Quintana
We were delighted to welcome author Jenny Quintana to the Agency last week.
Jenny, who is the author of three thrillers - The Hiding Place, Our Dark Secret and The Missing Girl (all Pan Macmillan) - joins David H Headley's list.
Last week, the Guardian presented their roundup of the best recent crime and thriller books for 2023, and we were tickled pink to see both Femi Kayode's Gaslight and Eleni Kyriacou's The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou* included in the list.
*The deal for the book was negotiated by Abi Fellows while she was at The Good Literary Agency
A smattering of excellent translation deals were closed over the last week, for which we are so happy to see! Congratulations to our authors, and thanks to our fabulous rights team:
The French House by Jacquie Bloese to Sumo Publishing (Arabic)
The Somnambulist by Essie Fox, also to Sumo Publishing (Arabic)
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton to Metaihmio (Greece)
L. C. Tyler
The second publication day we celebrated last week was the ninth in L. C. Tyler's 'John Grey' mystery series, A Well-Earned Death.
In 1671 there are fortunes to be made in Barbados, owning slaves and planting sugar cane. But drought, floods, locusts and his own incompetence have brought Hubert Umfraville down and caused him to flee the island in the most humiliating fashion. Now back in England, he hopes to restore his fortunes through extortion. In Barbados he has discovered a secret that people here may pay him to keep quiet about.
When his body is found in the orchard of the house he has just rented in Essex, there is no shortage of suspects. Has his intended blackmail victim preempted him? Or has one or other of his old crimes caught up with the failed plantation owner?
John Grey, Essex magistrate and husband of a famous London playwright, finds himself investigating what seems to be the well-merited death of a former slave owner. But as the list of suspects grows, and even encompasses a member of his own family, Grey is forced to question the nature of justice and what any of us is entitled to do to gain our freedom.
The book also picked up a fantastic review from Classic Mystery:
"[A]n excellent read. Quite possibly the strongest book in the series to date, it’s also a good jumping on point."
Client Lizzie Huxley-Jones wrote a lovely article for Diva magazine on queer books to enjoy this Christmas season, including their own Make You Mine This Christmas* and Talia Samuel's debut The Christmas Swap.
To read the article, click here.
*The deal for the book was negotiated by Abi Fellows while she was at The Good Literary Agency
Stephen Edger
Finally, huge congratulations to client Stephen Edger, who has signed another four-book deal with current publisher Boldwood Books, under his M. A. Hunter brand.
Boldwood's Emily Yau bought World English Language rights from Emily Glenister, with the first in the deal (details TBC) to be published in November 2024.
Hunter's most recent book, The Trail, a creepy thriller set in America's Appalachian mountains, is out now.