Janet Maslin’s 10 Favorite Books of 2013
December 2013
"Never Go Back by Lee Child (Delacorte Press). Folks, it takes guts to put a Lee Child thriller on this list. Think of the loftier books it’s replacing. But Mr. Child’s Jack Reacher series is as brainy as it is brawny, and this 18th installment may be its best desert-island reading yet. Starting with an opening sequence that throws three huge surprises at Reacher, there are more neat tricks and clever set pieces in this one volume than Mr. Child has ever strung together before. Best of the best: the doppelgänger in the diner. Read it. You’ll see why" - Janet Maslin
Lee Child's The Visitor Makes Bookseller's Backlist Best Pick
December 2013
The Visitor, Lee Child's 4th Reacher, led the way for Lee this year in terms of backlist sales.
The Bookseller has named it their No. 1 best backlist pick.
It saw sales rise by a staggering 58% in print this year with over 77,000 print copies sold.
Meet the Author: Tim Weaver
December 2013
On Tuesday night, Camilla, Mary, Clare and Emma went along to see Tim Weaver at the Meet the Author panel in the Apple Store on Regent Street. Tim was part of a triptych of crime authors alongside Laura Wilson and MG Gardiner. The panel was hosted by Barry Forshaw, journalist and crime book reviewer.
To kick things off Barry asked the authors why they are drawn to, and write about, crime. All three answered that they write the characters they love to read on the page but would hate to face in real life.
The panel then briefly spoke about their books and their motivations for writing, with Tim admitting he’s a late convert to crime and thriller writing. But, after reading Black Echo by Michael Connelly, he decided to pursue it and is now four books into his bestselling David Raker series. Tim also said that, although he admires the more macho creations of other authors’ leading men, he decided to scale David Raker down and give him a slightly vulnerable edge creating a challenge for the reader.
Finally, the session was rounded off with a few questions from audience members including which authors or fictional character each would take on, if they had the chance. James Bond seemed quite popular!
For more information about Tim and his fantastic thriller series, click here.
Cold As Ice By Lee Weeks Is Out Today!
December 2013
There's a time to love, a time to hate, a time to heal ...and a time to kill.
On a freezing cold winter's day, the body of a young woman is pulled from an icy canal in London. To D.I. Dan Carter it looks like a tragic accident rather than the work of a murderer.
But D.C. Ebony Willis is not so sure.
Why has the woman's face been painted with garish make-up and wrapped in a plastic bag? Meanwhile cosmetics saleswoman Tracy Collins receives a phonecall. It's been twenty years since she gave up her daughter for adoption, so when Danielle gets in touch, she hesitantly begins to rekindle a relationship with her and her grandson Jackson.
But when Danielle suddenly disappears, Tracy is plunged into the middle of a living nightmare. With the discovery of another body, it becomes clear that Danielle is in grave danger.
There is no time to lose and Ebony Willis must take on the most challenging assignment of her career - to play the role of the killer's next victim.....
From the author of the bestselling Dead of Winter comes a page-turning new thriller that will have you hooked from start to finish.
Two New Children's Authors!
November 2013
We are thrilled to welcome Martyn Ford and Caroline Crowe to the Darley Anderson Children's Book Agency.
Martyn is a 26-year-old journalist from Hampshire, where he writes for the Bordon Herald. His first story for younger readers is called The Imagination Box and will be published by Faber & Faber.
Caroline spent ten years as a national newspaper journalist and section editor before taking time out to look after her two young sons. Do Pirates Wear Pyjamas? is her first picture book and will be published by Little Tiger Press.
With these two brilliant new authors, we look forward to further expanding the children’s agency in 2014!
Clare Dowling is No. 6 in Irish Paperback Chart!
November 2013
Clare Dowling's Can't Take My Eyes Off You has shot to No. 6 in the Irish paperback chart.
Congratulations Clare!
Chris Carter Visits Denmark!
November 2013
Chris Carter has just returned from a fantastic book tour in Denmark. Chris was in Denmark over the 7th and 10th of November and had a packed schedule of signings including an appearance at the Copenhagen Book Fair.
Chris was really excited to meet some of his Danish readers and they didn’t disappoint with a great turnout at all signings. He even invited them to celebrate with him at Copenhagen’s Coma club. Finally, the best news of the week: One by One is already a bestseller in Denmark and it’s only been a week since publication!
Alligator Blood by James Leighton is out now!
November 2013
The gripping, pacey, rollercoaster ride of a book - Alligator Blood by James Leighton is out now!
‘Just one year after losing close to $500 million Daniel Tzvetkoff was back at the scene of the crime. Las Vegas. Sin City. And this time he was feeling lucky.....’
Daniel Tzvetkoff was just another Brisbane teenager working for peanuts at Pizza Hut and spending much of his spare time glued to his computer. When he worked out a new method of payment processing, the online poker companies came running to him for help so they could grow their businesses.
Soon he was living the American dream, raking in $3 million a week and revelling in a jet-set lifestyle of fast cars, luxury yachts and VIP nightclubs. His epic rollercoaster ride mirrored the extraordinary world of online poker, where hot-shot college students won millions from the confines of their dorms, and fortunes were won and lost.
However, Tzvetkoff's move to the bright lights of Las Vegas would soon see him facing the abyss. Owing millions to the poker companies, and with the FBI hot on his trail, the boy wonder needed to pull an ace from his sleeve to keep from busting out. And when he did, it resulted in a day that sent shockwaves through the world of online poker - and saw him take the blame....
See the trailer for Alligator Blood here:
Rio Reads Revenge!
November 2013
Martina Cole's legion of fans includes the English football team. Rio Ferdinand was thrilled to receive his copy of Martina Cole's latest book, Revenge. Out in bookstores now!
Martina Cole's Sales Growth of Over 40%!
October 2013
Queen of Crime - Martina Cole's Revenge has shot up to No. 2 in this week's UK hardback bestseller list in just a half week of sales.
The thrillingly compulsive Revenge has seen Martina increase her sales by over 40% from last year's sales of The Life.
With sales of close to 20,000 physical copies in just 3 days and 13,000 eBook sales in 3 days Martina looks set to smash all sales records once again.
International success for Darley Anderson Agency
October 2013
A week on from their week in Frankfurt, Clare and Mary's voices are slowly returning and their meeting follow-up is now well underway.
We reported last week that during the fair, rights deals were closed for READING UPSIDE DOWN by Jo Platt and THE SCHOOL GATE SURVIVAL GUIDE by Kerry Fisher.
Our rights team also concluded a Dutch deal for Tim Weaver's NEVER COMING BACK with publishers Meulenhoff Boekerij. This is a new language for Tim, bringing the total number of languages to nine. NEVER COMING BACK, which features on Richard & Judy's Book Club this autumn has now sold more than 60,000 copies in just six weeks.
Our spies were also out and about at the book fair and spotted David Hewson's THE HOUSE OF DOLLS at the Macmillan stand, and the German edition of BROKEN HARBOUR by Tana French on the Fischer Verlag stand. Please click here for the German book trailer. BROKEN HARBOUR entered the German Spiegel bestseller list at No.7! Congratulations Tana!
Happy publication day to AJ Cross!
October 2013
We are thrilled to announce the hardback publication of ART OF DECEPTION, the second in the Dr Kate Hanson crime series by forensic psychologist, A J Cross.
The New Year brings a gruesome new discovery for forensic psychologist Dr Kate Hanson and Birmingham's Unsolved Crimes Unit. A mummified body is found beneath the floorboards of a deserted lake house in Woodgate Country Park. The dead man was art student Nathan Troy, who disappeared 20 years ago, but evidence at the scene suggests the killer has been keeping an eye on his long-dead victim.
As Kate begins to dig further into Nathan's past, she discovers a series of potentially toxic relationships. Why do his house mates refuse to talk about that time or their friendship with Nathan? And what was his connection to the beautiful and apparently promiscuous daughter of his professor?
When the disappearance of a local teenager confirms that Nathan's killer is back, Kate and the team must work fast to untangle a web of lies and unmask a murderer who has lain dormant for 20 years.
A chilling discovery, a young life in mortal danger, and a series of dark secrets that have been hidden for decades, ART OF DECEPTION is a must for fans of Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell.
Fourth week at No.1 for Reacher!
September 2013
Once again, Lee Child's hero Jack Reacher proves his superstar status by maintaining his top spot in the UK Sunday Times Bestseller chart.
Never Go Back will seemingly never be beaten, as it keeps hold of that No.1 position for a massive fourth week in a row!
Reacher Reaches Total World Domination!
September 2013
No. 1 in the New York Times Bestseller List
No. 1 in USA Today
No. 1 in UK Hardback
No. 1 on Kindle, Apple and Nook
No. 1 in Australia and New Zealand
No. 1 in the National Indie List
No. 1 in 7 US Regional Lists
Praise pours in for Never Go Back
September 2013
'Child has created an iconic character that other thriller writers try to emulate but don't come close to matching. He has a talent for taking material that in the hands of other authors would be stale and cliched and making it seem fresh and original. This time, he takes a spin on his formula by waving a carrot in front of Reacher's face: a chance to settle down and stay in one place.....Never Go Back is one of Child's best novels.' Jeff Ayers - Associated Press
'Lee Child's bodacious action hero, Jack Reacher, has already tramped through 17 novels and three eBook singles. But his latest, Never Go Back, may be the best desert island reading in the series. It's exceptionally well plotted. And full of wild surprises. And wise about Reacher's peculiar nature. And positively Bunyanesque in its admiring contributions to Reacher lore.' Janet Maslin - The New York Times
The Darley Anderson Agency Dominates The Bestseller List
September 2013
The Darley Anderson Agency has five bestselling books on the overall Bookscan bestseller list which includes all categories (fiction, non-fiction hardback, non-fiction paperback, fiction paperback, children's and fiction hardback).
With fierce competition from mega new releases such as Jamie Oliver, One Direction, Dan Brown, Jeffrey Archer and JK Rowling - Lee Child saw off all competition to become No.1 across the board with Never Go Back.
Lesley Pearse's bestselling paperback, last week's No.1, Forgive Me, hit the overall No.7 spot.
Tim Weaver's Never Coming Back, No.15 this week after only three days on sale, soared into the overall No.20 position.
And Lee's A Wanted Man and The Hard Way also achieved the fantastic positions of No.27 and No.30 across all categories.
Martina Cole - Proud to be the new Six Book Challenge Ambassador
September 2013
Martina Cole will lead the way in 2014 to encourage people to take part in the Six Books Challenge which aims to improve literacy skills for adults. The No.1 bestselling queen of crime drama will champion the cause, close to her heart, by meeting participants at events throughout the UK.
Martina says: "I really wanted to become an ambassador for The Reading Agency because reading is such a big part of my life. The wonderful thing about the Six Book Challenge is that people who don't normally read, or who think that reading isn't their bag, are encouraged to pick up a book."
Martina’s latest book, The Life, went to No.1 in both hardback and paperback. Her new book, Revenge, is out on 24th October 2013.
Richard & Judy Bookclub Breaking news!
August 2013
We are also incredibly proud and excited to announce that Never Coming Back by Tim Weaver is on the Autumn 2013 WHSmith Richard & Judy Book Club list.
Huge congratulations to Tim, Penguin UK, his editor Stef Bierwerth and agent Camilla Wray. This is an agency first and a fantastic achievement for Tim.
For more information visit http://www.richardandjudy.co.uk/books/Never-Coming-Back/336
No.1 for Lesley Pearse!
August 2013
Lesley Pearse has gone straight to the very top of the paperback bestseller list with Forgive Me in its first full week of sales, selling 40,000 copies in just over a week.
Congratulations Lesley!
Forgive Me Competition - win a holiday to Lesley Pearse's favourite Torquay resort!
August 2013
Lesley Pearse fans take note! Magic FM and Penguin Books have teamed up to offer Lesley's readers the chance to win a perfect weekend getaway in beautiful Torquay.
Plus 50 lucky runners-up will win a copy of Forgive Me, Lesley's latest book.
Visit the Magic FM website for more competition details, plus the footage of Lesley's interview where she discusses Forgive Me and her summer reads for Magic FM's Book Club.
Books and cakes combined? Yes please!
August 2013
What a great day for the Agency! With no less than four superb books by Darley Anderson authors published today, plus Film & TV Agent Sheila David’s birthday, what better way to celebrate than with cupcakes?
Chris Carter happily displays his latest book, One By One, along with the very yummy cupcake version.
And the Darley Anderson team tried very hard not to drool over this fabulous reproduction of Lesley Pearse’s Forgive Me, out today in paperback.
The Guilty by Sean Slater is out in paperback
August 2013
When Homicide Detective Jacob Striker discovers a torture chamber in a steel barn down by the river, he is propelled into an investigation that leads to two mysterious bombers.
Every few hours, another victim is targeted, located - and then blown to smithereens. Very quickly, Striker realizes the attacks are not random.
But one obvious question remains: Why?
Forgive Me by Lesley Pearse is out in paperback
August 2013
Lesley Pearse's bestseller, Forgive Me, is out now in paperback. The unputdownable Forgive Me hit the No.2 spot when it was released in hardback in February.
Good Housekeeping's 'Readers Recommend' are calling it:
'one of the most interesting books I have read in a long time - totally absorbing, believable characters and plot...highly recommend'
'when I finished it I actually missed the characters'
'I loved this book but then I love Lesley Pearse...She has a way of grabbing your attention from the very start and then keeps you turning the pages to find out more'
For book signing dates click below:
Crime Writers Association Chair, Alison Joseph writes how 'Everyone Remembers Lee Child'
August 2013
Lee Child once said, 'No one remembers a Lone Ranger story – but everyone remembers the Lone Ranger.' These words sum up the success of the author of the Jack Reacher novels. In Reacher, Lee has created a hero like no other, beloved of millions of readers around the world. He's a character who appeals equally to men and women, to people across the nations: a man who rights wrongs, who stands up to bullies – an essentially good man.
It's a difficult creation to make work, but Lee Child has done it. After a twenty-year career in television, he changed course to become a writer, and set out to write successful novels with an unashamedly popular appeal. His stories are large scale, heart-stopping thrillers, roaming across wide-open global spaces in the cause of thwarting evil.
Perhaps it takes a good man to create a good man. It is impossible to find anyone who will say a bad word of Lee Child. He is a delight to work with, people say; loyal, hard-working, straightforward, generous to readers and to new writers. He combines a successful philosophy about what it is to write best sellers with a huge amount of talent. The CWA is delighted to award him the 2013 Diamond Dagger.
Alison Joseph
The Flood by David Hewson is out now in Audio
August 2013
We are thrilled to announce the exclusive unabridged audio publication of The Flood by David Hewson.
Florence, 1986.
A seemingly inexplicable attack on a church fresco of Adam and Eve brings together an unlikely couple: Julia Wellbeloved, an art student, and Pino Fratelli, a semi-retired detective who longs to be back in the field. Their investigation leads them to the secret society that underpins the city: an elite underworld of excess, violence and desire.
Rich in the culture of Tuscany’s most mysterious city, The Flood takes a dazzling journey through the history of Florence, and to the darkness in Florence’s past: the night of the great flood in 1966…
This Italian mystery is published by Whole Story Audiobooks and is narrated by multi- award-winning Saul Reichlin.
Marcus Corvinus returns
July 2013
Solid Citizens, David Wishart's 13th Marcus Corvinus mystery, is out today. Congratulations, David!
The Marcus Corvinus series is an absolute must for historical crime fans; set in the vibrant Roman Empire, Solid Citizens is full of secrets, bitter feuds, malicious gossip and deadly rivalry.
For more information, please visit David's author page here.
In celebration of its publication, David is hosting a launch at Waterstone’s Dundee this evening and looks forward to seeing you all there.
Lee Child Wins the CWA Crime Diamond Dagger Award!
July 2013
Lee Child has won the Crime Writer's Association Diamond Dagger award. Congratulations Lee!
Alison Joseph, CWA Chair, said:
"Lee Child's stories are large-scale, heart-stopping thrillers, roaming across wide-open global spaces in the casue of thwarting evil. In Jack Reacher, Lee has created a hero like no other, beloved of millions of readers around the world. And his creator is just as well-loved. He is a delight to work with; loyal, straightforward, generous to readers and to new writers. He combines a successful philosophy about what it is to write best sellers with a huge amount of talent. We are delighted to award him the 2013 CWA Diamond Dagger."
Lee Child receives the CWA Diamond Dagger from Frederick Forsyth at the CWA's gala dinner.
Sweet Success for Cathy Cassidy
June 2013
More congratulations are due to Cathy Cassidy, as her latest book, Coco Caramel, debuts at No.8 in the Bookseller’s Children’s Fiction bestseller list. Clearly The Chocolate Box Girls series is delighting her readers’ taste buds!
Happy Publication Day Cathy!
June 2013
The latest addition to the delicious Chocolate Box Girls series, Coco Caramel, is out now and has gone straight to No.11. Congratulations Cathy!
Six Superstar Sellers
June 2013
Six authors at the Darley Anderson Agency have appeared on the UK paperback bestseller list this week.
Lee Child's A Wanted Man (at No.1), Without Fail and Persuader as well as Jane Cosello's The Wish List, Annie Murray's The Women of Lilac Street and Martina Cole's The Life all feature.
What a great week for the Darley Anderson Agency and our authors!
A Wanted Man is the fastest selling paperback of 2013!
May 2013
Lee Child’s JACK REACHER proves yet again that he is A Wanted Man, as he swoops into the No.1 position in this week's UK paperback bestseller list.
After just three days of publication nearly 29,000 copies of A Wanted Man have flown off the shelves. That’s over 12,000 more copies than the title in the No.2 spot sold in an entire week!
And with Martina Cole’s The Life still showing strong sales at No.3 after reaching No.1 last week, that’s TWO Darley Anderson authors taking top slots in the UK bestseller charts.
It has been a fantastic week for the Darley Anderson Agency. Congratulations Lee and Martina!
Crime Queen Reigns Supreme
May 2013
Martina Cole has topped the book charts once again, seeing off all competition to reach No.1 on the UK bestseller paperback chart. Congratulations Martina!
Martina's The Life has already sold over 40,000 paperback copies in just a week and a half with sales of more than 3,000 copies between her position and the No.2 spot!
The Life is out in paperback today!
May 2013
Martina Cole's No.1 hardback bestseller The Life, the most authentic novel of gangster family life ever written, is out in paperback today.
Congratulations Martina!
Jane Costello is a Top Ten Bestseller for 2nd Week!
May 2013
Jane Costello's 6th novel The Wish List is in the top 10 bestselling paperback list for the 2nd week running. After selling 7,000 copies in just one week, The Wish List is at No.9. Congratulations, Jane!
Bestselling Broken Harbour Wins LA Times Book Prize!
April 2013
Tana French's Broken Harbour has won the LA Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category! Congratulations Tana!
As well as winning the LA Times Book Prize (which honours the best books of 2012) Broken Harbour has received rave reviews.
"Haunting...like Gillian Flynn's GONE GIRL, (another) dagger-sharp display of mind games. Broken Harbour is something more." Janet Maslin, The New York Times.
"One of the most talented crime writers alive." The Washington Post.
"Every bit as piercingly brilliant as its predecessors...sit back and savor the poetry." Chicago Tribune.
"Broken Harbour is truly a book for, and of, our broken times. It's literature masquerading as a police procedural." The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Nothing rattles Detective "Scorcher" Kennedy. Except his own childhood memories echoed at the murder scene of his biggest case yet.......
Happy Publication Day!
April 2013
Happy publication day to Adrian Plass, Jane Costello and Annie Murray who all have a book out today!
Internationally bestselling author Adrian Plass has released his 6th Secret Diary of Adrian Plass book, Adrian Plass and the Church Weekend.
Adrian has been trying to keep a low profile at church but his son Gerald is now an Anglican vicar and the two churches are getting together for a joint weekend away. Now Adrian's been volunteered to run it...
From the confusion of arrival when Anne is allocated to the top bunk with a schizophrenic recovery group, and Adrian is in a low-ceilinged 'pod' at the top of the tower, to the hugs and tears of departure, this is typical Plass, humorous and heartwarming in equal measure. Adrian has a simple conversation about birdlife that ends with him being accused of harassment, Leonard Thynn and his wife turn up just in time to leave again after falling out with the SatNav lady, and Gerald's wit just keeps getting the better of him.
Bestselling popular women's fiction author Jane Costello releases her fantastic new book The Wish List today.
There are six months left of Emma Reiss’s twenties . . . and she has some unfinished business.
Emma and her friends are about to turn thirty, and for Emma it’s a defining moment. Defined, that is, by her having achieved none of the things she’d imagined she would.
Her career is all wrong, her love life is a mess and that rambling country house she pictured herself in simply never materialised.
Moreover, she’s never seen the Northern Lights, mastered the guitar, jumped out of a plane or snogged anyone famous – just some of the aspirations declared on a list the girls compiled fifteen years ago.
As an endless round of birthday parties sees Emma hurtle towards her own thirtieth, she sets about addressing these issues. But, as she discovers with hilarious consequences,some of them are trickier to achieve than she’d thought …
'Riotous … thoroughly enjoyable and laugh-out-loud hilarious.' Heat magazine.
Our saga-superstar, bestseller Annie Murray releases The Women of Lilac Street today!
Birmingham, almost a decade after the end of the Great War, and the women of Lilac Street have had more than their fair share of troubles . . .
Rose Southgate is trapped in a loveless marriage. Shy and isolated, she makes the best of life, until she meets a man who changes everything. Jen Green is struggling to make ends meet, with a sick husband and five children to support.
Aggie, her eldest daughter, is twelve years old and longs for excitement. But prying into the adult world shows her more than she had bargained for.
And Phyllis Taylor is a widow who has managed to put a dark and traumatic past behind her. But the return of her daughter Dolly threatens all that … These women find strength in friendship, as they discover that the best way to solve their problems is to face them together.
See http://www.anniemurray.co.uk/books.html for more books by Annie Murray
Silent Saturday is out NOW!
April 2013
We are thrilled to announce the hard back publication of Silent Saturday by Helen Grant, the first in the chilling Forbidden Spaces Trilogy.
Seventeen-year-old Veerle is frustrated with life in suburban Brussels. But a chance encounter with a hidden society, whose members illegally break into unoccupied buildings around the city, soon opens up a whole new world of excitement—and danger.
When one of the society's founding members disappears, Veerle suspects foul play. But nothing can prepare her for the horror that is about to unfold when an old foe emerges from the shadows... No one is safe, and The Hunter will strike again...
Silent Saturday has already received fantastic feedback with the Daily Mail saying, “Grant has established herself as a major talent in YA fiction and this menacing story of stalking and murder simply confirms that.”
Read the full review here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-2296998/YOUNG-ADULT-FICTION.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Thank you to all of Helen’s fans who were able to make the launch for Silent Saturday at Waterstone's Brussels and Treasure Trove Books in Tervuren. For anyone who missed out check out her brilliantly creepy trailer here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcy8_576eBY&list=UU-Yw600YJyQR1g65YhnxHCg&index=1
Helen Grant is highly acclaimed YA author and her titles have been shortlisted and longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. Silent Saturday is published by Bodley Head, Random House UK, on 4th April 2013.
Bestselling Bittersweet Is No. 3 In Children's Chart!
March 2013
Much-loved children's author Cathy Cassidy's World Book Day book, Bittersweet is number 3 in the children's fiction bestseller list for the second week in a row!
She is also No. 5 this week in the UK's bestselling books of the week.
Cathy Cassidy continues to take the children's chart by storm with sales figures (from only 2 weeks) approaching 80,000 - congratulations Cathy!
Striker is back!
March 2013
We are delighted to announce the UK trade paperback publication of The Guilty by Sean Slater.
The first explosion kills the toymaker.
The second bomb takes down the city’s most successful realtor.
Two are dead, one is wounded. But still no suspect.
When Homicide Detective Jacob Striker discovers a torture chamber in a steel barn down by the river, he is propelled into an investigation that leads to two mysterious bombers. Every few hours, another seemingly unrelated victim is targeted, located - and then attacked.
Very quickly, Striker realises the attacks are not random. But one obvious question remains: Why?
As Striker investigates he’s led back to a 10 year old police file and one his oldest mentors and dearest friends.
Sean Slater is a Vancouver cop who writes with grit, pace and nail biting suspense. The Guilty is published by Simon & Schuster UK and available in trade paperback and ebook.
Dynamic new deals for David Hewson
March 2013
David Hewson will continue his phenomenal work on The Killing franchise with the novelisation of The Killing III. The title will be published by Pan Macmillan, who acquired World Rights, in February 2014 after the huge success of The Killing I and II.
Trisha Jackson, Editorial Director of Pan Macmillan, has also acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights from Camilla Wray for the first two books in David’s new crime series. Book one, House of Dolls, is set in Amsterdam and follows ex-police brigadier Pieter Vos.
Vos has distanced himself from the world after the disappearance of his only child. He lives on a run-down house boat with just his dog and painful memories for company. When a teenager goes missing with unnerving similarities to his daughter’s case, Vos is called in to help his old colleagues. As he unravels the mystery he realises that in order to find justice, he must accept the past.
Unabridged audio UK rights have also sold in all three titles to W F Howes.
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/more-killing-pan-mac.html
Tim Weaver becomes a No.1 ebook Bestseller
March 2013
Huge congratulations to Tim Weaver as his second David Raker thriller, The Dead Tracks published by Penguin, reaches No.1 on the UK Kindle Fiction chart today!
Tim’s books feature missing persons investigator David Raker, a man who knows what it's like to grieve and lives in the shadowy world of the lost.
The Dead Tracks follows the case of the unlikely runaway seventeen-year-old Megan Carver. A straight-A student from a happy home, she studied hard and rarely got into trouble. Six months on, she's never been found.
As Raker investigates her disappearance, he realizes everything is a lie. People close to her are dead. Others are too terrified to talk. And soon the conspiracy of silence leads Raker towards a forest on the edge of the city. A place with a horrifying history - which was once the hunting ground for a brutal, twisted serial killer.
A place known as the Dead Tracks. . .
Further titles in the David Raker thriller series are Chasing the Dead and Vanished, with his fourth book, Never Coming Back, set to be published with huge excitement this August.
To find out more about Tim please visit his author page http://www.darleyanderson.com/authors/tim-weaver or follow him on Twitter @TimWeaverBooks
Cathy Cassidy Releases BITTERSWEET For World Book Day on March 7th
March 2013
Cathy Cassidy is one of eight authors realeasing a £1 book for World Book Day.
Thursday the 7th of March is World Book Day. Childrens authors and illustrators will be taking part in live events across the country to encourage children to read. All nursery, primary and selected secondary school children will be given a £1 book token to buy one of these eight books.
Bittersweet tells the story of Shay, the boy with the cool blond fringe and the blue guitar, the boy who smells of darkness and the ocean and who is Cherry’s boyfriend. But it wasn’t always this way. Once, he was in love with Honey, Cherry’s oldest step-sister. Since their break-up, bitterness has twisted every word she’s said to him.
Now Honey needs his help. Should Shay reach out to her – or is it safer to steer clear?
Dip into the delicious world of the Chocolate Box Girls, as for the first ever time Shay gets the chance to tell his own story. And don’t miss the rest of the Chocolate Box Girls series: Cherry Crush, Marshmallow Skye and Summer’s Dream.
The Death Sculptor Is Out Now!
February 2013
The Death Sculptor by our internationally bestselling author Chris Carter is out in paperback now!
Chris Carter's fourth terrifying installment of his crime series featuring DSI Robert Hunter has already received rave reviews: 'For those of a nervous disposition the fourth offering in Carter's excellent crime series should be approached with caution.....Carter is gathering quite a momentum with this series...Through the single minded determination of Hunter, we are witness to one of the most multi-faceted detectives in crime fiction - highly intelligent, perceptive, focused and tenacious with an inherent need to analyse and predict the actions of the killer submersing himself into the realm of a killer's mind as this killer seeks to test Hunter to his limit.'
(eurocrime.com)
To some, killing is an artform.
A student nurse has the shock of her life when she discovers her patient, prosecutor Derek Nicholson, brutally murdered in his bed. The act seems senseless – Nicholson was terminally ill with only weeks to live. But what most shocks Detective Robert Hunter of the Los Angeles Robbery Homicide Division is the calling card the killer left behind.
For Hunter, there is no doubt that the killer is trying to communicate with the police, but the method is unlike anything he’s ever seen before. And what could the hidden message be?
Just as Hunter and his partner, Garcia, reckon they’ve found a lead, a new body is found – and a new calling card. But with no apparent link between the first and second victims, all the progress they’ve made so far goes out of the window.
Pushed into an uncomfortable alliance with the confident Alice Beaumont, Hunter must race to put together the pieces of the investigation . . . before the Death Sculptor puts the final touches to his masterpiece.
Chris Carter's books have been translated into 14 languages and he is a big bestseller in Germany and Denmark, as well as the UK.
His book The Night Stalker was named Book of the Month by CBS Action TV channel and The Death Sculptor has received similar praise. It will be Vox's (a German tv channel) top thriller and Chris will be their author of the month this April and run as Asda's paperback book of the week.
Hundreds of The Death Sculptor posters will adorn the London Underground and the UK rail network in Chris Carter's biggest and wide-reaching campaign to date!
New Record Position For Margaret Dickinson!
February 2013
Margaret Dickinson has achieved her highest ever chart position on the paperback bestseller list at no. 12!
The Clippie Girls has achieved fantastic success so far, narrowly missing out on the top 10 by just a few hundred copies.
Margaret's legions of fans have joined her in book stores around Lincolnshire and the surrounding counties where she attended signing events throughout February. And will continue to do so for the month of March.
Visit Margaret's website: www.margaret-dickinson.co.uk for details on her book signing tour.
Pan Macmillan Party
February 2013
Clare and Mary were delighted to attend Pan Macmillan’s annual Celebration of Women’s Fiction last month. They enjoyed catching up with our wonderful bestselling authors Annie Murray and Margaret Dickinson, sampling the champagne and canapés and cramming as many free books as possible into their gift bags! It was also great to see Caroline Hogg in her new role as senior commissioning editor.
2012 was another fantastic year for Annie and Margaret with new foreign rights sales in Portugal, 
Turkey, India and Latvia. We also had another reason to celebrate. THE CLIPPIE GIRLS (published 14th February 2013) is Margaret Dickinson’s 20th novel with Pan MacMillan and has gone straight into this week's top 20!
THE WOMEN OF LILAC STREET by Annie Murray will be published in May 2013.
Forgive Me is flying high at No.2
February 2013
Lesley Pearse's Forgive Me has soared into the UK and Irish hardback bestseller lists at No.2 with only 3 days of sales. Congratulations Lesley!
As hardback bestseller No.2, this week Lesley reigns supreme as the Queen of women's fiction with 4,000 hardbacks and 3,000 eBook copies of Forgive Me sold in the UK in just 3 days!
And in New Zealand Lesley has dominated the chart taking the No.1 spot on the hardback bestseller list.
Fabulous reviews have already poured in. Closer magazine calls it "an intriguing, heart-tugging and beautifully written story"; Fabulous magazine, "a compelling read" and Woman magazine names it, ’This Week’s Hot Read....’this is a stonking doorstep of a book with a story that is....full of twists – an ideal read for a long journey’ ‘plenty of drama and some shocking secrets’.
Lee Child Wins Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger
February 2013
The CWA (Crime Writers Association) has announced that the winner of the 2013 Diamond Dagger will be awarded to Lee Child.
Huge congratulations, Lee!
Chair of the CWA Peter James said: 'I am delighted that the CWA has chosen Lee Child as this year's recipient. Lee is one of the few British crime thriller authors to have become a global brand name; he is also an extremely charming and open person and a tireless promoter of our genre.'
The diamond-studded Dagger will be awarded to Lee Child at a gala dinner in the summer.
The Odds Strike Back! TODAY!
February 2013
Congratulations to Adam Perrott for the publication of the second title in the hilarious series about The Odds, a family of Professional Pranksters.
These meddlers are often to blame for life’s inexplicable little hiccups. Have you ever put down a drink, gone to do something else, and come back to find the drink is nowhere to be seen? Or what about falling flat on your face just seconds after buying an ice-cream? That’s The Odds! And now they are striking back!
But when the Odds face inspection by the Head Pranker to ensure they're still up to their meddling best, they are in for a shock. The inspector is none other than Mr Nobody, sworn enemy of Mr Odd.
This will call for a spectacular pranking plan…
The Odds Strike Back! is out now and last week Adam Perrott met with Stripes Publishing to talk about his life as a full-time dad and children's author http://www.littletiger.co.uk/tiger-blog/an-interview-with-adam-perrott
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Trials of Oland Born: Curse of Kings by Alex Barclay is out today!
January 2013
"Fiercely imaginative, with razor-sharp twists and a plot that moves so fast it ignites" Derek Landy, author of Skulduggery Pleasant.
The first instalment of the highly anticipated fantasy trilogy by Alex Barclay is out today! Congratulations Alex!
The setting is a hugely atmospheric fantasy world of medieval castles, Romanesque games arenas, supernatural forests and harsh seas. Terrifying hybrid creatures and monsters abound – and Oland’s greatest ally is a girl called Delphi who has dark secrets of her own.
Fourteen-year-old Oland Born lives in dark times, in a world ruled by evil tyrant, Vilius Ren. Vilius and his fearsome, bloodthirsty army have wrecked the prosperous kingdom of Decresian, once ruled by good King Micah. Oland himself has been kept as Vilius’s servant in grim Castle Derrington, and he knows little about his past – or why Vilius keeps such a sharp, close eye on him.
One night, Oland finds a letter addressed to him, from the long-dead king. No sooner has he read the message than a mysterious stranger tries to kidnap him. Oland runs, the dead king’s warning ringing in his ears…
If Oland is to live he must restore the shattered kingdom. This is his quest. This is his curse. Let the trials of Oland Born begin…
“Curse of Kings firmly establishes Alex Barclay as a name to watch in the world of children’s books.” Sarah Webb, The Irish Independent
Trials of Oland Born: Curse of Kings is Alex Barclay's first title for young readers. Brazilian Portuguese rights have already been sold to Bertrand Brasil. Trials of Oland Born: Curse of Kings is published in the UK by HarperCollins Children’s Books on January 31st 2013.
Thrilling New Talent
January 2013
2013 has started with a bang! The Darley Anderson agency are thrilled to welcome the fantastic James Carol and his protagonist Jefferson Winter.
Jefferson Winter is an ex FBI profiler travelling the world hunting serial criminals. He is very good at his job. Not because he can fight, or because he’s necessarily the best with a gun, but because he loves a puzzle and understands the evil mind. As the son of a renowned American serial killer he has learnt to accept there is darkness in his genes, an extra angle to how he views life. And it this innate twist to his personality that means he can make a difference.
Katherine Armstrong at Faber has bought the first two books in the Jefferson Winter series from Camilla Wray, and says 'I am thrilled to be publishing James Carol and his first two Jefferson Winter books. In Jefferson Winter, James has created a compulsively readable character who has the intelligence and the charisma to engage and entertain the reader. Think James Bond meets the Mentalist! It's a hugely enjoyable read and I look forward to working with James and developing the series.'
Broken Dolls is due for publication in the UK in early 2014. We’ve also already had fantastic foreign rights success with DTV in Germany acquiring the first two titles, Dutch rights for Broken Dolls have been sold to De Fontein and we have just concluded an Italian auction, won by Giunti.
Jason Dean's BACKTRACK is Out Now!
January 2013
The Darley Anderson Agency's fantastic thriller talent Jason Dean releases his second James Bishop novel, Backtrack, today!
Congratulations Jason!!!
Learn more about Jason Dean's tough but fair character James Bishop here:
http://sonsofspade.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/q-with-jason-dean.html
and
http://www.thebigthrill.org/2012/12/backtrack-by-jason-dean/
The Wrong Man received rave reviews: "THE WRONG MAN was one of those books that was a sit down and read in one sitting. It was highly entertaining, exciting and a nail-biting" (www.austcrimefiction.org) and "This absolutely sensational debut novel by this very promising new author is a real tour de force! Really red hot, a real page-turner! I read it in three sessions, as it's one of the best first books of a British author, that I've read in a very long time" (www.eurocrime.co.uk).
Fans will delight in James Bishop's return in this adrenaline-fuelled follow up:
Sometimes a man must take a step back to move forwards...
In a small, sleepy Pennsylvania town, the staff of a loan store find themselves at the mercy of a gunman who demands they hand over the store's entire cash reserves. But when the sound of police sirens shatters the silence sooner than expected, the robber is forced to take a young female customer hostage in order to make his escape.
Former Marine James Bishop is no stranger to being on the wrong side of the law. Wrongfully imprisoned for murders he did not commit, he finally cleared his name and has the chance to get his life back on track. But as he flees the scene of the hold-up with his terrified hostage, he once again finds himself a wanted man...
Prison can change some people. But has it changed James Bishop?
Click below for an interview with our must-buy author Jason Dean:
Random House Children's Publishers acquire Polly Ho-Yen
January 2013
RHCP are thrilled to have acquired the Darley Anderson Children's Agency's début author Polly Ho-Yen.
The Bookseller announced today:
Random House Children's Publishers has acquired two books from début author Polly Ho-Yen, who previously worked in marketing at Hodder, with the first to be a stand-alone novel for readers aged 9+.
Boy in the Tower is described by the publisher as "a captivating fable about fear and hope, loneliness and friendship". Lauren Buckland, fiction commissioning editor at RHCP bought UK and Commonwealth rights from the Darley Anderson Children's Book Agency.
It all began on the day the rain stopped falling.
First, the buildings fell. Then the people on the streets. No one could explain why. Until they found the Bluchers.
Ade lives on the seventeenth floor of an inner city tower block. He’s just an ordinary boy. Apart from the fact that his mother won’t leave her bedroom. And he’s only got one true friend: the girl he’s known all his life, Gaia.
When the Bluchers, a plant-form that dissolves buildings and release fatal spores into the air, take over the city, everyone is forced to evacuate and Ade is left alone to face them.
Trapped in his tower block, how can Ade survive as the Bluchers weave their deadly circle around his home?
Boy in the Tower will be published in summer 2014.
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/rhcp-acquires-polly-ho-yen.html
Lee Weeks Achieves Highest Position Yet!
December 2013
Cold As Ice has soared into the paperback bestseller list at No. 22. Congratulations Lee!!
There's nothing too Icey about that!
A Very Merry Christmas from Darley and his Angels
December 2013
What a fantastic and busy year 2013 has been for the Agency. In amongst all the exciting authors, books and deals, we also celebrated 25 phenomenal years as an agency on 2nd December, and, as well as celebrating our anniversary, we had a very special Darley’s Angels Christmas party.
We are looking forward to what the new year brings and receiving many more submissions in 2014!
A very Merry Christmas from us all.
Cathy Cassidy Visits Paris
December 2013
Cathy Cassidy has just returned from a fantastic trip to Paris for the Montreuil Children’s Book Festival.
The fair opened on Wednesday 27th November and lasted until 2nd December. Cathy received a very warm welcome from her French publisher, Nathan, and they made it a very special and memorable trip for her. Cathy said: ‘I am so happy with what they are doing, and that the books are doing so well.’
In some exciting news for Cathy and the agency, the rights team are currently negotiating the first ever deal in comic rights, for THE CHOCOLATE BOX GIRLS: CHERRY CRUSH, with Editions Jungle. Cathy has seen the roughs for the edition and is thrilled.
Winter is Coming
November 2013
The Darley Anderson Agency are thrilled to announce Broken Dolls by James Carol has been optioned by Sprout Pictures for adaptation into a television series provisionally entitled WINTER. Sprout Pictures is the award-winning independent Film & Television company founded in 2004 by Stephen Fry and Gina Carter. The deal was struck by our new Dramatic Rights Agent Sheila David.
Broken Dolls is the first title in James Carol’s Jefferson Winter crime series and will be published by Faber & Faber in January 2014.
Jefferson Winter is no ordinary investigator. The son of a notorious US serial killer, Winter has spent his life trying to distance himself from his father's legacy. Once a leading profiler for the FBI, he now leads a nomadic life, jet-setting around the world to consult with local police. Broken Dolls brings Winter to London where he must find and stop a disturbing psychopath.
For more news from James follow him on @JamesCarolBooks
Chris Carter Nominated for the Leserpreis!
November 2013
We are delighted to announce that Chris Carter has been shortlisted in the Crime & Thriller category of the Leserpreis for the second year running.
The Leserpreis is the biggest people's choice book award in Germany. More than 15,000 readers had the opportunity to nominate over 4,000 books and authors from 15 different categories.
Out of 35 nominees, Chris came 6th last year but it would be brilliant to see him reach the top spot and you can help him by placing your vote here: http://www.lovelybooks.de/leserpreis/2013/
Well done, Chris!
Darley Anderson Authors Nominated for Crime & Thriller of the Year!
November 2013
The Darley Anderson Agency is delighted to announce that two of our authors - Lee Child and Tim Weaver are on the shortlist for the National Book Awards Crime & Thriller of the Year.
The shortlist represents novels by UK authors which have made an outstanding impact in bookselling outlets in terms of acclaim and sales.
Lee Child's Never Go Back and Tim Weaver's Never Coming Back are up against 4 other books. Those of Sophie Hannah, Louise Doughty, Robert Galbraith and Peter James.
Lorna Scobie makes a difference with The Art of Ping Pong
November 2013
We're immensely proud that our very own Lorna Scobie was selected to join eight of the UK’s top artists and illustrators in designing a ping pong bat for this year's Children In Need.
The auction opened on Friday and will run until Friday 15th November. So get there quick to bid on Lorna’s amazing design.
Lee Child Is A Top eBook Seller
November 2013
The Bookseller has revealed that out of the top 50 eBooks that sold over the £2 price, six were penned by Lee Child during the month of September!
Megaseller Martina
November 2013
An interesting fact from The Bookseller:
£75,720 –the amount spent on the novels of Martina Cole every week in the UK, on average, in the 21st Century!
Our authors mean business!
Crime Does Pay
October 2013
It has been a fantastic week for the authors of the Darley Anderson Agency – proving that crime does pay!
The launch of Martina’s latest gangster thriller, Revenge, released on the 24th of October in hardback - was marked with a star studded event held at The Café Royal on Regents Street.
Darley Anderson, Martina Cole and Tim Hely Hutchinson
Martina Cole is one of only two authors being inducted into the Crime Thriller of Fame this year (alongside Wilbur Smith) at the ITV and Crime Writer’s Association televised ‘Dagger’ award show.
ITV have been running a six week show – The Crime Thriller Club – which Martina has been a part of, which will end in a spectacularly glamorous award ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, to be shown on TV on Sunday at 9pm on ITV 3, presented by Bradley Walsh.
The Awards are one of the highlights of the literary calendar and celebrate all crime and thriller fiction from film, TV and books.
And fellow Darley Anderson authors Lee Child and Tim Weaver will be in attendance, with Lee presenting The Specsavers Crime Thriller Club Best Read award.
This week Tim has shot back up the bestseller list with his bestselling Richard and Judy book club thriller Never Coming Back coming in at No. 8 in its eighth week!
Frankfurt Débuts
October 2013
We are absolutely delighted to welcome two wonderful début authors Jo Platt and Kerry Fisher to the Darley Anderson Agency.
READING UPSIDE DOWN by Jo Platt is a hilarious, intelligent and heart-warming novel full of mistaken assumptions and misread intentions; of feelings hurt and forgiveness bestowed.
THE SCHOOL GATE SURVIVAL GUIDE by Kerry Fisher (Avon) is the modern day My Fair Lady, described by her editor, Helen Bolton, as 'brilliantly astute. Memorable and pithy, with bags of humour'.
READING UPSIDE DOWN and THE SCHOOL GATE SURVIVAL GUIDE were two of our books of the fair.
Frankfurt Book Fair took place between the 8th and 12th of October, where the rights team, Clare and Mary, took over 160 meetings with editors from all over the world. Rights in READING UPSIDE DOWN have now sold in Germany, Italy and Brazil. There is currently an exciting auction taking place in Germany for THE SCHOOL GATE SURVIVAL GUIDE. Watch this space!
Clare and Mary were also pleased to have time to meet up with our bestselling author Chris Carter, who was also visiting the fair.
Mary, Chris and Clare
Conquest by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard - out now!
September 2013
Bestselling author John Connolly has teamed up with Jennifer Ridyard to create an epic new YA sci fi series. Conquest, the compelling first book in the Chronicles of the Invaders series, hits the shops today.
We have long been suppressed. We will not be broken. We will have our revenge.
Earth is no longer ours. It is ruled by the Illyri, a beautiful, civilised yet ruthless alien species. But humankind has not given up the fight, and Paul Kerr is one of a new generation of young Resistance leaders waging war on the invaders.
Syl Hellas is the first of the Illyri to be born on Earth. Trapped inside the walls of her father’s stronghold, hated by the humans, she longs to escape.
But on her sixteenth birthday, Syl’s life is about to change forever. She will become an outcast, an enemy of her people, for daring to save the life of one human: Paul Kerr. Only together do they have a chance of saving each other, and the planet they both call home.
For there is a greater darkness behind the Illyr conquest of Earth, and the real invasion has not yet even begun…
They are from different worlds, but Earth is their home.
For more information see www.chroniclesoftheinvaders.com
The sun never sets on Reacher
September 2013
Lee Child's knight errant, Jack Reacher, will soon be arriving in Mongolia! Mongolian rights in KILLING FLOOR have just been sold to Monsudar Publishers, based in the capital, Ulan Bator.
The international megaselling series is now sold in 97 territories and translated into 42 languages.
Tim Weaver's Triumph
September 2013
Tim Weaver's 4th David Raker thriller, Never Coming Back, has climbed to No.7 in the paperback bestseller list after his first full week of sales. Congratulations Tim!
High Heat Hits High Heights
September 2013
Lee Child has once again hit the top of the bestseller list with not just one Reacher story but three!
His eBook short story, High Heat, has gone straight to No.1 on the Kindle Single's bestseller list. And Deep Down has come in at No.3 and Second Son at No.6. Congratulations on a fantastic, record-breaking week Lee!
Sweet Child Of Ours
September 2013
Reacher reaches total world domination!
Lee Child's Never Go Back has gone straight to No.1 across the market after only three days on sale.
With sales of over 25,000 hardbacks and 35,000 eBooks, the No.2 hardback slot only reaching 4,700 copies, Lee Child is emphatically No.1.
Even the ubiquitous One Direction: Where We Are and Jamie Oliver's Save With Jamie released the same day could not beat the untouchable Reacher. Congratulations Lee!
Today Is The Day - Never Go Back Is Out Now!
August 2013
Reacher creatures around the world... Lee Child's Never Go Back is out NOW!
Never Coming Back by Tim Weaver is Out Now - Congratulations Tim!
August 2013
Congratulations to Tim on the publication of his fourth highly-anticipated David Raker thriller, Never Coming Back.
A SECRET THAT WILL CHANGE LIVES FOREVER
It was supposed to be the start of a big night out. But when Emily Kane arrives at her sister Carrie's house, she finds the front door unlocked and no one inside. Dinner's cooking, the TV's on. Carrie, her husband and their two daughters are gone.
When the police draw a blank, Emily asks missing persons investigator David Raker to find them. It's clear someone doesn't want the family found.
But as he gets closer to the truth, Raker begins to uncover evidence of a sinister cover-up, spanning decades and costing countless lives. And worse, in trying to find Emily's missing family, he might just have made himself the next target...
Acclaim for Tim Weaver:
'I couldn't put it down' - Sun
'Weaver's books get better each time - tense, complex, sometimes horrific, written with flair as well as care' - Guardian
'Weaver has delivered another cracking crime thriller' - Daily Mail
Click on the Never Coming Back trailer below:
Adam Perrott writes some Mighty good stories!
August 2013
Our very own Adam Perrott, along with illustrator Clare Elsom, has teamed up with Persil and the Be Mighty campaign to create fun, action-packed adventures for children. Not just wickedly entertaining, these stories aim to show kids just how character-building challenges can be.
You can make your child the star of the story, or let them have great fun creating their very own adventure here:
www.persil.co.uk/kids-activities/be-mighty-stories/
Bestselling authors galore at the Darley Anderson Agency!
August 2013
We are thrilled to be congratulating Chris Carter on his fantastic no.10 spot in the UK hardback bestseller chart after only a first partial week of sales of his latest Robert Hunter thriller, One By One.
Lesley Pearse is clearly going from strength to strength. Her latest book Forgive Me has gone straight into the paperback chart at no.3, again after just a partial week of sales.
And of course Lee Child once again makes several appearances. A Wanted Man is no.18 after 12 weeks since paperback publication, while The Enemy and The Hard Way show how strong the Jack Reacher backlist sales are, taking up the no.29 and no.36 spots respectively. His fans must be eagerly anticipating the release of Never Go Back, out on the 29th. Just over a week to go!
One by One by Chris Carter is out now!
August 2013
Robert Hunter is back. And the most twisted reality TV show ever seen is about to begin.
Detective Robert Hunter of the LAPD's Homicide Special Section receives an anonymous call asking him to go to a specific web address - a private broadcast.
Hunter logs on and a show devised for his eyes only immediately begins. But the caller doesn't want Detective Hunter to just watch, he wants him to participate, and refusal is simply not an option.
Forced to make a sickening choice, Hunter must sit and watch as an unidentified victim is tortured and murdered live over the Internet. The LAPD, together with the FBI, use everything at their disposal to electronically track the transmission down, but this killer is no amateur, and he was more than prepared for it.
Before Hunter and his partner Garcia are even able to get their investigation going, Hunter receives a new phone call. A new website address. A new victim. But this time the killer has upgraded his game into a live murder reality show, where anyone can cast the deciding vote.
Visit Chris Carter's webpage for more information.:
Village Fortunes by Rebecca Shaw is out now!
August 2013
Things are heating up in the village of Turnham Malpas. Now comfortably settled in the Big House, Johnny and Alice Templeton are over the moon at the arrival of their second son. But Johnny's roguish younger brother, Chris Templeton, is visiting from Brazil and causing not a little trouble in the village.
For Ford and Mercedes Barclay, returning to the village after all these years - and after Ford's shameful imprisonment - is a big step. Will they be welcomed back or shunned? And will Ford be able to convince people he's a changed man? While most of the villagers greet the pair with open arms, there are those who still have their doubts.
Meanwhile, poor Fran Charter-Plackett has some important decisions to make about her future. With all her siblings having flown the nest, the pressure is on to decide what to do with her life. And when her parents discover Fran's shocking secret, things really start to get messy.......
The Flood by David Hewson is No.3 on Audible's Bestseller List!
August 2013
David Hewson's audio-only novel The Flood has shot up the Audible chart to No.3, behind JK Rowling and Emily Barr.
The Flood
Jack Reacher Wishes He'd Been There To Help
August 2013
Lee Child has sent a special signed copy of his latest Reacher installment Never Go Back (due out in hardback in the UK on the 29th of August and the US on the 3rd of September) to Reacher Creature Pearl Sanger.
After reading in the Northern Advocate paper in New Zealand that 92 year old Pearl Sanger's home had been broken into and torched, also damadging her precious collection of Lee Child books, a kind-hearted man who wishes to remain anonymous got in touch with Lee.
His relationship with Lee Child goes back 14 years when he first reviewed Killing Floor and after hearing of Pearl's predicament and the damadge done to her collection of Reacher books he immeditately sent her a copy with a very special note to her written inside:
"Pearl, Jack Reacher wishes he'd been there to help. Much love, Lee Child."
Pearl Sanger with her copy of Never Go Back
Rosie Blake joins the Darley Anderson Agency
July 2013
We are thrilled to welcome Rosie Blake to the Darley Anderson Agency.
Rosie spent several years adapting old classics for pantomime, before turning her hand to writing Women's fiction. Rosie is the author of Ice Ice Baby which was published in the Sunlounger anthology of sizzling summer reads.
Rosie's debut novel, How To Get A (Love) Life will be published by Novelicious Books in January 2014. Please click here for the announcement in The Bookseller. The Darley Anderson Agency will be handling all foreign translation rights in this title.
For more information please contact Clare Wallace.
Rosie Blake (far-left) with the other Sunlounger authors
Martina Cole is one of just three authors to stay in the Hardback Bestseller Chart for 8 Weeks!
July 2013
Over the past 10 years, Martina Cole's The Know is one of only 3 books to have stayed in the No.1 spot on the UK's hardback bestseller list for 8 consecutive weeks. Congratulations to our record-breaking author!
Happy Publication Day to A.J Cross!
July 2013
We are delighted to celebrate the mass market publication of Gone in Seconds by A.J Cross.
This gripping read is the first in the Dr Kate Hanson unsolved murder series and a must-read for all crime fiction fans. To help us celebrate, Anne visited the Darley Anderson blog to talk to us about her first year as a published author.
For more information about A.J Cross and her series please click here. Gone in Seconds is published by Orion UK and available to buy now.
The Wrath of Angels by John Connolly is out now in paperback
June 2013
John Connolly's The Wrath of Angels is out to buy now in paperback.
Called 'the finest crime series currently in existence' by the Independent on Sunday and 'you will be left shaken by the experience' by the Daily Express, No.1 bestselling author John Connolly's The Wrath of Angels is one book not to be missed this Summer.
Lee Child is UK AND US No.1!
June 2013
Lee Child is No.1 on both sides of the Atlantic this week - A Wanted Man is the bestselling UK paperback this week and the bestselling paperback in the USA too! Congratulations Lee!
Two Number Ones, Two Records
June 2013
Two records have been broken at the Darley Anderson Agency.
Lee Child's A Wanted Man has become the biggest selling paperback in any week this year so far – by a long shot. 34,160 copies sold this week, putting it emphatically at No.1; the No.2 spot this week sold 17,585 copies.
And, as announced in The Bookseller, The Life marks the 5th time Martina Cole has topped the UK mass-market fiction chart in the past 5 years. Congratulations Martina!
Birmingham Blitz Hits The Chelsea Flower Show
May 2013
Author Annie’s Murray’s novel Birmingham Blitz is making a dramatic appearance in this year’s Chelsea Flower Show as part of the Gold medal winning display ENLIGHTENMENT created by Birmingham City Council.
Birmingham’s entry, timed to celebrate the opening of the new library – to be the biggest lending library in Europe - in September, took the theme of literature and reading. As well as the library itself, the four-sided arrangement featured three Birmingham authors: J.R.R Tolkein, Annie Murray and poet Benjamin Zephaniah.
Annie’s book Birmingham Blitz was portrayed in countless flowers and included a spitfire, an Anderson shelter with vegetables growing on it and chickens! The whole display was surrounded by books.
‘I had no idea of the ambition of what they were making before I saw it,’ Annie said. ‘What they have done is beautiful and spectacular. I feel incredibly honoured to have been included.’
The display is good timing for Annie whose new book The Women of Lilac Street is out this month.
Jane Costello's Youngest Fan!
May 2013
Jane Costello's youngest fan, little baby Isaac is clearly enjoying reading a copy of his Mum's latest top 10 bestselling book, The Wish List.
Jane's third child (Isaac's brothers are Otis, 8, and Lucas, age 4) was born on New Year's Eve - so there'll always be fireworks on his birthday!
Jane says: 'After being born big, he's just kept on growing and now, although he is only four months old, is the height of a nine month old baby! Although his daddy is 6ft 2in so it clearly runs in the family…'
Margaret Dickinson Attends 1940s Weekend to Celebrate The Clippie Girls
May 2013
Margaret Dickinson's book The Clippie Girls was inspired by the experiences of tramway platform staff in Sheffield during the Second World War. Therefore it seemed fitting that Margaret should be present at the Crich Tramway Village for their popular annual Easter weekend 1940s event, to meet her fans and experience a taste of what life was really like during the Blitz for the characters in her latest book.
The Clippie Girls, which was released on February 7th, tells the story of a beautiful tram conductress who is working on a tram during the Sheffield Blitz. Author Margaret did a considerable amount of research into creating an authentic backdrop for her story, and the actual inspiration for her latest publication came from a visit to Crich, where she saw a picture of a bombed-out tram during the war. This set her thinking about telling a story based on the staff’s experiences, and this book is the result.
The Clippie Girls is the 29th book release from Margaret Dickinson, it was an instant hit, it is still in the bestseller chart after 11 weeks. The Clippie Girls reached number 12 in the mass market fiction chart and her whose previous books have sold an impressive half a million copies to date.
Congratulations to Pete Williamson!
May 2013
2013 is shaping up to be a busy year for Pete Williamson, artist, illustrator and animation designer. Not only does he have a book a month coming out between February and July, but two of his titles have made exciting shortlists.
Granny Grabbers' Whizz Bang World by Charlotte Haptie is shortlisted for the 2013 James Reckitt Hull Children's Book Award and the Leeds Book Awards, alongside Fright Forest by Marcus Sedgwick.
AND Pete has one of the busiest publication schedules we’ve ever seen: February saw the release of Granny Grabbers' Daring Rescue by Charlotte Haptie (Hodder), March introduced Lillyput by Sam Gayton (Andersen Press) and April arrived with The Cafe at the Edge of the Moon by Francesca Simon (Orion Early Readers). We can’t wait for Scream Sea by Marcus Sedgwick (Orion) and To Be A Cat paperback by Matt Haig (Corgi), which will both be released in May, followed by Cudweed's Time Machine by Marcus Sedgwick (Orion) in June and Stitch Head and the Spider's Lair by Guy Bass (Stripes) in July.
Congratulations Pete on a fantastic start to 2013!
For more information and for more of Pete's wonderful illustrations, please click here. Also, visit our blog for an interview with Pete, where he reveals more about his world of the spooky, gothic and weird…
Wishes Come True For The Wish List
April 2013
Congratulations to Jane Costello who's 6th book The Wish List has soared into the top 10 in the UK paperback chart at number 7!
Jane Costello has achieved her highest position yet, selling almost 8,000 paperback copies in little over a week.
With a mere 240 copies separating The Wish List from the number 5 position in the paperback chart, Jane Costello proves that she is fast becoming THE popular women's fiction author to watch.
BROKEN HARBOUR is No. 3 Bestseller in Ireland!
April 2013
We are delighted to announce that Tana French's Broken Harbour has stormed into the Irish book charts at No. 3. Congratulations Tana!
With less than 100 copies between her and the No. 1 spot, Tana's Broken Harbour is nearly the most bought book in the country this week, and this includes all categories - non-fiction, childrens, hardback and paperback.
"Broken Harbour her fourth, proves anew that she is one of the most talented crime writers alive." The Washington Post
Bittersweet Is No.4 In UK Bestseller List!
March 2013
Bittersweet moves up a place in the UK bestseller list to number 4, missing out on the number 3 spot by less than 100 copies!
The UK Official Top 50 combines fiction, non-fiction, children’s, cookery, all formats (hardback and paperback).
Cathy Cassidy also catapults into number 2 on the children's fiction list, ahead of almost all the other World Book Day books.
Watch the music video by Bittersweet's star Shay Fletcher here:
The Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency meets the writers of tomorrow
March 2013
As part of book week, Comber Grove Primary School invited Clare Wallace and Vicki Le Feuvre to the Tate Britain Café for a workshop about children’s literature.
Clare and Vicki met with groups of children aged 9-10 and discussed what makes a good story, our favourite children’s titles and the common mistakes that aspiring authors make. Afterwards, the children went in search of inspiration, sat amongst the art, and started writing.
Polly Ho-Yen, a teacher at Comber Grove Primary School, and a Darley Anderson author, said ‘The kids loved it and we were all buzzing afterwards.’
Chris Carter storms into Top Ten
March 2013
Chris Carter’s success just keeps on growing, as The Death Sculptor’s fantastic No.10 spot in the Paperback Bestseller list shows.
And it’s not just UK readers that are snapping up his books. In Germany The Death Sculptor will enter the Spiegel Online bestseller list at No.19 after only two days of sales. Amazon in Germany are also featuring Chris Carter as ‘author of the month’ on their main page.
Huge congratulations Chris!
Bittersweet hits No.8 in The Bookseller chart
March 2013
Massive congratulations to Cathy Cassidy!
Not only was she one of the 8 popular children’s authors specially selected to represent World Book Day, but her book Bittersweet has flown into the no. 8 spot in The Bookseller’s UK top 50 chart.
Celebrating reading all over the world, this year’s World Book Day was aiming to be the best World Book Day ever! And we’re absolutely thrilled that Cathy Cassidy has helped to make this happen.
Chris Carter Is A Top 25 Bestseller After Just 3 Days!
March 2013
Chris Carter's The Death Sculptor has soared into the paperback bestseller list at number 22 after only 3 days!
The latest chilling Robert Hunter novel has already sold over 5,000 copies and has beaten the record set by Chris' last book The Night Stalker (released last year) by 17% in the same 3 day time frame. It is also the 4th bestselling title of that release date. Congratulations Chris!
EXCITING NEW DEAL!
February 2013
We are delighted to welcome Emma Kavanagh to the Darley Anderson Agency and to announce the fantastic début deal closed with Random House.
Arrow publishing director Jenny Geras pre-empted UK and Commonwealth rights in two books from Camilla Wray.
Emma’s first title, Falling, is a provocative psychological thriller that follows four people whose lives are changed forever by one day and one tragic accident.
It will be published in Hardback in Spring 2014.
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/geras-pre-empts-psychological-thriller.html
No.1 Bestseller For Lesley Pearse's Forgive Me
February 2013
Lesley Pearse is No. 2 for a second week this week on the UK hardback bestseller list with Forgive Me. Congratulations Lesley!
As well as hitting the top spot in New Zealand last week Lesley's Forgive Me shot to No. 1 this week in the Irish original fiction bestseller list.
Novelicious gave it another glittering review:
‘ I loved every second of this book, it's gritty, moving and heartbreaking, and even when I wasn't reading it I still couldn't help thinking about the characters. ‘ 10/10
Forgive Me was Magic FM's Book of the Week this week.
Lesley chatted to Angie Greaves on the radio station earlier to answer questions on the inspiration behind her 21st book, plus her exciting book ideas to come and her latest celebrity fan Hilary Devey-who would take a Lesley Pearse book as her luxury item on Desert Island Discs!
Elizabeth Waite's THREE BRIDES FOR THREE BROTHERS Is Out Now!
February 2013
Our superb saga star, Elizabeth Waite, has released her latest book Three Brides For Three Brothers - congratulations Elizabeth!
Her 18th book tells the story of Three women who each find love and marriage with one of three brothers in this nostalgic and romantic saga.
John, Rick and Derrick Underwood are the most handsome trio of brothers in town and it takes three exceptional women to convince them to settle down.
For Jodie, marrying John seemed exciting and romantic at the time but the reality of life is proving too much. Jodie loves her husband but she doesn't know how much more she can take of his dishonest ways.
Rick's marriage to Laraine is filled with love and adventure; their life is blissful - until one day it delivers a cruel blow. Everything begins to unravel and Laraine isn't sure she's strong enough to survive.
Dee is smitten with her husband, Derrick. He does all he can to provide for her so when he's sent away to sea, she knows she will be all right. But suddenly she stops hearing from Derrick - where is he?
Margaret Dickinson Hits Top 20
February 2013
Fantastic news for Margaret Dickinson who once again proves herself to be one of the UK's top 20 bestselling authors with The Clippie Girls. Congratulations Margaret!
Set in wartime Sheffield, The Clippie Girls tells the story of a young and beautiful tram conductress who is on duty during the Sheffield blitz.
Speaking to The Star, she said: “I was at Crich Tramway Museum where I saw one of the bombed out trams. Straight away I started thinking what if a girl had been working that night? That was my inspiration.”
Margaret's books have so far sold over half a million copies globally.
The Clippie Girls marks Margaret's 20th year with her publishers Pan Macmillan and her 29th book in total. She is celebrating this by embarking on her longest book tour to date.
Fall in love this Valentine’s Day with Forgive Me by Lesley Pearse, The Clippie Girls by Margaret Dickinson and Three Brides for Three Brothers by Elizabeth Waite – all out today!
February 2013
The Darley Anderson Agency is beaming with pride today, as three of our favourite authors release their latest novels just in time for the most romantic date of the year.
Forgive me by Lesley Pearse
Congratulations to bestseller Lesley Pearse on the publication of her latest novel, the compelling story of a daughter uncovering her mother's secret past. Can Eva find love and forgiveness on her journey to discover the truth?
The Clippie Girls by Margaret Dickinson
Huge congratulations to Margaret on the publication of her 20th novel with Pan Macmillan!
The author of top twenty bestseller Jenny’s War returns with a story of sisters in love, a family at war and a city in peril. Follow the Sylvester family as they face the hardships of war in a time of courage and romance.
Three Brides for Three Brothers by Elizabeth Waite
This is the story of a handsome trio of brothers and the three exceptional women it takes to convince them to settle down.
Three Brides for Three Brothers is a nostalgic story of love and loyalty during the most testing of times.
Curse of Kings trailer is out NOW!
February 2013
The 'writer to watch' (Inis magazine) Alex Barclay has released a trailer to mark the release of her first Trials of Oland Born instalment, Curse of Kings.
Click below to watch it!
Lee Child Takes Over New York Times Bestseller List!
February 2013
Lee Child has a staggering 6 titles on the New York Times bestseller and extended bestseller list!
The positions are as follows:
Killing Floor: 5
One Shot: 6
Persuader: 22
Die Trying: 23
Tripwire: 25
Running Blind: 34
CathyCassidy TV Goes Live
January 2013
Puffin HQ have created a fantastic new Youtube channel-CathyCassidy TV!
Fans of her Chocolate Box Girls series will be delighted to see colourful characters such as Skye, Cherry and Summer brought to life in their new video-blog diaries.
Click below for Cherry from Cherry Crush:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSL6oo03w5Y
Click below for Skye from Marshmallow Skye:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fag8TbaZ8V4
Click below for Summer from Summer's Dream:
Darley Anderson Takes Two Places In Top 5 Hardback Bestsellers Of 2012
January 2013
The Darley Anderson Agency is delighted to announce that it takes both position 3 and position 4 in the hardback UK bestsellers of the year, as published in The Sunday Times.
Martina Cole's THE LIFE stormed the charts at number 3, selling over 120,000 copies to date and Lee Child's A WANTED MAN took position 4, selling 100,000 copies in the UK to date.
Darley Anderson is the only literary agent to take two positions in this top ten list. Huge congratulations to Martina, Lee and Darley!!!
Michelle Harrison Nominated for The Amazing Book Awards - THE LONG LIST Congratulations Michelle!
January 2013
Michelle Harrison's Unrest is on the long list for The Sussex Coast Schools Amazing Book Awards!!!
In December Unrest was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, shortlisted for the Coventry Inspiration Awards and longlisted for the Redbridge Book Awards.
Congratulations Michelle!
To read an interview with Michelle Harrison and to find out more about her latest spine-tingling page-turner visit....
www.darleyandersonblog.com/2012/04/26/an-interview-with-michelle-harrison
TANA WINS THE BEST CRIME NOVEL AWARD IN FRANCE
January 2013
FAITHFUL PLACE (LES LIEUX INFIDÈLES) has won the Prix du Meilleur Polar des lecteurs de Points, the Best Crime Award in France. The jury includes forty readers and twenty booksellers and reviewers. Tana French says, ‘This is wonderful. I’m over the moon.’
FAITHFUL PLACE was also shortlisted for the Edgar Award for Best Novel and has been translated into 20 languages.
The course of Frank Mackey's life was set by one defining moment when he was nineteen. The moment his girlfriend, Rosie Daly, failed to turn up for their rendezvous in Faithful Place, failed to run away with him to London as they had planned. Frank never heard from her again. Twenty years on, Frank is still in Dublin, working as an undercover cop. He's cut all ties with his dysfunctional family. Until his sister calls to say that Rosie's suitcase has been found. Frank embarks on a journey into his past that demands he reevaluate everything he believes to be true.
Félicitations Tana!