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Beth Reekles and Quick Reads 2015!

December 2014

We’re thrilled to announce that Beth Reekles, author behind bestselling The Kissing Booth, is taking part in Quick Reads 2015!

Led by former Welsh rugby captain, Gareth Thomas, Beth is one of eight authors selected to participate for 2015 and has written a romance novel called Cwtch Me If You Can.

The Quick Reads campaign aims to break down barriers and get more adults in Wales reading by producing short, snappy books available from libraries, bookshops and online for just £1.

The titles will be released in February 2015.
 

Kim Slater is shortlisted for the Shropshire Teenage Book Award!

December 2014

Just when we thought December couldn’t get any more merry – more brilliant award news!

Smart by Kim Slater has been shortlisted for the first ever Shropshire Teenage Book Award!

Launched in 2014, the Award is sponsored by Shropshire Council’s schools library service and voted for by pupils from schools in Shropshire and Telford.

The longlist was whittled down from 20 books to just 7. The winning book will be announced in March 2015.

If you loved Smart, or if you would like more information about the award, you can click and vote here.
 

Polly Ho Yen is shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award!

December 2014

The good news just keeps coming! We’re in the final month of 2014 but we are so thrilled that Polly Ho Yen’s wonderful debut, Boy in the Tower, has been shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award!

The shortlist was announced live on Blue Peter on Thursday 4 December by Michael Morpurgo, one of the UK’s most well-known children’s authors and President of Booktrust. Previous winners include Ali Sparkes, Katherine Rundell and Matt Haig.

The Blue Peter Book Awards, which are in their 15th year, celebrate the very best in children’s books. The awards ask children to choose the winners and approximately 200 from 10 schools across the UK will read the shortlisted books and vote for their favourite.

The two winning books will be announced on Blue Peter on World Book Day on 5 March 2015.

Congratulations, Polly, and here’s to 2015!

The Right Way by Jason Dean is out now!

December 2014

Jason Dean's short story The Right Way is out to buy now!

The exclusive e-novella includes an extract from the highly anticipated upcoming James Bishop novel, The Outsider. 

Nothing Frozen about Frozen Grave's Sales

November 2014

Frozen Grave by bestselling author Lee Weeks has shot to No. 24 on the bestseller list after only a part week's sales. Congratulations, Lee!

Frozen Grave is the latest in Lee's chilling series featuring D.C. Ebony Willis. 

Someone has a list of women. And they're crossing the names out one by one.

The first body is found in a dilapidated warehouse in London's East End - an attractive woman, brutally murdered. She went into the building, dressed for sex - and didn't come out...

Then another woman burns to death in her own home. She was alone but all signs point to murder.

Two seemingly separate victims, but Detective Inspector Carter and Detective Constable Willis are convinced they were killed by the same person......

The Good Life Goes Back To No.4

November 2014

The Good Life by Martina Cole has shot back up the Bookscan bestseller list to No.4, after 6 weeks in the top 10, 2 of those weeks at No.1.

Congratulations, Martina!

Frozen Grave by Lee Weeks is out now!

November 2014

Lee Weeks, our bestselling author of the spine-chilling Dead of Winter and Cold As Ice has released another page-turning new thriller that will have you hooked from start to finish.

A serial killer with a cold heart

A race against time to save the next victim.....

A Legends of Industry Award for Martina Cole

November 2014

Martina Cole has received a Variety Legends of Industry Award. The annual event honours and celebrates those who have achieved outstanding success in their chosen fields of business, sport and industry. The evening raises important funds to enable Variety to support sick, disabled and disadvantaged children. 

The black tie event was held at The Hilton in Manchester and Martina was joined by a host of other celebrities including Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.

Congratulations, Martina! 

Recipients with their awards

Martina and her award

Smart shortlisted for the Leeds Book Award 2015!

November 2014

We are so excited to announce that Smart by Kim Slater has been shortlisted for the Leeds Book Award 2015 in the 11-14 category!

Over 70 schools will be participating with young people voting for their favourite book individually at local libraries or through the book group at their schools. The deadline for votes is 24th April 2015 and the winner will be announced at Leeds Civic Hall on 19th May 2015.

2015 looks to be a very exciting year for Smart with this shortlisting and a nomination for the Carnegie Medal! Huge congratulations, Kim!

For more information about the Leeds Book Award, click here.
 

Personal is Shortlisted for the National Book Awards Crime & Thriller of The Year!

November 2014

http://www.nationalbookawards.co.uk/award/crime-thriller-of-the-year/

Beth Reekles at TEDxTeen London 2014

November 2014

In October, Beth Reekles, teen author of The Kissing Booth, Rolling Dice and Out of Tune, took part in TEDxTeen London organised independently but inspired by the larger group, TED.

TED is a non-profit organisation which helps spread ideas through the medium of powerful, short talks. Starting in 1984, the talks and conferences originally began as technology, entertainment and design related but has since grown to encompass all kinds of issues.

TEDxTeen is put on by We Are Family Foundation, founded by world-renowned music producer and musician, Nile Rodgers. It has an outreach of millions worldwide and, in 2013, livestreamed to over 141 countries with the talks gaining 8 million views online after the conferences took place.

Beth was one of many young, inspirational speakers who came together to discuss the changing world. Beth’s talk focussed on her wanting to write the story she wanted to read and encouraging others to do the same.

To watch Beth’s talk in full click here. For more information about TEDx click here.

Literature Works New Writer’s Conference November 2014!

November 2014

This weekend, Clare attended the Literature Works New Writer’s Conference alongside her author, Kim Slater, of the YA novel Smart.

An event put on with Plymouth University, with over 40 fantastic delegates in attendance, is aimed at new and aspiring writers with industry experts, like Clare and Kim, sharing their advice on how to get published. 

Over the course of the fun afternoon, Clare and Kim hosted the ‘Finding an Agent and Getting a Book Deal’ talk with Kim sharing her inspirational story on how she got an agent and, subsequently, a fantastic deal with Macmillan Children’s Books. They both stressed the importance of tenacity and determination, as it’s a long and tough, but rewarding, road to getting published. Clare also talked about getting an agent’s attention and how to put together a brilliant standout submission. To round off their section, they did a Q&A and a ‘submission live’ quick-fire round. Several brave attendees read out their covering letters or the first page of their manuscript and were provided with quick, immediate feedback from both Clare and Kim.

Clare and Kim had a lovely afternoon and hope that it was helpful for the delegates!

For more information about Kim Slater, please click here. For more information about the New Writer's Conference, please click here.
 

Only Two Authors Have Hit The Original Fiction No.1 Spot 2 Weeks Running - And Both Are Darley Anderson Authors!

October 2014

Martina Cole's The Good Life and Lee Child's Personal are the only two authors this year to hold the pole position in the Original Fiction chart for two weeks in a row.

Congratulations, Martina and Lee!

Congratulations on being the agent of both, Darley!
 

Two children's débuts nominated for the Carnegie Medal 2015!

October 2014

We are thrilled to say that two of our children’s debuts have been nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 2015!

Smart by Kim Slater, published by Macmillan Children’s Books, is an unusual YA detective story centering around Kieran investigating the death of a homeless man. Boy in the Tower, published by Random House Children’s Books, is a middle-grade story about Ade who becomes stuck in the tower he lives in after an unknown, mysterious plant hits London and starts making buildings disappear.

The longlist will be announced in February 2015 with the shorlist announced in March. The winners will be announced on 22 June 2015.

Both are agented by Clare Wallace and we are so excited for these brilliant books! The full list can be read here.

Congratulations, Kim and Polly!
 

Martina Cole's The Good Life is out now!

October 2014

The Good Life by the No.1 bestselling Queen of Crime Martina Cole is out in hardback now!

The Hunter's Oath is out now!

September 2014

The Hunter's Oath by Jason Dean is out in paperback now!

The Hunter's Oath is the 3rd in Jason's thriller series featuring James Bishop. 

Amy Philmore knows something is wrong as she walks home alone through Fort George Hill in Upper Manhattan. When a car pulls up and three men get out Amy runs, but is too late to escape. Now she is in hospital fighting for her life.

But her attackers are about to find themselves in even graver danger. Because Amy's brother is former Marine James Bishop. And when you target those he loves, he will do anything to save them.
With Amy's life hanging in the balance, Bishop takes matters into his own hands and soon uncovers a ruthless empire of criminals who will do anything to protect their secrets. Can Bishop find his way to the heart of the organisation before he is outnumbered?

Or is the predator about to become the prey?
 

Village Fortunes by Rebecca Shaw is out now!

September 2014

Village Fortunes by our bestselling author Rebecca Shaw is out in paperback now!

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 Secret Place is the New Secret History

September 2014

In the week that Tana French débuts on the New York Times Hardback Bestseller List with The Secret Place the London Sunday Times hails the novel:

'The Secret Place is at least as good as Donna Tartt's The Secret History and every bit as well written' and praises 'French's scintillating dialogue, meanwhile, captures how teenagers talk now as as expertly as any young-adult novel, and she sustains suspense flawlessly.'

No.1 and No.4 on The New York Times Bestseller List

September 2014

The Darley Anderson Agency has broken a record - Darley Anderson is the only UK based agent to have had 2 top 5 authors on the New York Times Bestseller list in adult fiction in the same week:

Lee Child is at No.1 with Personal and Tana French is at No.4 with The Secret Place. 

The Best in Bestsellers!

September 2014

We are very proud to see seven of the agency's authors in this week's bestseller lists.

On the hardback chart, we are delighted to see Lee Child's Personal at No.1, Tana French's The Secret Place at No.16, Chris Carter's An Evil Mind at No.32 and Rebecca Shaw's Village Rumours at No.39.  

On the paperback bestseller lists, Tim Weaver's Fall From Grace is at No.21, Lesley Pearse's Survivor is at No.30 and Lee Child's 14th Reacher novel, 61 Hours, has re-entered the charts at No.37.

Congratulations to all! 

International acclaim for Reacher

September 2014

The Rights Department are thrilled to announce that on Thursday 4th September, Lee Child's 19th Reacher novel, Personal, was awarded the incredibly prestigious Premio RBA de Novela Negra in Barcelona, Spain.

Nearly 250 manuscripts, from writers all over the world, were submitted to the jury which was made up of bestselling thriller writer Lorenzo Silva, award-winning author Soledad Puértolas, journalist and author Antonio Lozano, bookseller Paco Camarasa and President of the Cultural Foundation run by RBA, Juaquim Palau. 

Via video-satellite link Lee took part in a live Press Conference from New York, where he answered questions from Spain's biggest newspapers and press agencies. 

The jury and Lee Child during the Press Conference

The prize was celebrated at a glamourous award ceremony on the roof terrace of the RBA offices. With views of Gaudi's Sagrada Familia to the North and the Meditteranean Sea to the South, over 1,100 writers, publishers, agents, musicians, actors and politicians attended. Because Lee wasn't able to be in Barcelona, Mary Darby and Clare Wallace were delighted to represent him at the award ceremony. The award was introduced by actress Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and presented to Mary by President of the Catalan goverment, Artur Mas. Mary passed on Lee's thanks in a short speech.

Mary Darby with the Premio

Lee is due to visit Spain in October to launch the Spanish edition of PERSONAL. 

Demons of Ghent launched in Belgium where the book is set!

September 2014

This weekend Helen Grant was in Brussels presenting her latest thriller Demons of Ghent, which is set in Belgium.

Helen appeared at a busy and lively event at Waterstone's Brussels on Saturday, to talk about the book and how she drew inspiration from the beautiful, historical and sometimes creepy city of Ghent. She also read from the book and answered some searching questions.

Demons of Ghent

The following day Helen was at Treasure Trove, the English bookshop in Tervuren. Veerle, the heroine of the Forbidden Spaces trilogy, of which Demons of Ghent is the second book, is from a small village near Tervuren and the town appears a number of times in the trilogy. Local residents were fascinated to identify places they know from the books!

Helen Grant at Gravensteen Castle

Helen was interviewed by Brussels-based English-language radio station Radio X - and she also managed a trip to Ghent to visit some of her favourite locations from the book, including the magnificent Saint Bavo's cathedral and Gravensteen castle.

For more information, please visit Helen's author page
 

James Carol Joins The ITV Crime Thriller Bookclub!

September 2014

James Carol's second Jefferson Winter thriller, Watch Me, has been selected for the Crime Thriller Bookclub with Specsavers and ITV. Congratulations James!

This September there is an exciting TV series about crime writing on ITV3 called The Crime Thriller Club - sponsored by Specsavers. In each show a specially selected crime or thriller title will be critiqued, there are just six selected titles, of which Watch Me is one, which form the Crime Thriller Bookclub.

Ex-FBI profiler Jefferson Winter has taken a new case in sunny Louisiana, where the only thing more intense than the heat is a killer on the loose in the small town of Eagle Creek. But in a town where secrets are rife and history has a way of repeating itself, can Winter solve the case before someone else dies?

"A brilliant, conflicted profiler" - Stephen Fry

"Jefferson Winter is a welcome new genius, and I can't wait to meet him again" - Neil White

Conquest is out now in paperback!

August 2014

"Conquest is a beautiful book, the first in a series, and one that should not be missed!" The Guardian

Conquest is the start of an epic new series from bestselling author John Connolly, and Jennifer Ridyard. For fans of The 5th Wave.

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 Hellais 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 Illyri conquest of Earth, and the real invasion has not yet even begun...
 

The Secret Place is out NOW!

August 2014

I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM. DO YOU?

The powerful new novel, The Secret Place, by New York Times and Sunday Times award-winning bestselling author Tana French is out now!

"An absolutely mesmerizing read...Tana French is...simply this: A TRULY GREAT WRITER." Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl)

"It's TERRIFIC - terrifying, amazing and the prose is incandescent." Stephen King

"There are some things we bet on. Leaves will change colour. And Ms. French's next one will be good." Janet Maslin (The New York Times) 

Enter The Secret Place - where the darkest of crimes is about to come to light...

The Killing III by David Hewson is out in paperback NOW!

August 2014

"David Hewson turns TV gold into literary gold" Daily Telegraph

Detective Inspector for homicide, Sarah Lund, is contacted by old flame Mathias Borch from National Intelligence.

Borch fears that what first appeared to be a random killing at the docks is the beginning of an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Troels Hartmann. The murder draws attention towards the shipping and oil giant, Zeeland, run by billionaire Robert Zeuthen.

When Zeuthen’s 9-year-old daughter, Emilie, is kidnapped the investigation takes on a different dimension as it soon becomes clear that her disappearance is linked to the murder of a young girl in Jutland some years earlier.

Hartmann is in the middle of an election campaign, made all the more turbulent because of the mounting financial crisis. He needs Zeeland’s backing. Lund needs to make sense of the clues left by Emilie’s perpetrator before it’s too late. And can she finally face the demons that have long haunted her?

Reacher Returns

August 2014

The wait is over. Reacher has returned. The hotly anticipated latest Jack Reacher thriller by the one and only Lee Child, Personal, has hit bookstores in the UK!

Jack Reacher walks alone. Once a go-to hard man in the US military police, now he's a drifter of no fixed abode. But the army tracks him down. Because someone has taken a long-range shot at the French President. 

Only one man could have done it. And Reacher is the one man who can find him.

This new heartstopping, nailbiting book in Lee Child's number-one bestselling series takes Reacher across the Atlantic to Paris and then to London. The stakes have never been higher - because this time, it's personal. 

"It's the best one yet" Stephen King

"Reacher gets better and better" The New York Times

No goodbye. No trace. Know Weaver.

August 2014

Fall From Grace by Tim Weaver has hit the shops and what a first few days it has been! For any fans visiting or living in London look out for the striking Underground posters. Have you spotted them all?

The Agency were also delighted to join many of Tim's fans who had travelled to Bath to hear his talk. There was an amazing atmosphere and heightened excitement over the anticipated publication of Fall From Grace. Rave reviews have already been pouring in with the Guardian calling it 'tense, complex, sometimes horrific, written with flair as well as care' 

Thank you  to everyone who attended and to Waterstones in Bath for hosting such a successful evening. 

Fall From Grace is out NOW!

August 2014

Tim Weaver's latest David Raker thriller Fall From Grace is out now!

Fans will be delighted that the follow up to the Top 10 bestselling book that was also selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club Never Coming Back has finally hit the shelves to rave reviews. 

'His books get better each time - tense, complex, sometimes horrific, written with flair as well as care' The Guardian

Top 25 under 20!

August 2014

In thrilling news, our newest author, Beth Reekles, has been included in The Times today at no.6 in their ‘Top 25 under 20’ article!

Beth sits alongside other influential young adults such as Malala Yousafzai, Maya Van Wagenen and Jack Andraka as icons of their generation.

Congratulations, Beth!

A Master of Monsters

August 2014

Chris Carter's top 5 Hardback Bestseller An Evil Mind has already received spectacular reviews after only 3 days on sale.

The Daily Mail said 'this is a chilling, compulsive portrait of a psychopath, and proves that Carter is now in the Jeffrey Deaver class - a master of monsters'.
 

A New Record For Chris Carter!

August 2014

Chris Carter has achieved his highest position to date at No.5 in the Hardback Bestsellers List with An Evil Mind after only 3 days on sale.

Congratulations Chris! 

Chris Carter with his Top 5 Bestseller An Evil Mind

'with An Evil Mind there are shocks aplenty in store for the reader' Ravencrimereads.com

'This is addictive reading at its absolute best and I was devastated when I turned the very last page.' Goodreads.com

'Can you rate a book 6 stars yet? No? Well you should be able to, this one would get an easy 6 stars from me' Goodreads.com

Finished Business by David Wishart is Out NOW!

July 2014

November, AD40. When a wealthy consul’s wife asks Corvinus to investigate the death of her uncle, killed by a block of falling masonry at his estate on Vatican Hill, a sceptical Corvinus is inclined to agree with the general verdict of accidental death. But his investigations reveal clear evidence of foul play, as well as unearthing several skeletons among the closets of this well-to-do but highly dysfunctional family.

Who could have wanted Lucius Surdinus dead? His vengeful ex-wife? His ambitious mistress? His disillusioned elder, or his estranged younger, son? Or does the key to the mystery lie in the dead man’s political past?

But when Corvinus’s probing draws him to the attention of the emperor, a dangerously unpredictable Caligula, his prospects of surviving long enough to solve the mystery look slim to say the least....
 

Initial reviews on Amazon call it; 'impossible to put down' and 'the best to date.... from opening the book this morning, I've ignored everything else today...and have come straight in to write this review, still buzzing from the tension and excitement of the tale.'

 

Not A Drill - A Reacher Short Story is Out NOW!

July 2014

The brand new Jack Reacher short story, published exclusively as an ebook.

The tiny town of Naismith has nothing going for it - except the start of a wilderness trail through Maine's ancient forests. But one day the trail is suddenly closed by county police.

No reason is given. Rumours start - is there something in the woods that no one must see? That no one must even know about?

Then Jack Reacher drifts into town. What does he make of the Do Not Enter tape strung between the trees?

Includes a preview of Lee Child's heartstopping new Jack Reacher novel, Personal, which is now also available to pre-order.

Criminally Good Weekend

July 2014

The Darley Anderson Agency was out in full force at this years’ Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Festival in Harrogate. Fans were able to meet Tim Weaver, David Hewson, Chris Carter and James Carol, plus listen to brilliant talks, panels and get their favourite books signed. 

On Saturday David Hewson hosted a fascinating talk called ‘The New Wave of Forensics’ where we learnt huge amounts about forensics, gangsters, police procedure and the differences between fact and fiction at crime scenes.

Then first thing on Sunday Chris Carter and Tim Weaver joined the ‘Keeping It Real’ panel discussing the best approaches to violence in fiction, where to draw the line, and the responsibilities of keeping everything real.

L-R Camilla, Chris Carter, Clare, James Carol

Art of Deception by A J Cross is out in Paperback NOW!

July 2014

The New Year brings a gruesome discovery for forensic psychologist Dr Kate Hanson and Birmingham's Unsolved Crimes Unit: a mummified body. The victim is Nathan Troy, an art student who has been missing for 20 years.

As Kate begins to dig further into Nathan's past, she discovers a series of toxic relationships. Why do his housemates refuse to talk about him? And what was his connection to the beautiful and apparently promiscuous daughter of his professor?

Then 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 two decades.
 

Never Coming Back débuts in America!

July 2014

Huge congratulations to Tim Weaver on the hardback publication of Never Coming Back in the US by Viking.

Emily Kane arrives at her sister Carrie’s house to find the front door unlocked, dinner on the table, and the family nowhere to be found—Carrie, her husband, and two daughters have disappeared. When the police turn up no leads, Emily turns to her former boyfriend David Raker, a missing persons investigator, to track the family down.

As Raker pursues the case, he discovers evidence of a sinister cover-up, decades in the making and with a long trail of bodies behind it.

Never Coming Back is one of Amazon’s Best Book of the Month http://amazon.com/Never-Coming-Back-Tim-Weaver/dp/0525426868/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404375175&sr=8-1&keywords=tim+weaver

‘Sharply drawn, the tension and suspense are palpable, and the plot twists both in England and Las Vegas rush to a shocking ending. VERDICT This is best-¬selling British author Weaver’s fourth thriller featuring Raker, but the first to be published here. Surely we will see more of Weaver’s work available in the States soon.’ Library Journal
 

Infestation day: Boy in the Tower release

July 2014

We are thrilled to announce the publication of Polly Ho-Yen’s children’s novel, Boy in the Tower, today. Boy in the Tower is published by Random House Children’s Books and is Polly’s début.

Ade loves living at the top of a tower block. From his window, he feels like he can see the whole world stretching out beneath him.

His mum doesn't really like looking outside - but it's going outside that she hates. She's happier sleeping all day, inside their tower where it's safe.

But one day, other tower blocks on the estate start falling down around them and strange, menacing plants begin to appear.

Now their tower isn't safe anymore. Ade and his mum are trapped and there's no way out.

To find out more about Polly's inspiration for writing Boy in the Tower, please click here.

Congratulations, Polly!
 

Presumed Guilty by James Carol is out NOW!

July 2014

The first in a special eBook only series: The Jefferson Winter Chronicles, featuring Jefferson Winter from bestselling eBook Broken Dolls, and introducing his mentor, Yoko Tanaka. Together they make an unforgettable team.

Special Agent Yoko Tanaka is one of the best profilers in the FBI. She's observant, smart and professional, but doesn't really play well with others. She's been called in to consult on the case of 'Valentino', a killer who steals his victims' hearts. Literally.

With five women already dead, time is running out for the police to catch the killer before he strikes again. Within twenty-four hours of Yoko's arrival they have a suspect in custody: a precocious nineteen-year-old kid called Jefferson Winter whose IQ is off the charts. He's also a textbook psychopath and the son of one of America's most notorious serial killers. Not only does he confess to the murders, he knows details of the crimes that only the killer could know. It's an open and shut case, or is it?

The next full-length Jefferson Winter novel, Watch Me, is publishing in August, but if you can't wait that long then try Broken Dolls, out now in paperback and eBook.

Smart Longlisted for the St. Helens Book Awards

June 2014

Kim Slater’s début novel, SMART, has been longlisted for the St. Helens Libraries Book Awards!

SMART has been nominated alongside eleven other books in this fantastic regional Book Award scheme for secondary school pupils. BASH (Book Awards St Helens) started in 2011, and celebrates works of fiction published in the UK for ages 11-18. The scheme works in partnership with local high schools and has recently introduced a scheme for primary school children.

We are even more proud of Kim considering that her book was only released a few weeks ago. Congratulations, Kim!
 

Darley Anderson's New Author

June 2014

Darley Anderson has taken on a new  writer destined for future bestsellerdom. 

The writer in question is Boston based Virginia Smith who worked in book publishing in the US for 17 years most recently as Acquiring Editor at Harper Collins in New York.

Virginia is currently working on a thriller set in Boston entitled The Danger List. The protagonist is a young Englishwoman at Harvard Business School with an American love interest and lots of action. 

Get Smart Today

June 2014

We are thrilled to announce the publication of SMART by Kim Slater today. Published by Macmillan Children’s Books, Smart is Kim’s debut novel.

SMART follows Kieran Woods as he attempts to investigate the death of a homeless man. He's made a promise and he's going to find out what really happened. To Colin. And to his grandma, who just stopped coming round one day. But being a detective is difficult when you're Kieran Woods. When you're amazing at drawing but terrible at fitting in. And when there are dangerous secrets everywhere, not just outside, but under your own roof.

Congratulations, Kim!
 

Demons of Ghent is out NOW!

June 2014

Congratulations to Helen Grant on the publication of Demons of Ghent.

Veerle has moved to Ghent to start a new life with her father and his girlfriend, she's isolated and alone. But not as alone as she had thought . . .

Veerle recognises a familiar face in the crowds one day, a face connected to a past that she has been fighting to get over, a past that involved murder.

A spate of deaths hit the city but has Death followed Veerle to Ghent or is this something new?

Demons of Ghent is the second book in the Forbidden Spaces Trilogy and just as terrifying and thrilling as Silent Saturday.

In celebration of the publication Helen is taking part in a blog tour this week, for more information visit here http://helengrantbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/demons-coming-soon-to-rooftop-near-you.html
 

Child and Connolly Storm Hay

June 2014

On the weekend of the 31st May, the agency visited Hay-on-Wye for the last few days of the annual literary festival, where two of our authors, Lee Child and John Connolly, both talked to tents packed with fans.

John Connolly spoke to a captivated audience of his younger readers about how sci-fi and fantasy are much more widely read than children and teenagers think, for example, The Hunger Games and Divergent. With the use of clips from old news footage, as well as scary films he had watched as a child, John illustrated how sci-fi and fantasy are often not based on the future, as we usually assume, but discuss and dissect matters that are happening in the World today.

A two minute excerpt from Pan’s Labyrinth helped John expose the dark and frightening side of fairy tales, which led him to reveal how he came to write the The Book of Lost Things. John’s fans also quizzed him on the inspiration behind the Gates of Hell in the Samuel Johnson series (the Large Hadron Collider) and where his idea for the devil came from (the 1980's classic, Legend).

It was Lee Child’s first time at the festival and he was in conversation with Sarah Crompton (Arts Editor in Chief, Daily Telegraph) about the Jack Reacher series. Lee told the audience about how he came to writing, how he developed the series and whether he knew it was be a bestseller from the start. Lee admitted that he doesn’t extensively plan his novels; rather he crafts the perfect first sentence and goes from there. He also explained that his books are full of interesting bits of information, or facts, because he himself is deeply interested in trivia. There was a very lively discussion of Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher in the films, with plenty of audience participation.

Both authors also separately discussed their crime fiction in broadcasts for the BBC. If you would like to listen to John in discussion with Anthony Horrowitz and Yrsa Sigurdottir about crime fiction, click here. To listen to Lee discuss the Reacher series on Radio 4’s Front Row, please click here.

 

Martina On Tour

May 2014

Martina Cole visited fans at Tesco Watford as part of her role as ambassador for the Six Book Challenge. 

She met with union learning representatives to celebrate the success of the scheme which aims at getting everyone reading. 

She 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. When you read a book you have to picture it all in your own mind. No one tells you what you're seeing or what you should be feeling. That's the secret of reading – it's such a personal thing."

Norway Falls for Celtic Noir

May 2014

The Rights team has had a very busy month since London Book Fair with many new and exciting deals to report.

We’re delighted to announce that the first translation deal has been done for Emma Kavanagh’s Falling with Cappelen Damm in Norway.

Deals for Broken Dolls by James Carol continue apace with two new languages. James will be published by AST in Russia and Esfera de los Libros in Spain. The Jefferson Winter series will now be published in 8 languages worldwide.

Cathy Cassidy continues to find new fans all over the globe and she is now published in 19 languages! Her newest publishers for her Chocolate Box Girls series are Kolibri in Hungary and Trei in Romania.

CRIMEFEST Is Coming!

May 2014

The international crime fiction convention, CRIMEFEST, will commence in Bristol from the 15th to the 18th of May. 

First organised in June 2008, CRIMEFEST has not only become one of the biggest crime fiction events in Europe, but also one of the most popular dates in the international crime fiction calendar. The annual convention was featured as one of the ‘best crime-writing festivals around the world’ in the Guardian and one of the ‘50 Best Festivals’ in the Independent. CRIMEFEST draws top crime novelists, agents, readers, editors, publishers and reviewers from around the world. 

This year we have 6 Darley Anderson authors in attendance: James Carol, Chris Carter, David Hewson, Emma Kavanagh, Tim Weaver and Lee Weeks. 

Camilla Wray will be taking part in PITCH AN AGENT, where aspiring crime writers have 14 minutes to pitch their manuscript to each of the 4 agents in attendance. 

For tickets please see link:

http://crimefest.com/register.html

For the programme please see link:

http://crimefest.com/programme.html

Another Record for Lee Child

May 2014

Lee Child is No.1 for the 5th week in a row in the US with Never Go Back!

Loretta Schauer is on the Funeverse!

May 2014

During May 2014, Funeverse is featuring some of Loretta Schauer’s illustrations. Funeverse is a resource for schools and children where poets, illustrators and children can come together to exercise their creative funny bones and write funny verse.

For the whole month, poets will be creating poems inspired by Loretta’s drawings and encouraging children to create their own. There are already a few poems up to accompany Loretta’s pictures, and even a video! For more information, click here.
 

Apple Loves Darley Anderson Authors

May 2014

Apple's Crime and Thriller chart is dominated by DA authors! No.1 is Revenge by Martina Cole, No.5 is Never Go Back by Lee Child and No.10 is The Wolf In Winter by John Connolly. 

Apple's Bestseller chart

A Month at No.1 For Lee Child in the USA!

May 2014

Lee Child's Never Go Back has now spent one month at the No.1 Paperback position in the US.

Congratulations Lee! 

Revenge is out in Paperback Now!

April 2014

The No.1 Hardback bestseller Revenge is out now in paperback from the inimitable Queen of Crime - Martina Cole. 

Never Go Back Remains At No.1 in the US 3 Weeks Running!

April 2014

Lee Child's record-breaking Never Go Back has remained at the No.1 spot in the Mass Market Paperback Fiction New York Times Bestsellers chart for the 3rd week in a row!

Cesca Major joins the Darley Anderson Agency

April 2014

We are thrilled to welcome Cesca Major to the Darley Anderson Agency.

Cesca’s debut novel, The Silent Hours, was bought by Anna Hogarty at Corvus in a two-book deal and will be published on 6th August 2015. The Silent Hours is a sweeping historical romance, based on true events, and it centres around an event that devastated a small, unoccupied French village in the Second World War.

Cesca’s first real writing success came in 2005 when she was Runner Up in the annual Daily Mail Writing Competition for the best opening paragraph to a novel. After working in television, she subsequently taught History for seven years before becoming Housemistress at a boarding school in Berkshire. She writes regular reviews and features for the popular women’s fiction website www.novelicious.com and films ‘Beat the Block’ - bi-weekly vlogs to help writers.

Welcome to the agency, Cesca, we are so excited you’re on board!
 

John Connolly is a No.2 Bestseller!

April 2014

The inimitable John Connolly's The Wolf In Winter, called 'a brilliant performance by one of our finest writers' by The Irish Times, has hit No.2 in Hardback in the UK bestseller chart. 

This is John's highest position to date. 

Congratulations John! 

The Guilty by Sean Slater is Nominated for Best Novel!

April 2014

 Sean Slater's spine-chilling 3rd novel The Guilty is on the 2014 Arthur Ellis Awards Best Novel Longlist!

Congratulations Sean!

The Guilty

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.

It's clear to Homicide Detective Jacob Striker and his partner Felicia Santos that the two incidents are linked. But with no demands being made by the bomber, and no known connection between the victims, uncovering the motive seems impossible.

Then Detective Harry Eckhart disappears, taking with him the lone survivor. His actions make no sense, and they force Striker to redirect his focus onto his fellow cops. It is an investigation Striker would prefer to avoid, but cannot - for the bomber is about to strike again.

And this time, it's much closer to home...

The Wolf In Winter is out NOW!

April 2014

The Wolf In Winter by John Connolly has been released in the UK in hardback. This is John Connolly's 12th Charlie Parker installment. 

Prosperous, a small town in the depths of Maine, shuns outsiders. It guards its own.

The community of Prosperous, Maine, has always thrived when others have suffered. Its inhabitants are wealthy, its children’s future secure. It keeps outsiders out. And its secrets in. At the heart of the town lie the ruins of an ancient church, transported stone by stone from England centuries earlier by the founders.

But the death of a homeless man and the disappearance of his daughter draw the haunted, lethal, private investigator, Charlie Parker to Prosperous. Parker is a dangerous man, driven by compassion, rage, and the desire for vengeance. The town, and its protectors sense a threat graver than any they have faced in their long history. And in the comfortable, sheltered inhabitants of a small Maine community, Parker will encounter his most vicious enemies yet.

Charlie Parker has been marked to die so that Prosperous may survive. Prosperous, and the secret that it hides beneath its ruins…

Treble Triumph

April 2014

The Darley Anderson Agency has triumphed, achieving three No.1 slots in the bestsellers lists this week.

John Connolly's The Wolf In Winter has hit the No.1 hardback slot in Ireland in his 17th eerie Charlie Parker and has already received superb reviews with the Irish Times saying: 'it more than preserves the high standards his readers expect...Connolly is at his very best here: angry, polemical and compassionate...The Wolf In Winter is a brilliant performance from one of our finest writers'. 

Lee Child remains emphatically No.1 in the UK paperback chart with a difference of close to 15,000 copies between Never Go Back and the No.2 in the chart. 

And the unbeatable Lee Child has soared into the No.1 position in the US mass market paperback Barnes and Noble chart. 

One Good Turn is out!

April 2014

In the exciting build-up to the 3rd James Bishop thriller being published this June, we are thrilled to announce that a special Bishop short story, One Good Turn, has been released today in e-book.

She has already escaped her captors once. Surely twice would be impossible.

Kidnapped and left for dead, Sylvia Caplan knows she will have one chance to get her life back. Having fled and found her way back to civilisation, Sylvia stumbles into a dingy bar. Wearing borrowed shoes and stolen clothes, she's not the usual kind of customer and it’s not long before two menacing figures catch up with her.

Unnoticed, former Marine, James Bishop, witnesses the woman's struggle, stepping in before he knows what he's done. Now Sylvia is on the run again but this time she is not alone. Can Bishop help her keep one step ahead or will he come to regret risking his life for a stranger?

And if that’s not enough, the short story includes extracts from all three James Bishop novels including an exclusive from the upcoming The Hunter's Oath, out on 5th June.

Meet Me Under The Clock by Annie Murray Is Out Now!

March 2014

Meet Me Under The Clock

Growing up in Birmingham, Sylvia and Audrey Whitehouse have always been like chalk and cheese.

When the Second World War breaks out, Sylvia is still dreaming of her forthcoming marriage to fiancé Ian while Audrey jumps at the career opportunities the WAAF throws her way.

Audrey joins the ranks at RAF Cardington but soon finds that her new freedom also brings temptation. When she goes too far, the consequences ripple through the Whitehouse family.

Meanwhile Sylvia is doing her bit as a railway porter, much to Ian's dismay. Ian thinks the job is unfeminine - unlike Sylvia's new friend Kitty, who is as sweet and pretty as can be.

But Kitty's innocent nature hides a dark secret . . . As the pressures of rationing, bombing raids and sleepless nights grow, the two sisters must decide what they really want from life and if they're brave enough to fight for it.

A heart-breaking and inspiring novel.

Silent Saturday by Helen Grant is out NOW!

March 2014

Our award winning and highly acclaimed Young Adult's author, Helen Grant, has released her book Silent Saturday today in paperback. It is 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...

‘A writer to watch’ The Daily Mail

‘Fierce intelligence’ The Guardian

Darley Anderson Authors Dominate Kindle Bestsellers

March 2014

The Darley Anderson Agency has three authors in Amazon's Kindle Bestseller chart (non-free eBooks).

No.2 - James Carol's Broken Dolls

No.4 - Margaret Dickinson's The Fleethaven Trilogy

No.82 - Annie Murray's My Daughter, My Mother

Dave Rudden joins the Darley Anderson Children's Book Agency

March 2014

We are so thrilled to welcome début author Dave Rudden to the Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency.

The Borrowed Dark is the first in an 11+ fantasy adventure trilogy about Denizen Hardwick. On his 14th birthday, Denizen is summoned from the orphanage he grew up in by a mysterious aunt he never knew existed. It becomes immediately obvious that there is more to this world than Denizen ever imagined and he soon finds himself among the Knights of the Borrowed Darkness, an ancient order that protects the world from the dark realm of the Tenebrae and their powerful master, the Endless King.

Ben Horslen, Editorial Director at Puffin, snapped up World English rights in The Borrowed Dark in a significant six-figure pre-empt. Puffin will be publishing in Spring 2016. German rights were sold to Fischer in a knock-out six-figure pre-empt and French rights were quickly acquired by Pocket Jeunesse.

Dave is twenty-six years old and lives in Dublin where he is working on books two and three of the trilogy.

Welcome to the agency, Dave, we are so excited to have you on board!
 

Fairfield Hall is No.9 on Sunday Times Bestseller List!

March 2014

Margaret Dickinson's bestselling Fairfield Hall has hit the No. 9 paperback fiction chart Sunday Times bestseller list. 

For a look at the current top ten Sunday Times list click here.

A Special Delivery is a Superstar Seller

February 2014

Clare Dowling's A Special Delivery has shot to No. 2 on the Irish Times bestseller list. Congratulations Clare!

No.2 for Clare Dowling!

February 2014

Clare Dowling's A Special Delivery has hit the No.2 spot in the hardback bestsellers list in Ireland this week.

Congratulations Clare!

No.1 for Lesley Pearse!

February 2014

Lesley Pearse's Survivor has soared into the top position on the hardback bestseller list to the No.1 spot after only 3 days of sales!

5,000 copies were sold in 3 days alone, outselling the No.2 position by 1,500 copies.

Congratulations Lesley! 

Survivor by Lesley Pearse Is Out Now!

February 2014

Survivor is the 22nd book by internationally bestselling author Lesley Pearse and the 3rd in the Belle Trilogy. 

With the world on the brink of war, Mariette leaves home bound for her aunt and uncle's house in London.

Armed with the freedom she's longed for since childhood, Mari quickly falls for Morgan, the handsome cockney steward on board ship. But once she reaches London, there are other temptations.

Mari loves her new life - caught up in a whirl of dances and parties in the glittering West End, relishing her freedom as she earns her own money as a typist. Finally, she feels she is mistress of her own future.
Until it is all snatched away by the war.

As London endures the Blitz, Mari's new life is cruelly blown apart. Forced from her loving new home, she ends up alone in the East End, and it's worlds away from the London she knows. But there, even in the face of so much despair, she finds the chance to make a difference. Amidst the destruction, Mari learns that the only way to survive this war is to fight, with all the strength, selflessness and compassion within her...and only then will she find true happiness.

Because Mari is a survivor...

Survivor is a story of bravery and love.

'Utterly riveting, brilliant' Closer

'Characters it is impossible not to care about' Daily Mail

'Full of love, passion and heartbreak' Best
 

Fairfield Hall by Margaret Dickinson Is Out Now!

February 2014

Fairfield Hall

Ruthlessly ambitious Ambrose Constantine is determined that his daughter, Annabel, shall marry into the nobility. A fish merchant and self-made man, he has only his wealth to buy his way into society.

When Annabel’s secret meetings with Gilbert, a young man employed at her father’s offices, stop suddenly, she learns that he has mysteriously disappeared. Heartbroken, she finds solace with her grandparents on their Lincolnshire farm, but her father will not allow her to hide herself in the countryside and enlists the help of a business connection to launch his daughter into society.

During the London Season, Annabel is courted by James Lyndon, the Earl of Fairfield, whose country estate is only a few miles from her grandfather’s farm. Believing herself truly loved at last, Annabel accepts his offer of marriage. It is only when she arrives at Fairfield Hall that she realizes the true reason behind James’s proposal and the part her scheming father has played.

Throughout the years that follow, Annabel experiences both heartache and Joy, and the birth of her son should finally secure the future of the Fairfield Estate. But there are others who lay claim to the inheritance igniting a feud that will only reach its resolution in the trenches of the First World War.

A Book For Everyone This Valentines Day

February 2014

Fans of our fabulous women's fiction authors Lesley Pearse, Clare Dowling, Annie Murray, Margaret Dickinson and Jane Costello are in for a treat this Valentines day with the release of their latest books. 

Copies of Survivor by Lesley Pearse, A Special Delivery by Clare Dowling, Meet Me Under The Clock by Annie Murray and Fairfield Hall by Margaret Dickinson will hit the shelves on the 13th - just in time to treat loved ones for a wonderful gift this Valentines Day. And Jane Costello's The Mini Break will be released in eBook on Valentines Day itself. 

Martina Cole Champions Reading On The High Seas

February 2014

Megaseller Martina Cole popped in to Marine Society's new library as Ambassador of The Reading Agency Six Book Challenge! She hopes to encourage seafarers across the world to pick up a book.

“My love of books is all down to my merchant seaman father,” says Martina Cole. “I remember when I was a small child him bringing home from his travels a cardboard theatre, and when I opened the faux crimson velvet curtains, hidden away behind them were the smallest books I had ever seen. The stories were all Aesop fables and fairy tales and I was absolutely entranced. As I got older, the subject matter progressed and I remember pouncing on his bag as soon as he was back from a trip to devour the latest bestseller – Harold Robbins was an eye-opener!”

Martina Cole

Martina Cole and David Kendall pack books for the Marine Society

How To Get A (Love) Life: The Launch

January 2014

On Wednesday night, Clare, Mary, Emma, Vicki, Camilla, Keshini and Sheila attended the fantastic launch party of Rosie Blake’s debut novel, How to Get a (Love) Life.

Set in the opulent and quirky surroundings of Bar Soho in London, the DA team were welcomed with cocktails, posters and postcards with hilarious quotes from Rosie’s book. The room was packed with familiar faces from the publishing industry and lots of bloggers from the online community.

Rosie gave a wonderfully funny speech in which she thanked her editor, Kirsty, and the team at Novelicious. She also thanked her agent, Clare, and the rest of the Darley Anderson Agency. The celebration was a roaring success – we know Rosie’s book will be one too!

Rosie’s book is out now and available here. She is already no.16 on the Amazon Bestseller list in Love, Sex and Marriage humour!

You can read more about Rosie and follow her on twitter @RosieBBooks
 

Clare (left) Rosie (centre) Mary (right)

Nordicana Festival 2014

January 2014

We are very proud to announce that David Hewson will be at the Nordicana Festival 2014 discussing The Killing series.

Nordicana is the UK’s only festival to combine Nordic crime and thriller film and fiction and is a must for all fans. See more on the Nordicana website here.

Three Brave Women

January 2014

Linked through marriage to three brothers, the Underwood women prove time and again that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Jodie has travelled a hard road to reach her own prosperity, despite her husband's constant unreliability. Yet she can't bring herself to fully sever ties with John. But now with a potential new love waiting nearby, Jodie must make a decision she has been avoiding for too long.

Widowed at a young age, Lariane believes her marriage to Rick was perfect. He also left behind twin daughters, but is Lariane sacrificing their future happiness by looking for perfection? Will another man ever be good enough to fill Rick's shoes?

Dee has everything she ever wanted: a husband she adores and a beautiful little girl. But she knows that her family's happiness is founded on half-truths. How long before she must come clean with those she holds most dear?

Heartfelt and captivating, Three Brave Women is a story of loyalty, family and finding strength when all seems lost.

Lesley Pearse Becomes First National Libraries Day Ambassador!

January 2014

Lesley Pearse will be the first Ambassador for National Libraries Day. 

The national celebration of libraries will take place on Saturday the 8th of February 2014, rounding off a week's worth of events and activities in public, school, college, university and workplace libraries. 

Lesley said "I am so very proud to be asked to be the first Ambassador for National Libraries Day. To me libraries are one of the most important assets we have in the UK, and should be kept going at all costs."

Lesley's love affair with libraries began when her family moved to London, and (aged 11) she found the perfect sanctuary in Northbrook Library. She says, "I was late in learning to read because of being in care for a few years, but once I could read I was voracious. The staff at the library must have recognised a real need in me and they sorted out books especially for me." 

"Libraries are vital. They are a primary source of knowledge and of entertainment. Books widen your world and teach you so much. Whether you are into romantic fiction, dark thrillers, science fiction, biographies, poetry, war books, history, geography, religion, it's all there to be tapped into. Age doesn't matter, from a four year old wanting The Gruffalo, to students studying for exams or a retired person wanting to read up on their hobby, all are welcome....I love libraries and it's my mission to make everyone else value and love them too."