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11th March 2025


A murder is announced: Lucy Foley to pen new Miss Marple


MELINA SPANOUDI News reporter


H


arperCollins will publish The Guest List author Lucy Foley’s ( 1) book featuring Miss


Marple, the first full-length continuation of Agatha Christie’s iconic sleuth. Foley’s currently untitled novel is slated to be released in autumn 2026, the 50th anniversary of the publication of the last Marple, Sleeping Murder. The deal for world English- language rights was negotiated by former HarperFiction MD and publisher Kimberley Young (now Transworld MD) with Agatha Christie Limited, along with Curtis Brown’s Cathryn Summerhayes on behalf of Foley. The project will be overseen in


the UK by HarperFiction publish- ing director Charlotte Brabbin and David Brawn, HC’s publisher for Estates; the US side will be handled by Morrow VP and editorial direc- tor Emily Krump and Jennifer Hart, the HC US division’s SVP and deputy publisher. Agatha Christie Limited is handling foreign rights. Foley has published eight books


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since her debut in 2015, all by HC in the UK, and had her breakout success with 2019’s The Hunting Party. She was one of 12 writers to contribute to 2022’s Marple


Dead Ink falls for Tess Sharpe’s ‘queer romance-thriller’


D


ead Ink Books has fallen for the new “heart-pound- ing”, Coen Brothers-


inspired romance-action thriller from American YA-adult cross- over author Tess Sharpe ( 2). UK and British Commonwealth (excluding Canada) rights to No Body, No Crime were acquired by the Liverpool indie’s commis- sioning editor Harriet Hirshman from Devon Mazzone at FSG. No Body, No Crime begins with


16-year-old Mel in the aftermath of her girlfriend Chloe’s “sweet 16” birthday party, at which the pair buried Toby Dunne in the back- woods, so deep “no one’s ever finding him”. Mel loses little sleep over the act, as Toby had been terrorising the pair.


(HarperCollins), a collection of short stories reimagining the detective. Foley also wrote the foreword to last year’s Agatha Christie’s Marple: Expert on Wickedness, an examination of St Mary Mead’s most famous resident by “Agathologist” Mark Aldridge. Foley called Miss Marple “hands


down my favourite Christie sleuth (désolé Poirot). I love her intuitive intelligence; her sense of humour; her brilliantly cynical view of humanity; and the way she uses her invisibility – as an older woman, she is frequently patron- ised and misjudged by those around her – as her superpower”. Agatha Christie Limited chair-


man and CEO (and the late author’s grandson) James Prichard said: “Miss Marple is an extraordinary and special character, and this project promises to be immense fun. I am a great fan of Lucy’s writ- ing, and the idea of bringing her talents to bear on Miss Marple is an utter joy.” Foley joins fellow British crime


author Sophie Hannah in the Christie brand extension space: since 2014 Hannah has written five Hercule Poirot mysteries, which have collectively shifted £2.8m through Nielsen BookScan UK. HarperFiction MD and publisher


Frankie Gray called Christie and Foley “an extraordinary marriage of crime-writing greats”.


Chloe then goes missing. Mel


eventually finds her, six years later, living off-grid in a highly booby- trapped patch of Canadian wilder- ness, armed and vigilant. Chloe disappeared because “she thought she would keep Mel safe by running. Now, the truth must come out as they run for their lives once again. Because when they buried Toby Dunne in the back- woods, they buried something else, too”. Sharpe said her book was


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inspired by “my love of romantic action-adventure films like Romancing the Stone and the early work of the Coen Brothers”. Hirshman said: “Get ready for anxiety-inducing shootouts, capti- vating diamond heists, familial betrayals and a queer romance for the ages, all shot through with an addictive, acerbic humour.” No Body, No Crime is scheduled to publish on 14th August 2025.


Day Planner


15.10


How I Write Author HQ The Author HQ programme today is geared toward the nitty-gritty for practitioners – including sessions on marketing your book, keeping ahead of social media trends and new models for indie authors – but the standout event is this panel featuring three writers, Isaac and the Egg creator Bobby Palmer (above); romance star turned psychological thriller queen Adele Parks (below); and multi-award winner Elif Shafak dishing on their process. They will be quizzed by Midas PR deputy MD Georgina Moore, who is, of course, also a bestselling author.


London Book Fair


News PHILIPPA GEDGE


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