Domestic noir thriller set in the Wirral to Headline

Headline has snapped up rights to a psychological domestic noir thriller “with a killer hook”.

Without a Trace by Mary Torjussen begins as Hannah returns to her home in the Wirral one day to discover that her partner of four years has vanished from their flat, taking everything he owns with him. Shortly afterwards messages in the form of cryptic texts and videos start to appear, and Hannah realises someone is watching her every move.

Headline commissioning editor Emily Griffin bought British Commonwealth rights excluding Canada to Without A Trace, plus one further novel by Torjussen, from Kate Burke at Diane Banks Associates.

The title will be published in digital first this November, before being released as a mass market paperback in April 2017.

Griffin said: “I was instantly drawn into Without A Trace -the set-up is irresistible and I love Mary’s fresh take on the domestic noir genre. All of the key elements for an addictive read are here: an intriguing mystery, twisty plotting and jaw-dropping reveals which had me genuinely gasping aloud. I have no doubt this novel will be devoured by the scores of readers who love C.L. Taylor and Clare Mackintosh, and we can’t wait to launch it later this year.”

Torjussen has an MA in Creative Writing from Liverpool John Moores University and has worked for several years as a teacher in Liverpool.

Torjussen said: “I am thrilled to be represented by Kate Burke at Diane Banks Associates and to be working with such a prestigious publisher as Headline.”

North American rights have been sold to Danielle Perez at Berkeley, Penguin and German rights were signed by Blanvalet after a fiercely contested multi-publisher auction. Russian rights have gone to AST.