Avon takes two from Big Issue contest winner Sharland

Avon has signed two books from debut author Louise Sharland following a competition with the Big Issue to find a new crime writing voice.

Sharland was selected from over 150 entries in last year's contest for a two-book contract and The Lake, the first book in her deal, is billed as an “atmospheric and claustrophobic psychological suspense novel about loss and revenge, in which a grieving mother becomes convinced the death of her teenage son was not an accident”. Avon has world all language rights and the book is slated for publication in all formats in spring 2021. 

Editor Molly Walker-Sharp said: “Louise is the very deserving winner of our Big Issue competition, and I am thrilled to be working with her on her emotionally-charged, suspenseful debut. She is a brilliant writer, who masterfully plays with the line between dark women’s fiction and psychological thriller in a way that keeps the reader on their toes, and I can’t wait to bring The Lake to market next year.”

Sharland added: “I’m absolutely delighted to be working with the wonderful team at Avon Books on my debut novel The Lake. Molly has helped me to develop the intrigue and suspense even further, particularly my character Kate’s growing obsession with finding out what really happened to her son the night he drowned. I hope readers will enjoy following the twists and turns of Kate’s battle for justice, no matter what the cost. Winning the Big Issue Crime Writing Competition has been a fantastic opportunity, and I look forward to working alongside the Avon team on my journey to publication.”