Hodder Studio acquires 'utterly compelling' Marshall debut

Hodder Studio has acquired two titles from Heather Marshall at auction, including her debut Looking for Jane. 

Editorial director for fiction Sara Adams acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Hayley Steed at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. Canadian rights were acquired by Sarah St Pierre at Simon & Schuster Canada. Dutch rights sold to De Fontain, and Brazilian rights to Companhia das Letras.

Looking for Jane is an "emotive and empowering" historical novel set between 1960s and present-day Toronto. It will follow a group of inspiring women who dared to fight for their own rights, united by an underground abortion network known only by its code name: Jane. The novel is centred around Evelyn, Nancy and Angela, three women from three different generations, whose lives are inextricably intertwined by the Jane network, long-buried truths and devastating secrets. 

Adams said: "I’m so delighted to welcome Heather to Hodder Studio. Her debut novel Looking for Jane is powerful, purposeful and utterly compelling and it serves as an important call to arms, for though Looking for Jane begins in the '60s, its themes are still heartbreakingly relevant today."

Marshall commented: "I'm thrilled to have found my UK home with Hodder Studio. Sara's enthusiasm for Looking for Jane and the message of hope woven through its pages made it clear from the start that Hodder Studio was the right publisher for this book. I'm so excited to work with Sara on bringing Evelyn, Nancy, and Angela's story readers in the UK and beyond."

Author photo credit: Amanda Kopcic