MJ reveals October novel from Dawn French

Michael Joseph is publishing the first novel from Dawn French in five years, called Because of You, this October.

Louise Moore, MJ managing director, bought UK and Commonwealth rights in the book from Robert Kirby at United Agents. Its publication date in hardback, e-book and audio is 15th October 2020.

Because of You tells the story of two very different women whose lives become entwined when they both give birth in the same hospital ward on New Year's Eve. It is billed as "a tale of mothers and daughters, love and loss, mistakes and regret" and "above all a book about what makes us who we are".

French said: "This novel dared me to write it, so I did. I have left parts of my heart in these pages. (Not my actual heart. That would be messy...)"

Moore added: "Dawn’s fourth novel is a very contemporary story, whose cleverly drawn characters are challenged by themselves, each other and surprising twists and turns of fate. It is a triumphant novel about mothers and daughters, modern families and unconditional love. Dawn’s warmth and curiosity for people shine off every page—this is hallmark Dawn French, her best novel yet!"

French has sold 2.5 million books for £18.7m, including her non-fiction, through Nielsen BookScan's TCM in the UK. Her fiction bestseller is A Tiny Bit Marvellous, at 616,526 copies sold in paperback, and her most recent novel According to Yes, published in 2015, sold 209,889 copies in paperback and 63,013 in hardback.