HarperCollins does multiple deals with CL Taylor

HarperCollins is expanding its publishing of novelist CL Taylor with deals brokered across three separate imprints, including a "significant" six-figure deal for two further novels with Avon, and a two-book YA thriller deal with HQ.

Helen Huthwaite, editorial director at Avon, tied up the six-figure deal for two further novels from Taylor with agent Madeleine Milburn, commenting, "It is difficult to overstate how important CL Taylor is to both Avon and the company as a whole; she is one of the most talented, astute, and committed authors I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and with almost one million copies of her books sold to date, there is no doubt as to why she is one of the biggest stars of the psychological thriller genre. We simply couldn’t be more proud to publish her".

CL Taylor is the pen name Cally Taylor uses for her psychological thrillers, under which name she has published three novels with Avon so far, in a partnership that begin with The Accident published in 2014, and continued with novels, The Lie and The Missing.

Her publishing will now extend beyond Avon, with Daniel Mallory, vice-president and executive editor for William Morrow, who snapped up US rights to Taylor’s third novel, The Missing, through Madeleine Milburn.

HQ have meanwhile secured UK and Commonwealth rights for two YA novels from Taylor, with The Treatment set to publish in September 2017, followed by a second book in 2018. HQ senior commissioning editor, Anna Baggaley, said: "CL Taylor has a powerful and addictive voice that readers everywhere have fallen in love with. I’m thrilled that I am now able to take her page-turning, unputdownable writing to a new young adult audience."

Taylor added, "I am thrilled to sign another two book deal with Avon. Thanks to Helen, Oli, Helena and the amazing sales team my psychological thrillers have reached an astonishing number of readers and I've fulfilled a lifelong dream - to become a Sunday Times bestseller. I couldn't ask for a more hardworking or dedicated group of people to help build my career and I'm excited to see what the future holds.

"I am also delighted to have signed a two book YA thriller deal with HQ. I've had the idea for The Treatment for a long time and I'm so pleased that my editor Anna Baggaley is as excited and enthusiastic about it as I am. I look forward to working with another talented HarperCollins team and writing for a brand new audience. Huge thanks to my agent Madeleine Milburn for securing both of these deals."