Aria scoops two new books by comedian and author Lette

Aria has scooped The Revenge Club, a book exploring "the residual sexism women face", and a second book from author and comedian Kathy Lette. Editorial director Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks acquired world language rights from David Headley at the D H H Literary Agency. 

Lette’s first new book, The Revenge Club, will be published in hardback, audio and e-book in March 2024. It follows the lives of four women in their 20s, who "forged an intense and life-defining friendship – only to see it crash and burn with disastrous effect".

The publisher synopsis said: "Thirty years later, the estranged friends are happy and successful, but as they reach their 50s, they find themselves put out to pasture, undermined by the men in their lives. Determined not to take their betrayal lying down, the women reunite to wreak revenge and, at the same time, discover hidden strengths and surprising new desires for their second acts."

The deal includes Lette’s backlist, which will be re-released, including titles such as How to Kill Your Husband (originally Simon & Schuster UK) and Mad Cows (originally Picador), as well as two books not previously published in the UK, HRT: Husband Replacement Therapy (Penguin) and Till Death, or a Little Light Maiming, Do Us Part (Random House Australia/Vintage Australia).

Faulkner-Willcocks said: "Few authors have the capacity to make readers laugh like Kathy does – and I suspect many of us need to laugh more than ever at the moment. But beneath the humour, Kathy’s writing is always sharp and thought-provoking, and this new book is no exception.

"The Revenge Club explores the residual sexism women face at home and in the workplace, particularly once they reach ‘a certain age’. It’s a hugely important conversation, and handled with Kathy’s signature candour and wit, this new book is sure to delight Kathy’s fans, and bring her books to a whole new generation of readers."

Lette first achieved success as a teenager with the novel Puberty Blues (Pan Macmillan), which was made into a major film and a TV mini-series. Since then, her novels have been published in 17 languages around the world and adapted for stage, film, TV and opera. 

She commented: "I fell in love with Head of Zeus for their energy, wit, grit and panache. This vibrant team understands that women do not pass our amuse-by date. Having more or less invented ‘chick lit’, ‘mummy lit’ and ‘nip lit’, I feel it’s time for a new genre which champions women in their prime. (‘I-Don’t-Give-A-Shit-Lit’ perhaps?)

"Baby boomers have redefined every decade we’ve lived in and now we’re going to redefine getting older. From 50 to 60 is a pivotal moment for a woman. We’ve had the kids, the marriages, the divorces, the promotions, the betrayals, the heartbreaks and the breakdowns, and learnt from them all. Now it’s time for a glorious second act — and for publishing to embrace novels that reflect this trend.

"If a woman is healthy in middle age, then she’ll probably live to 96, which means there’s a hell of a lot of experiences still to be had and books to be read – and the fun and life-affirming Revenge Club will encourage women of a certain age to go forth and be fabulous. The dynamic and innovative team at Head of Zeus are the perfect publishers to kickstart this bold, joyous and exhilarating new brand."

Headley added: "Representing Kathy Lette is a highlight of my career. Her books have an important message; Kathy’s voice is more relevant than it has ever been, and I am privileged to be her ambassador in getting the word out. It is also incredibly exciting that the film rights for this book have already been snapped up. I am so excited with Head of Zeus’ passion and vision, and I can’t wait for readers to absorb themselves back into Kathy Lette’s incredible storytelling."