Barrington Stoke lands 'tautly written' thriller from Salisbury

Barrington Stoke has landed ECHOSTAR is always listening, a "nail-biting tech thriller" from Melinda Salisbury.

World rights were acquired by publisher Ailsa Bathgate from Claire Wilson at Rogers, Coleridge and White Literary Agency. The novel will be published in March 2024 for readers aged 11 and over.

ECHOSTAR is always listening is the first of three standalone novels "offering fresh, nuanced explorations into the dangers of new technologies".

The synopsis reads: "Ruby Brookes and her best friend Deva have won free places at the Ash Tree Foundation Performing Arts Camp over the summer, but only if their school grades seriously improve. So when Deva suddenly starts getting high marks in all their subjects, leaving Ruby behind, she is confused and jealous. Until she finds out Deva’s success is down to EchoStar, a new app that’s helping her get ahead. Ruby is desperate to start using it too, but there is much more to EchoStar than she has imagined. Because EchoStar is always watching and listening…"

Bathgate commented: "Tautly written and terrifyingly easy to believe, ECHOSTAR is always listening is a brilliant addition to the list from a writer who never fails to intrigue. I have wanted to bring a story from Melinda to our readers for a long time and am very happy to be publishing three stand-alone but loosely connected works that offer a gripping read, as well as a chilling warning, about the tech we have all been so keen to adopt into our lives.”

Salisbury added: "I’m over the moon that my tech teen thrillers have found a home in the Barrington Stoke stable, alongside so many authors I adore. It’s been an incredible experience to work with Ailsa and the team at Barrington Stoke to develop these new – and scarily relevant – stories, and I can’t wait for readers to meet Ruby and EchoStar."