Century seizes Sakhlecha’s ‘tense, page-turning’ thriller in 48-hour pre-empt

Century has acquired Trisha Sakhlecha’s “tense, page-turning and claustrophobic” thriller, Last Resort, and a second title, in a 48-hour pre-empt.

Publisher Selina Walker acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, in the two novels from Jonny Geller and Viola Hayden at Curtis Brown. Rights were also sold by Ariele Fredman at the United Talent Agency on behalf of Curtis Brown at auction to Jeramie Orton of Pam Dorman Books (Penguin Random House) in the US. Publication is planned for early 2025.

Last Resort sees a wealthy family gather on a luxury island to hear the father and patriarch announce the succession plan for his billion dollar Delhi-based company to his three surviving children. What no one knows, the synopsis continues, is that although most family reunions end in tears, this one will end in murder.

Walker describes the book as “Succession” meets the novels of Lucy Foley set on a Scottish island. She said: “It is tense, page-turning and claustrophobic, and you are not let go for a single moment until its brilliantly unexpected ending. I knew I needed to acquire this for Century as soon as I started reading it. I am very much looking forward to introducing Last Resort to loads more appreciative readers in early 2025, and to making it one of Century’s break-out thrillers.”

Sakhlecha grew up in New Delhi and is a diplomat, currently posted as director at The Tagore Centre at the Embassy of India, Berlin. In the past, she has worked in the fashion industry as a business consultant, designer and trend forecaster. She is the author of Your Truth or Mine? and Can You See Me Now? (Macmillan).

Sakhlecha said: “I first had the idea for writing a novel about a family that will go to any lengths to protect its own while separated from my own family during the first lockdown in 2020. I couldn’t be more delighted that Last Resort will be published by Penguin Random House or be more touched by the immense faith and enthusiasm shown by my editors Selina Walker in the UK and Jeramie Orton in the US. I can’t wait to introduce readers to the glamorous and secluded world of the Agarwal family, and the moral questions and tensions they face in the Last Resort, which happens to contain my biggest twist yet.”