'Distinctive' debut to Little, Brown by Laura Kaye

Little, Brown has acquired a "subversive, funny and distinctive" debut novel: English Animals by Laura Kaye.

The book follows protagonist Miša from Slovakia as she struggles to make sense of "a very English couple" after getting a job in a country house in rural England. Richard and Sophie are outrageous and drunken, but also warm, generous and kind to Miša. Stuck in the middle of their "argumentative and turbulent marriage", the book is about "a doomed love affair" and "a certain kind of Englishness and prejudice", according to publishing director, Clare Smith.

Little, Brown acquired world rights to Kaye's debut from Elinor Cooper at Diamond Kahn & Woods Literary Agency.

Kaye is a graduate of Goldsmith’s Creative Writing MA, followed by a further year of study under the mentorship of M.J. Hyland at the University of Manchester. She has worked on music and arts documentaries for the BBC and lives in Hackney.

Cooper said: "Laura Kaye is a brilliant observer of human nature, with a wonderful eye for detail and a wry wit, who in her beautifully written debut novel, English Animals, balances poignancy and humour perfectly.  Little, Brown is the perfect home for Laura's talents and I can't wait for them to share English Animals with readers in 2017."

Smith said: "English Animals is a subversive, funny and highly distinctive debut about a doomed love, affair, a certain kind of Englishness and prejudice, and reminded me of Nina Stibbe’s Man at the Helm. Laura is a very talented writer and I am absolutely delighted Little, Brown is launching her career."

Little, Brown will publish in hardback in Spring 2017.