Firefly swoops for 'masterly' YA novel on male friendship from Palmer

Firefly has swooped for Play, a young adult novel on masculinity and male friendship from Luke Palmer. 

Publisher Penny Thomas acquired world rights from Jane Finnigan at Lutyens & Rubinstein Literary Agency. The novel will be published in October. 

Palmer’s debut Grow (Firefly Press) was Carnegie-longlisted and shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2022. Play is a "intensely gripping and masterly" novel about the fates of four boys growing up in a small English town, said the publisher. 

The synopsis reads: "Four boys grow up together at school, itching to get out of their small town. They play games, scoring points from each other, anything to pass the time until they’re free. Matthew slips into his imagination, Luc pushes his body to the limit, and Johnny … well, who knows what Johnny’s up to?

"But when Mark starts running errands for his older brother’s mysterious associate, he thinks he’s found the best game of all. There’s money in his pocket and his friends have started looking at him differently.

"Then Mark breaks a rule. He quickly realises that the penalties in this game far outweigh the prizes on offer. And now he really is trapped. Will Mark find a way out before someone loses more than just face?"

Thomas said: "Play is a confident and deeply impressive second novel from an outstanding writer. Luke takes us deep into the ‘games’ of his characters as they map out more or less dangerous routes through their secondary school days in what is a fine exploration of modern-day masculinity."

Palmer added: "I’m delighted to once again be working with Penny and the team at Firefly to bring Play into the world. It’s a novel about boyhood and male friendship that’s really important to me and it’s a privilege to find people who are as excited about it as I am."