Foley strikes new two-book deal with HarperCollins

Lucy Foley has signed a new two-book deal with HarperCollins. 

Kimberley Young, publisher of general fiction, HarperFiction, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown in a major new deal. North American rights have been acquired by Katherine Nintzel, executive editor at William Morrow of HarperCollins US.

Foley’s critically acclaimed crime debut The Hunting Party was pre-empted by HarperCollins in a six-figure two-book deal in 2017. The second novel in that deal, The Guest List, will be released in hardback next spring. 

This new two-book deal signals the publisher’s ambition to cement Foley as the "most exciting new voice in the crime thriller market", said HarperCollins. The first title in the new contract will be another atmospheric, high-concept thriller with a contemporary murder mystery twist.

Young said: "Lucy Foley is a dream author to work with: immensely talented, creative and hardworking, and so deserving of the success that she’s achieved with her market-leading  novel. She’s fast becoming the queen of the modern locked-room mystery – I can’t wait for readers to discover her phenomenal new thriller, The Guest List, next spring – and I know that we have an incredibly exciting journey ahead."

The Hunting Party has been one of the fastest-selling, bestselling thrillers of the year, said HarperCollins. It hit the UK hardback charts at number two, has been an Irish Times bestseller for more than 20 consecutive weeks, it’s the top-selling psychological thriller of 2019 so far selling 22,145 copies in total through the UK TCM, and HarperCollins have shipped 130k units in their markets to date. The paperback will be published with an ambitious publicity campaign at the end of October. 

Foley added: "It has been such a thrill seeing the passion and talent of the brilliant team at HarperCollins pay off with The Hunting Party hitting the bestseller lists and I’m so excited by the creativity and ambition of their plans for The Guest List. It’s wonderful to know the party will be continuing for another two books!"

Summerhayes said: "The combination of Lucy’s brilliant crime writing and HarperCollins’ publishing genius made The Hunting Party a must-read and The Guest List is shaping up to be an even bigger hit, so I am thrilled that we have another two books to add to the canon."