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Gill Books snaps up two YA thrillers from Blake
Gill Books has snapped up two “gripping” young adult novels from pseudonymous Sam Blake.
Venetia Gosling, associate publisher, acquired world rights from Simon Trewin at Simon Trewin Creative. Something Terrible Happened Last Night, the first book in the deal, will be published in May 2023 with the second title following in spring 2024.
“I’m really excited to be working with Sam on these intriguing murder mysteries set in a fictional Dublin private school,” commented Gosling. “In Something Terrible Happened Last Night she has come up with a brilliant premise that draws you in from the very first page. I know she will find even more readers with this new direction and am delighted to welcome her to the Gill list.”
Something Terrible Happened Last Night is Blake’s first YA novel and follows the aftermath of Katie’s 17th birthday party. The publisher continued: “The dancefloor is packed, the drink is flowing and Rave-fess, the Raven’s Hill School confession site, is alight with gossip. Then a huge fight breaks out, sending guests fleeing. When Frankie, Jess and Sorcha go back to help Katie clear up her wrecked house before her parents get home, they find more than broken bottles … There’s a body on the living room floor.”
Blake has previously written adult thrillers and under her real name, Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, founded Writing.ie, The Inkwell Group and Murder One, Ireland’s international crime writing festival.
Blake said: “I’m delighted to be working with Venetia and the team at Gill on these thrilling new stories for a YA readership. Bringing a cast of teen characters into the Sam Blake world, with the same twists and turns my adult readers are familiar with, has been very exciting. With Venetia’s huge experience and passion, I’ve loved developing these new stories and I’m excited to see where we can take them.”
