Gollancz triumphs in 10-way bidding war for two books from Lex Croucher

Gollancz has triumphed in a “ferocious” 10-way bidding war for The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones by Nero Book Awards-shortlisted author Lex Croucher in a six-figure deal for two standalones. 

Editorial director Bethan Morgan acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in a two-book deal from Chloe Seager at Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. Publication is planned for autumn 2025 with the second standalone to follow in 2026.  

North American rights to The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones were sold to Vicki Lame at Macmillan imprint Wednesday Books and translation rights have also already been pre-empted in Italy (Edizioni E/O) with international submissions still to come following the London Book Fair. 

Billed as "The Secret History meets Her Majesty’s Royal Coven", the first book follows the life of a non-binary student and aspiring magician who fails to gain admission to the UK’s only school of magic. Gollancz promises “tyrant prefects, trials-by-sorcery, queer found family fighting the establishment, and childhood friends-to-rivals-to-enemies-to-more".

Morgan described Briar Jones as “one of those breathtakingly precious bookish gifts you know is going to become a generation-defining phenomenon” adding “this is for everyone who didn’t get that letter to magic school and instead decided to simply go forth and change the world themselves”. 

Croucher grew up in Surrey and worked in content creation for NGOs and charities such as Greenpeace and Cancer Research UK before becoming a full-time writer in 2021. Their first book was 2019’s non-fiction "survival guide" for young people, You’re Crushing It! Positivity for Your Real Life (Bloomsbury). They moved into adult fiction with three Regency-set rom-coms, published by Bonnier Books UK since 2022. Croucher’s queer, fake-dating, historical fantasy YA romance Gwen and Art Are Not in Love (Bloomsbury YA) was shortlisted for the inaugural Nero awards in the Children’s Fiction category.

Croucher said: “I am excited to be making the jump to fantasy with Bethan and the incredible team at Gollancz. Bethan’s vision for this book blew me away, and I knew I’d found the perfect partner in crime to help me dismantle a magic school from the inside out.”