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Hachette Books Ireland has acquired the debut crime novel of former Irish state pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy in a two-book deal.
Ciara Considine, publisher at Hachette Books Ireland, acquired Ireland, UK and Commonwealth rights from Faith O’Grady at Lisa Richards Agency. Body of Truth will be published in trade paperback, e-book and audiobook on 5th October 2023.
Its synopsis reads: “Dr Terry O’Brien has recently arrived in Ireland from Scotland to take up a position as state pathologist. Soon after, a body is found in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. Rachel Reece, host of the popular true crime podcast ’Ireland’s Missing Women’, has been brutally murdered.
“As Terry gathers evidence to help with the police investigation, she becomes convinced that they are following the wrong line of inquiry and begins her own research. She soon finds herself in the thick of cold cases of murdered Irish women, with questions mounting.
“What did Rachel Reece find out about the unsolved murder of Eileen McCarthy before she died? Who is feeding Terry anonymous information about the podcaster’s endeavours? And why do the powers that be seem to want to thwart her at every turn?
“Another woman is found murdered and, as pressure mounts on the gardaí to find the perpetrator, Terry’s post mortem reveals something that might hold the key to everything. But a killer is closer than she knows. And their next victim is firmly within their sights…”
Considine said: “Fans of Patricia Cornwell will delight in her creation, Dr Terry O’Brien, a young pathologist with a troubled past and exceptional forensic skills. Body of Truth is full of suspense and the kind of in-depth forensic detail we would expect from a former state pathologist.”
Hachette Books Ireland previously acquired Cassidy’s memoir, Beyond the Tape, in a six-way auction. Cassidy said of the new deal: “I’m so pleased to have signed with Hachette Books Ireland, the publisher of my memoir Beyond the Tape, for my Terry O’Brien novels. As a lover of the thriller genre, it’s been a great experience to immerse myself in the world of fiction and combine my professional knowledge as a pathologist with my passion for storytelling.”