HarperCollins buys three crime novels from McTiernan in seven-figure deal

HarperCollins has bought three standalone crime novels from Irish author Dervla McTiernan in a seven-figure deal, to be published by HarperFiction in the UK, William Morrow in the US and HarperCollins Australia in March 2022.

The deal was brokered with Shane Salerno at the Story Factory with Judy DeGrottole, Liate Stehlik and Emily Krump at HarperCollins. Krump will also be editing alongside Anna Valdinger in Australia and Phoebe Morgan in the UK.

First title, The Murder Rule, is about a bright and ambitious law student who appears to be working for the Innocence Project to save a convicted murderer from death row, but who has an agenda of her own.

McTiernan is a bestseller in Australia known for her Cormac Reilly series. Her novel The Ruin (Sphere) is currently in development as a limited TV series. She has also won multiple awards for her crime writing, including the Ned Kelly Award, the Davitt Award, and the Barry Award, and has been shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and the Australian Book Industry awards several times.

Editorial director Morgan said: "Dervla McTiernan is a force to be reckoned with in the world of crime fiction – her writing is intelligent, flawlessly paced, and emotionally astute as well as holding the reader in a vice-like grip throughout. The Murder Rule tackles the fascinating topic of wrongful convictions and the Innocence Project so adeptly, and we’re very excited to be building her global career at HarperCollins. She is a writer whose work deserves to be devoured in every country!"

McTiernan added: "I feel extraordinarily lucky and grateful to have HarperCollins behind me and to have the opportunity to work with such an incredible team. I’m so excited about The Murder Rule. I can’t wait to bring the book to readers!"