Harvill Secker pre-empts ‘powerful’ Lee debut in six-figure deal

Harvill Secker has pre-empted a "blistering" debut novel by Ela Lee for six figures in a two-book deal.

In her first acquisition for the publisher, Katie Ellis-Brown, deputy publishing director for crime, thriller and crossover, and assistant editor Dredhëza Maloku acquired world all language rights to Jaded from Hellie Ogden at Janklow & Nesbit.

In a deal negotiated by Vintage rights director Jane Kirby, North American rights were also pre-empted in a six-figure, one-book deal by Carina Guiterman at Simon & Schuster US. The novel will be published in spring 2024 as a Vintage lead debut. 

A reading group novel about identity, consent, race and power, Jaded follows the story of a mixed race lawyer in London, who after a night of heavy drinking at a work event has to piece together what happened.

Ellis-Brown said: "From the first page where Ela writes ‘all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name’ I was ensnared by Jade, and I knew I was reading something the likes of which I’d not read in a long time. 

“Jaded left me infuriated, devastated, and emotionally wrung out, but it also gave me hope, made me laugh, and, such is Ela’s talent, had me questioning my very beliefs. What more can you ask of a writer?”

Lee said: “I started writing as an outlet during the pandemic, with no expectations for what would come of it. Since then I’ve been blown away by the passionate response to Jaded.

“From the first email, it was clear that Katie was the perfect editor to champion Jade’s story as she so perceptively understood the story of female resilience I wanted to tell. I cannot thank my endlessly supportive agent Hellie Ogden enough for finding Jaded its home at Harvill Secker and Vintage, and at Simon & Schuster US.”

Raised in south London, Lee studied at the University of Oxford before becoming a lawyer. She is a trilingual first-generation UK citizen, born to Korean and Turkish immigrant parents.