Hennessey makes first acquisitions for new Bloomsbury imprint

Alison Hennessey, Bloomsbury’s editorial director, has made her first three acquisitions for her new imprint which will reveal its name and logo in the next few months.

The first is a début thriller by US author Erica Ferencik, The River at Night, described as a “heart- stopping, page-turning thriller, which sees a trip of a lifetime—white-water rafting in the remote US wilderness—turn into a battle for survival for four best friends”.

Hennessey acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Lorella Belli at the Lorella Belli Literary Agency, on behalf of Folio Literary Management for the book, which will be the imprint’s launch title in January 2017.

The second deal is for a standalone suspense title by Eva Dolan, set on a central London estate, for publication in January 2018. Two new titles in Dolan’s acclaimed Zigic and Ferreira detective series will then follow in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Hennessey acquired world all-language rights in the three books from Phil Patterson at Marjacq Scripts.

The third deal is a gothic ghost story by Laura Purcell called The Silent Companions, which sees a grieving widow sent to her husband’s country estate to see out her pregnancy, only to make a disturbing discovery. UK and Commonwealth (excl Canada) rights were acquired at auction from Juliet Mushens at United Talent Agency, for publication in autumn 2017, with Viking publishing in the US.

“From a pacy thriller to an unsettling gothic ghost story by way of the best in intelligent crime fiction, these three talented authors are a perfect reflection of the breadth and variety of my new imprint,” she said.