Hodder & Stoughton pre-empts two thrillers by literary agent Hornsley for ‘significant’ six-figure sum

Hodder & Stoughton has acquired two thrillers by Sarah Hornsley, literary agent at PFD, in a significant six-figure deal in a “whirlwind 48-hour pre-empt”.

Phoebe Morgan, crime and thriller publisher, pre-empted UK and Commonwealth rights for Bad Blood and a second thriller in a two-book deal from Juliet Mushens at Mushens Entertainment in her first acquisition since joining Hodder from HarperCollins in October 2022.

German rights have been bought at a four-way auction for six figures by Penguin and Romanian rights have sold to Crime Scene Press. Further international deals are expected to follow during London Book Fair and the publisher says there is also already "lots of exciting film and TV interest underway with more news to follow."

Bad Blood is described as “a propulsive, incredibly twisty debut about Justine Stone, a lawyer who is given her first big murder case, only to find that it’s her ex-boyfriend on the stand⁠—and he’s been accused of a double killing back in their hometown. But as Justine finds herself drawn back to the life she left behind 12 years ago, she realises that the truth about the murders is darker than anyone could have realised—and that she can’t run from it any longer."

Hornsley started her career in publishing in 2012 at Orion Books, followed by a short stint in script development before becoming a literary agent in 2015, joining PFD in 2021. She was selected for The Bookseller Rising Star list in 2019; Morgan was the list’s Shooting Star in 2021.

Hornsley said: “I was overwhelmed by the response to Bad Blood and could not have hoped for a better editor than Phoebe Morgan to publish it. Hodder’s vision and support is an author’s dream and I’m looking forward to going on this journey with them.”

Morgan said: “Bad Blood manages to combine an intense, gripping thriller with real emotional depth and Sarah’s talent for characterisation shines through the script. The final third will surpass all expectations: it’s one of the best endings I’ve ever read. This is Blood Orange meets Sharp Objects with a triple twist of the very best kind.”

Mushens added: “As soon as I read Bad Blood on submission I knew I needed to represent it. With shades of Gillian Flynn, I found the spiky yet vulnerable voice of Justine teamed with the twists and turns of the narrative an absolutely irresistible combination.”

Hodder will publish Bad Blood as a flagship hardback title in Spring 2025, and a sample of the opening can be read and a request to receive an exclusive early proof be put in here.