Hodder pre-empts Kelsey Cox thriller as six-figure deals signed worldwide

Hodder Fiction has pre-empted Party of Liars, a "Liane Moriarty meets Rebecca" thriller set around a 16th birthday party, and a second book, from début author Kelsey Cox, with the deal in the US wrapped up with a significant six-figure pre-empt.  

Commercial fiction publishing director Phoebe Morgan bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Hayley Steed at Janklow & Nesbit UK, on behalf of Stefanie Lieberman at Janklow US. Lieberman sold North American rights to Alexandra Sehulster at Minotaur. 

Party of Liars has also sold in France (Black Lab/Marabout), Germany (Luebbe, in a six-way auction) and Italy (HarperCollins), while the book is under offer in Finland and at auction in Poland.

Hodder will publish Party of Liars in summer 2025, promising a "major" marketing and publicity campaign. 

Party of Liars centres around a gothic mansion where the guests have gathered to celebrate an exclusive black-tie birthday party. “By the end of the evening, one of the guests is dead, and another is a killer – but who is the hunter and who is the prey?” the publisher teased.  

American Cox is a member of Southern New Hampshire University’s English facutly and previously completed an MFA at Purdue University. She said: “I am beyond grateful to be working with Phoebe and the whole team at Hodder & Stoughton. Their enthusiasm for Party of Liars simply blew me away. I wrote this book to honour the wonderfully fierce and complicated women in my life, to shine a light on their often-unseen struggles and quiet sacrifices.” 

Morgan added: “This is Liane Moriarty meets Du Maurier’s Rebecca – an intoxicating story with real heart and importance lurking beneath the amazing pace. Kelsey is hugely talented at bringing her characters to life, but one thing’s for sure – this party is going to be the death of them.”