Hodder pre-empts Shanghai-set retelling of Romeo and Juliet

Hodder & Stoughton has acquired These Violent Delights by debut author Chloe Gong, a "Romeo and Juliet" retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

Commissioning editor Molly Powell made her first acquisition at Hodder & Stoughton in a two-book pre-empt for UK and Commonwealth rights from Laura Crockett of Triada US. The novel will be published simultaneously by Hodder & Stoughton and Simon Pulse on 17th November 2020, in hardback and e-book.

Gong is originally from New Zealand and is a student at the University of Pennsylvania, studying English and International Relations. She said: "I wrote These Violent Delights to retell a familiar classic, but with a fresh cast of characters, and set in the fast-paced, breathless atmosphere of 1920s Shanghai. The world is one that I adored exploring, and I cannot wait to share it with readers. I was blown away by the Hodder team’s passion for this story and am so incredibly thrilled to be working with them."

Powell said: "From the first word to the last, I was utterly absorbed by this grippingly told and completely compelling story of warring gangs, forbidden love and mystery in a wonderfully realised setting – I think Chloe is an immensely talented author, and I’m delighted to be publishing her in the UK."