HQ pre-empts sequel by 74-year-old who topped bestseller charts after daughter's viral TikTok

HQ has pre-empted the sequel to viral TikTok sensation, Stone Maidens, by Lloyd Devereux Richards, who became a bestseller at the age of 74 after his daughter, Marguerite, posted three heart-warming videos about his debut novel on the platform.  

Cicely Aspinall, editorial director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to Maidens of the Cave, and a second standalone thriller,The Runner, from Jenny Meyer at The Jenny Meyer Literary Agency. North American rights to Maidens of the Cave were acquired by Emily Krump at William Morrow at auction from Elisabeth Weed at The Book Group. 

Devereux Richards’ book rocketed to the top of the Amazon bestseller charts earlier this year after his daughter posted videos about his debut novel on social media. After 14 years of writing and 11 years on sale, the novel had sold few copies, until her videos gave it a sudden boost.

The sequel, Maidens of the Cave, sees the return of Forensic anthropologist Christine Prusik. The synopsis says: “When the bodies of young women start appearing in the caves of Indiana and Illinois, Christine immediately jumps into action. But her Chicago field office is undergoing a reorganisation, and the boys’ club at the top seem more interested in getting all the paperwork in order than solving the murders. Christine isn’t going to let a little red tape stop her, and when she discovers that all the bodies have the same mysterious pin-sized bruise on the back of their necks, she realises she’ll have to confront her own inner demons to find the killer.” 

Devereux Richards said: ‘I am so excited to have HQ as the UK publisher of Maidens of the Cave and The Runner. The past few months have been a whirlwind. I have always had the support of my family and could not have written these books without them. Now, thanks to the support of the BookTok community, I’m thrilled to be able to share this sequel with my readers.” 

Aspinall added: “Ever since Lloyd and Marguerite’s TikTok’s warmed the hearts of millions, readers like myself have been clamouring for more. The response to Stone Maidens showed Lloyd is a talented hidden gem of a writer and I’m so excited to be publishing the sequel. Utterly gripping, and reminiscent of the best of the genre, Maidens of the Cave is every bit as pacey and well-constructed as Lloyd’s debut.”