Mantle buys Maynard's novel about ex-prisoner

Mantle has bought a second novel by Frances Maynard, about a “social misfit” recently released from prison.

Sam Humphreys, associate publisher at the Pan Macmillan imprint, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to The End of the Sentence from Juliet Mushens at Caskie Mushens. It is slated for publication in June next year. 

Mantle published Maynard's first novel, The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr, last year after buying it at auction in 2016. It was a runner-up in the Good Housekeeping 2014 First Novel Award and the Society of Authors’ 2018 McKitterick Prize, and was shortlisted for both the 2016 Mslexia First Novel Competition and the Lucy Cavendish Prize.

Humphreys said of the new book: “Like Elvira, it’s a brilliantly heart-warming, original and charming story of a character some might see as a social misfit trying to make — and ultimately succeeding in making — her way in the world. In this instance, that character is Maggsie who, recently released from prison and barely able to read or write, wants to do the right thing but is faced with temptation at every turn. Frances is wonderful at capturing the quandaries, conflicts and contradictions that Maggsie deals with on a daily basis, and also paints a wonderful picture of the importance of both friendship and the written word."

Maynard said: “I’m thrilled to be working with the lovely, kind and insightful Sam Humphreys again, and am looking forward to introducing another ‘outsider’ heroine who gets there in the end.”