Orion acquires Unmasking Lucy Letby by BBC journalists Jonathan Coffey and Judith Moritz

Orion has acquired rights to Unmasking Lucy Letby, by BBC journalists Jonathan Coffey and Judith Moritz.

Vicky Eribo, executive publisher of Seven Dials, acquired UK & Commonwealth rights from Natasha Fairweather at the RCW Literary Agency.

Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder a further seven. She is officially the most prolific child killer of the modern era, and only the fourth British woman ever to receive a whole life prison sentence. Drawing on interviews with those connected to this tragic story, as well as exclusive sources and documents from the case and Letby’s past, Coffey and Moritz will set out to answer who Letby was, what her motives were, and how she got away with it for so long.

Coffey and Moritz have been leading the BBC’s investigation of the Letby case from the beginning. The BBC’s north of England correspondent Moritz first covered the case in 2017 when news emerged of a spike in deaths at the Countess of Chester hospital. Coffey spearheaded the BBC’s investigative effort for "Panorama" and spent over a year earning the trust of people who knew and worked with Letby. 

Eribo said: "Jonathan Coffey and Judith Moritz have crafted a masterful account that not only details the facts but also delves deep into the human stories behind the headlines. Their book is a profound exploration of the complexities of the case and the relentless pursuit of justice for the victims and their families."

Coffey added: "This book has been driven by the imperative to get to the truth of who Lucy Letby really is and what actually happened at the hospital where she worked."

Moritz said: "There’s no question that the Letby case is one of the biggest news stories of our times. For 25 years, I’ve sat on the press benches of courtrooms all over the UK, covering some of the country’s most high-profile prosecutions and inquiries. None of them have prompted a reaction quite like this trial."

Unmasking Lucy Letby: The Untold Story of the Killer Nurse will be released in hardback, e-book and audiobook on 24th October 2024.