Orion pre-empts ‘fiercely unique’ Wray mysteries

Orion Fiction has pre-empted two books from C J Wray with The Excitements publishing as a lead title in January 2024, followed by a sequel. 

Publishing director Sam Eades negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights with James Gill at United Agents. The Excitements was subjected to offers in major territories with pre-empts in Germany (Goldmann) and France (Le Cherche Midi) and sold at auction to Piemme in Italy.

Translation rights are being handled by Amy Mitchell at United Agents, screen rights by Jennifer Thomas at the same agency and US rights by Jessica Purdue at Orion Books.

The Excitements tells the stories of two female veterans of the Second World War in their 90s who are Paris-bound to receive the Légion D’Honneur for their part in liberating France but have a “delicious hidden dark side”. 

Eades has hailed the book as “warm, funny and uplifting” as well as surprising and “fiercely unique". She said: “C J Wray expertly blends historical fiction and humour with a central mystery that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night. Ultimately, at its heart are those two unforgettable heroes, sisters Josephine and Penny. This is the story of two extraordinary women, and their lifetime of lies.”

C J Wray is the pseudonym of a Sunday Times bestselling author with more than 40 books to her name.

Wray said: “I’m over the moon that my feisty nonagenarians have found a home with Sam and her team at Orion.  My heroines were inspired by three brilliant women, real-life Second World War veterans, whom I met while working as a ghost-writer. All three of my veteran friends insisted under interrogation over sherry that they’ve never worked as spies but The Excitements is the story I just know they’re keeping from me…”