Pan Mac wins three-way auction for Kelly's reality TV thriller

Pan Macmillan has signed The Villa by Ruth Kelly, an “addictive” thriller about a reality TV show set on a private island.

Fiction commissioning editor Alex Saunders acquired world English-language rights, excluding the US and Canada, at auction from Jordan Lees at the Blair Partnership. French and Dutch rights have already been sold. Pan Macmillan will publish in May 2023 in e-book and audio formats, followed by a paperback original on 22nd June 2023.

The synopsis explains: “It’s destined to be the ultimate reality TV show: Ten contestants. A luxurious villa on a stunning private island. Every moment streamed live to a global audience who have unprecedented access and control over those competing for the £50,000 prize.

“Coerced by her callous editor to enter the show undercover, journalist Laura is told to get the inside scoop on her fellow contestants. But once the games begin, she soon finds herself out of her depth and at the mercy of a ruthless producer willing to do anything to increase viewer numbers.

“There is more to every contestant than meets the eye, including Laura. They all have secrets they would like to keep buried, and the pressure in paradise quickly reaches boiling point. How far will the contestants go to secure audience votes? How far will Laura herself go? And would somebody really kill to win?”

Kelly is an award-winning journalist who has ghosted a string of Sunday Times top-10  bestsellers. The Villa is her debut thriller, drawn from her years working as a reporter for national newspapers and her experience writing for TV shows, most notably with “Big Brother” creator Endemol.

She said: “The moment I met Alex and saw his passion and vision for The Villa, I knew my debut thriller had found the right home. I’m beyond excited to be working with such a talented editor and joining the Pan Macmillan team. Inspiration for The Villa came from my experience as a journalist and working in reality TV. The aim? To keep readers glued to the pages and up all night guessing. The Villa also explores the much darker side of the industry, questioning the impact these kinds of shows have on contestants and the wider audience. I also want to say a big thank you to my agent Jordan Lees at the Blair Partnership for sharing my vision and all his encouragement along the way.”

Saunders added: “The Villa had me hooked from the first page and didn’t let go. It’s an addictive, page-turning, devour-in-one-sitting read for fans of Lucy Foley and Catherine Cooper, and shines a light on the darker side of reality TV shows such as ’Love Island’ while also being fantastically entertaining. I think this will be the thriller everyone will be talking about next summer and I’m so excited for readers to be swept away to the beautiful, but sinister, paradise island of Aruna, where the cameras are always watching…”