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Pan Macmillan pre-empts debut legal thriller from Jo Murray
Pan Macmillan has pre-empted the debut legal thriller from Jo Murray in a six-figure deal done on a plane from London to New York. Pan Fiction publisher Francesca Pathak acquired world rights to two books from Sarah Hornsley at PFD.
The first book in the deal, Dissection of a Murder is a legal thriller and follows Leila Reynolds who has just been handed her first murder case.
The synopsis states: "She’s way out of her depth but the defendant only wants her – and to make matters worse, her husband is the prosecutor. Soon Leila is fighting to keep her own secrets buried too."
Pathak said: "As a huge Sarah Vaughan and Louise Doughty fan, I’ve been looking for a novel that combines an authoritative legal voice with a page-turning thriller for a long time, and when I read Dissection of a Murder, I just knew I had to publish it."
Murray added: "I was wildly unprepared for the explosive reaction to Dissection of a Murder and I am thrilled to be joining Pan Macmillan. Francesca Pathak’s vision and enthusiasm for this novel blew me away from the outset. I am looking forward to starting my journey with this superb team."
Pan Fiction will publish Dissection of a Murder in hardback in spring 2026 as a super-lead launch.
