Penguin Michael Joseph bags 'thrilling' new book from Day

Penguin Michael Joseph has bagged a “thrilling” new novel from Sylvia Day in a two-book deal. 

Maxine Hitchcock, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to So Close from Kimberly Whalen at The Whalen Agency. It will publish on 30th March 2023, and will be the first in the Blacklist series and Day’s first hardback publication in the UK. The sequel, Too Far, will follow in autumn 2023.  

So Close introduces widower Kane Black, hollowed out by grief at the loss of his wife Lily – who he then spies amidst the bustling Manhattan streets. But is Lily truly back from the dead? And what is her agenda? Kane’s mother Aliyah and sister-in-law Amy are determined to uncover the truth – and protect what they covet at any cost. 

PMJ’s campaign will kick off in January with a celebratory 10th anniversary edition of Day’s first UK bestseller Bared to You. 

Maxine Hitchcock, publishing director, said: “Sylvia Day is an author who has captivated legions of fans across the world. So Close marks a triumphant return of a storyteller at the very height of her powers. In Lily, Aliyah and Amy, Sylvia has created an unholy trinity of women, linked by buried secrets, who circle a man who unquestionably accepts the return of his beloved long-lost wife. She takes us on a thrilling, atmospheric and emotionally intense journey which had me thirsting for the next instalment. This is the start of an exciting new chapter for an author with an already glittering career.” 

Day added: “Throughout my nearly 20 year career as a published author, I’ve hopped genres regularly, and it was exhilarating to do so again with So Close. I’m excited to introduce readers to the strange and unsettling world of the Blacklist series and to give readers chills in a different way than ever before.”