Raven Books pre-empts Zhang's 'horror-tinged thriller'

Raven Books has pre-empted Follow Us, a "brilliantly dark, horror-tinged thriller", and another book by Liann Zhang.

Publishing director Alison Hennessey pre-empted UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada but including audio rights, from Samantha Haywood at the Transatlantic Agency. US rights were pre-empted by Loan Le at Simon & Schuster US, and two books were also sold to Nita Pronovost and Brittany Lavery at Simon & Schuster Canada.

Zhang’s debut novel, Follow Us, will be published in spring 2025, supported by a major marketing and publicity campaign. It is described as a "brilliantly dark, horror-tinged thriller in which a young woman steals her estranged twin’s identity, and her huge success". The synopsis says: "While Julie Chen has been languishing in near poverty since her parents were killed, her sister Chloe was adopted by a wealthy white couple and grew up to establish herself as a hugely successful influencer.

"But then Chloe dies in mysterious circumstances and Julie realises that she can pass as Chloe, giving her access to Chloe’s glittering world of sponsorships, partnerships and a lifestyle Julie could never have dreamt of. But as she grows more comfortable in her new role, she discovers that her sister’s picture perfect life was hiding something far darker than she could ever have imagined."

Hennessey said: "This book is smart, clever, funny, shocking and horrifying. Liann brilliantly blends scathing social commentary into a breakneck plot that leaves you thoroughly unnerved. I adored Julie’s sharp voice and just what she was prepared to do for her new life. I can’t wait to publish it at Raven Books, although I will be looking a lot more suspiciously at any influencers that cross my path."