Sandstone lands Spoto's 'thrilling' gothic debut

Sandstone Press has scooped The Grief Nurse, a novel exploring grief and loss by debut author Angie Spoto.

The publisher acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to the novel from Robbie Guillory at Underline Literary Agency.

Set in a world where the rich and powerful have their grief removed, the book is a gothic drama about one woman’s search for freedom and the collapse of an aristocratic family.

Kay Farrell, assistant publisher at Sandstone, said: "As soon I finished reading The Grief Nurse, I knew something very special had come along. Angie has employed incredible imagination and imagery to embody the very personal ways people experience grief and loss. Balancing that with same-sex romance and her protagonist’s evolution towards independence is quite the feat. An unforgettably immersive read which will be at the centre of Sandstone’s programme for 2023."

Guillory said: "Angie’s novel is a thrilling fantasy whodunnit in its own right, but contained within it is also a beautiful examination of the importance of feeling sadness and sorrow. I’m delighted that Sandstone are going to be the ones to get it into readers’ hands, and can’t wait for people to fall in love with Lynx."

Spoto added: "As a book very much inspired by Scottish landscape, The Grief Nurse feels right at home with Sandstone. I’m so pleased to be working with Sandstone to bring The Grief Nurse into the world. This is a book that changed my relationship with grief and gave me tools for acknowledging and exploring grief’s myriad of emotions – I’m so looking forward to sharing it with others."