Square Peg pre-empts end-of-life care memoir by hospice nurse Vlahos

Square Peg has pre-empted The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by hospice nurse and TikTok creator Hadley Vlahos.

Marianne Tatepo, publishing director, acquired exclusive UK and Commonwealth, excluding Canada, rights from Cecile Barendsma at Cecile B Literary agency on behalf of Noah Ballard at Verve Literary in a 72-hour pre-empt. It will be be published in hardback, e-book and audiobook on 17th August 2023.

First published in the US in June 2023 by Sara Weiss, executive editor at Ballantine Books (Penguin Random House USA), The In-Between debuted at number three on the New York Times bestseller list on publication and remained in the chart for more than five weeks. According to the publisher it sold 100,000 copies within its first month on sale.

The publisher says: “In this heart-warming memoir of wisdom, redemption and even joy, Hadley Vlahos beautifully shares life lessons and stories from being a palliative care nurse, and how end-of-life patients have informed her sense of purpose. Focusing on 12 memorable patient stories from all walks of life, she shows us the range of end-of-life experiences.

“From the woman who never once questioned her faith until she was close to death, to the older man seeing visions of his late daughter, and the young patient who laments spending too much of her short life worrying about what others thought of her. Each story raises vital questions about living, dying and the afterlife, offering comfort to those navigating loss and inspiring us to live our lives to the fullest.”

Vlahos started her career as a registered nurse at 22. As a hospice nurse, she now visits people at their home while also educating and sharing stories about hospice care on social media. Her handle is @NurseHadley and she has 1.6 million followers on TikTok , 223,000 on Instagram, 322,000 on Facebook and 204,000 on YouTube.

Vlahos said: “I am incredibly thrilled that my book has found its UK home with Square Peg. Their commitment to publishing stories that reflect every reader’s life experiences aligns perfectly with my goal of sharing the importance of hospice care, life and death with readers worldwide. I look forward to this partnership and reaching an international audience, as the topic of death is something that touches us all.”

Tatepo said: “In a perfect blend of clear-sighted insights, tenderly-rendered stories and compassionate life lessons, The In-Between offers a hopeful perspective on the impact and meaning of good end-of-life care. Hadley pays tribute to the mutual act of caring between hospice workers, palliative patients and their dear ones; she also shares her journey as a nurse and single parent, and a thought-provoking outlook on what may lie beyond existence. With her accessible yet nuanced, secular observations about our final moments, Hadley has already reached over 2.35 million fans on social media. I hope this memoir becomes a balm to anyone who has ever lost a loved one, or is facing a serious medical diagnosis.”