Transworld signs debut novel from 'phenomenal talent' Marie O'Hare in six-figure pre-empt

Transworld has signed I Know Where You Buried Your Husband in a six-figure, two-book pre-empt from debut novelist Marie O’Hare. 

Deputy publishing director Thorne Ryan acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Claire Wilson at RCW. The novel will be published on the Bantam list as a lead debut in early 2025. 

"From the moment I read the very first page, I knew Marie was an author with a huge future ahead of her," said Wilson. "This book is unlike any other, and I can’t wait for readers to meet the women within its pages – funny, sharp, flawed and deeply relatable women, of the kind so rarely shown to us."

I Know Where You Buried Your Husband  is a "painfully relatable, darkly witty examination of 21st-century womanhood", where five best friends work together to cover up the murder of one of their husbands. 

The synopsis continues: "Sophia, Safa, Ella, Ajola and Caoimhe have been friends since school… When one of them is about to be framed for murder, they inextricably bind their fates together via some bin bags, a spade and a promise never to tell. They decide to separate to ensure the safety of their secret, leaving each of them to navigate the daily challenges of womanhood alone. But when an anonymous blackmailer threatens to expose them years later, the group must come back together to get their stories straight – and find out who is behind their torment. But is it already too late?" 

Ryan said: "I Know Where You Buried Your Husband absorbed me from the first word in a way that hasn’t happened to me – with either submissions or published books – for a very long time. The writing is beautiful yet accessible, and while the hook and plot are very strong, it’s the characterisation, themes and voice that are really the star of this show. Marie is an absolutely phenomenal talent, and I am very pleased to be working with her and Claire to bring to market this bitingly funny yet stunning meditation on womanhood." 

O’Hare added: "Writing I Know Where You Buried Your Husband was an exhilarating experience, and I am over the moon that I now get to be a part of the creative energy at Transworld. I can’t wait to work with the team to share this story with readers and bring it to life."