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Transworld triumphs in ‘heated’ 10-way auction for two novels from debut author Frances Crawford
Transworld, a division of Penguin Random House, has triumphed in a “heated” 10-way auction for two novels from debut author Frances Crawford. Editorial director Finn Cotton bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, with Europe, from Oli Munson and Euan Thorneycroft at A. M. Heath. A Bad, Bad Place will publish in spring 2026.
The synopsis reads: “While walking her dog, Sid Vicious, on an abandoned railway, Janey finds a murdered woman. Janey’s trauma means she can’t remember what happened immediately after finding the body, a fact the police latch on to, thinking she might have seen the murderer. As Janey begins compiling a scrapbook to help humanise the victim, she finds herself investigating a group of potential suspects. But not everyone wants her to remember the truth, and if she isn’t careful, she might end up in the same bad place as Samantha.”
The book is set in Glasgow’s Possilpark estate in 1979, where Crawford also grew up. While studying at Glasgow University, her tutor, Louise Welsh, read her short story and suggested she turn it into a novel, and the story became A Bad, Bad Place. It won the Bloody Scotland/Glencairn Crime Short Story Competition in 2023 and was Highly Commended in the Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award in 2024.
Crawford said: “I feel incredibly lucky and hugely grateful to be welcomed by such a dedicated and respected publisher. Transworld is the perfect home for A Bad, Bad Place with Finn’s connection to the novel overwhelmingly positive. I cannot wait to begin my writing journey supported by so much skill and enthusiasm.”
Cotton said: “The moment A Bad, Bad Place came in on submission, the whole team were blown away by Frances’s distinctive, mesmerising voice and by the vivid world that she’s created. Frances writes from the heart about the people she grew up with, about community, and about a young girl overcoming trauma. We can’t wait to introduce readers to this very special novel.”
