Trapeze falls for 'The Matchmaker'

Trapeze has signed a novel about a successful matchmaker said to be inspired by a love of TV series "First Dates".

Katie Brown, commissioning editor at Trapeze, acquired world rights in all languages in The Matchmaker by Cosmopolitan journalist Catriona Innes in a deal struck by Diana Beaumont at Marjacq.

About taking people back to basics when it comes to dating, the novel is “an exploration of what is true and what we perceive to be true, in a world dominated by curated social media channels but it is also about love, friendship, and a celebration of relationships in all guises”.

The Matchmaker follows Caitlin and her Sheffield-based matchmaking business, which she starts after setting up some successful blind dates for friends and her own wedding went viral. Her business is going from strength to strength, with more clients – including high-profile influencers – wanting to use her, tired of being disposable in an era where you can be ditched with one swipe to the left. Plus, Caitlin offers some special extras to help her clients feel at ease: like going undercover and spying on their dates. But while her business booms, her marriage is a different matter altogether: Caitlin has a secret, and everything around her will crumble if people find out she’s a fraud.
 
Brown said the book was "genuinely surprising": "it’s a love story but not necessarily the one you think you’re going to get – plus, it has a really satisfying mystery at its heart that will be an emotional punch to the gut for readers! It’s also an exploration of some very timely themes, including the idea that everything we see on social is not really a true representation, the effect of social media on individuals’ self-confidence and mental health, and coping with grief and loneliness in a world where you’re constantly connected. Catriona is such a talent, writing so sensitively about these issues, and I am delighted to welcome her to the Trapeze list.”

Innes said: “I've always been obsessed with matchmakers - and even applied to be one when I graduated (unsuccessfully!) It intrigues me that there are these people who make a lot of money out of love... and what happens if their personal relationships aren't as successful as the professional ones they're touting? I first began writing stories about a matchmaker when I was a teenager, but the topic is much more relevant now in an age of digital dating apps and fake online personas.”

The Matchmaker will be published by Trapeze in paperback and e-book in autumn 2019.