Usborne snaps up YA debut from 'huge new talent' Kate Francis

Usborne has snapped up Circle of Liars, the "utterly addictive" YA debut from "huge new talent" Kate Francis. 

Senior commissioning editor Becky Walker acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Ludo Cinelli at Eve White Literary Agency for publication in July 2025. Exclusive early proofs will be available at the Young Adult Literature Convention 2024. 

"Circle of Liars is the YA thriller that has it all: jaw-dropping twists driven by complex, conflicted protagonists and an unbelievably clever conceit," said Cinelli. 

Set in the Californian desert, Circle of Liars follows seven teenagers trapped in an abandoned motel and caught in deadly game of revenge. Every hour they "must choose the guiltiest among them to cross the line and be killed". 

Walker commented: “Get ready to enter the Circle of Liars. Impossibly pacy and with a blazingly imagined concept that is going to get every single reader talking, this really is YA at its most addictive from a huge new talent."

Francis added: “Writing Circle of Liars was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. There was nothing better than coming home and diving into the dangerous and exhilarating world of these characters, pushing them to their absolute limits, and sometimes beyond. I am so excited to share this book with readers and hope that they will enjoy the ride as much as I have.”