Vallance signs first adult thriller with Sphere

Sphere has signed Jessica Vallance's first adult fiction novel ahead of London Book Fair, an "addictive" psychological thriller.

Italian rights to Trust Her have already been pre-empted by Garzanti, and the publisher said more deals are expected to follow as the trade gears up for LBF next week (10th-12th April).

Sphere’s commissioning editor Lucy Dauman bought world all language rights to the thriller plus one more from Jo Williamson at Antony Harwood Ltd, with the first book to publish in November 2018.

Set in Brighton, Trust Her tells the story of two women: Rebecca, whose brother has been brutally attacked and Charlotte, the woman who finds him. Both women have secrets to hide, but who will go to greater lengths to keep the truth buried?

Dauman said: “Trust Her is the very definition of a page-turner and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the unreliable narrator executed so well. Jessica challenges the reader’s perception at every turn, so you’re left never knowing quite who to believe until the jaw-dropping finish. She is a huge talent and I’m so excited to launch her thriller-writing career at Sphere.”

Vallance lives in Sussex with her partner and their dog. She writes educational articles on a freelance basis and has had two YA novels with Hot Key Books, one of which, Birdy, has been optioned for film by Loop.