Viking snaps up two ‘glossy’ thrillers from Nikki Smith

Viking has snapped up two “sun-lounger” thrillers from Nikki Smith, dubbed “queen the destination thriller”. 

Editorial director Vikki Moynes acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Sophie Lambert at C&W. They Had It Coming, the first book in the deal, will be published in 2025 with the second thriller to follow in 2026. 

“Viking have proved to be the perfect publishing team for Nikki, and They Had It Coming sees her brilliance as a storyteller taken to the next level,” said Lambert. 

They Had It Coming is Smith’s third “glossy” thriller following newlyweds Josh and Sophie who decide to visit their old friends Tom and Layla in Bali. The synopsis continues: “But things aren’t as idyllic as they seem, and there’s another reason behind Josh and Sophie’s visit. You can travel halfway round the world to escape them, but your secrets will always follow.”

Moynes said: “Nikki is such a talent. Her understanding of the human psyche and all its dark corners is second to none. She uses this superpower to create compulsive plots that surprise the reader at every turn, all within the most decadent, beautiful settings. 

“Her addictive thrillers are ‘White Lotus’ in book form, and the perfect choice for anyone in need of some scorching sun and shocking secrets. Viking is so excited to continue this partnership.” 

Smith added: “I couldn’t be more delighted to be working with Vikki and Viking again for my next two books. As we all know, publishing is very much a team effort, and everyone at Viking has worked so hard and done such a superb job with both The Beach Party and The Guests. We have such exciting plans for They Had It Coming and I can’t wait for you to join Sophie, Josh, Layla and Tom in Bali.”