Welbeck scoops Matthews' debut thriller

Welbeck Publishing Group is publishing "standout" debut thriller The Prank by L V Matthews.

Fiction publisher Jon Elek acquired UK & Commonwealth rights from Camilla Bolton at Darley Anderson Agency and will publish in spring 2021.

The Prank is a contemporary thriller examining the fallout from a single moment in a reality TV programme that has devastating and long-term consequences, according to its synopsis.

Matthews previously worked for 10 years in UK and international sales for major publishing companies as Liv Whitehead.

Matthews said: "I’m absolutely delighted to be publishing with Jon and everyone at Welbeck next year. The team carries a wealth of experience and I feel privileged to have them champion The Prank."

Elek added: "We are thrilled to welcome L V Matthews to our list. At its heart, The Prank is a novel about isolation and obsessiveness. It’s also a revenge fantasy about regret, denial and trying to rationalise the past. You think it’s going to be about taking an eye for an eye but it ends up being so much more than that. It should appeal to fans of Caroline Kepnes, Ruth Ware, Fiona Barton and A J Finn."
               
Bolton commented: "We’re delighted to be working with Welbeck. It’s been incredible seeing Jon and the brilliant team react with such passion and ambition to Liv’s remarkable debut. From the moment you meet El and follow her as she begins to infiltrate the life of a seemingly perfect family you know you’re in for an incredible ride. To find a debut as fresh, commercial and standout as The Prank is a very lucky thing."