Hodder & Stoughton pre-empts two thrillers by Sarah Hornsley

Phoebe Morgan at Hodder & Stoughton has acquired BAD BLOOD and a second thriller by Sarah Hornsley in a significant six-figure deal in a “whirlwind 48-hour pre-empt”. Hodder will publish BAD BLOOD as a flagship hardback title in Spring 2025.

German rights have been bought at a four-way auction for six figures by Penguin and Romanian rights have sold to Crime Scene Press. Further international deals are expected to follow during London Book Fair and the publisher says there is also already "lots of exciting film and TV interest underway with more news to follow."

Bad Blood is described as “a propulsive, incredibly twisty debut about Justine Stone, a lawyer who is given her first big murder case, only to find that it’s her ex-boyfriend on the stand⁠—and he’s been accused of a double killing back in their hometown. But as Justine finds herself drawn back to the life she left behind 12 years ago, she realises that the truth about the murders is darker than anyone could have realised—and that she can’t run from it any longer."

For The Bookseller, Sarah commented: “I was overwhelmed by the response to Bad Blood and could not have hoped for a better editor than Phoebe Morgan to publish it. Hodder’s vision and support is an author’s dream and I’m looking forward to going on this journey with them.”

Juliet added: “As soon as I read Bad Blood on submission I knew I needed to represent it. With shades of Gillian Flynn, I found the spiky yet vulnerable voice of Justine teamed with the twists and turns of the narrative an absolutely irresistible combination.”