Curtis Brown Australia RIGHTS NEWSLETTER July 2014 - 'Thriller' special by Curtis Brown Australia

Curtis Brown Australia July 2014 Rights Newsletter ‘Thriller’ special

LITERARY THRILLER

272 pp |

PAPERBACK

WHAT CAME BEFORE Anna George It’s the Australian Gone Girl meets The Lovely Bones. Dark, atmospheric and gripping, What Came Before is a stunning literary thriller about the risks you take when you fall in love.

Published by: Viking, Penguin|July 2014 Rights available: English language (excl ANZ), Translation (excl Dutch, German), Film/TV Agent: Tara Wynne (tara@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: 'My name is David James Forrester. I'm a solicitor. Tonight, at 6.10, I killed my wife. This is my statement.' In Melbourne's inner west, David sits in his car, dictaphone in hand. He's sick to his stomach but determined to record his version of events. His wife Elle hovers over her own lifeless body as it lies in the laundry of the house they shared. David thinks back on their relationship – intimate, passionate, intense – and what led to this terrible night. From her eerie vantage point, Elle traces the sweep of their shared past too. Before David, she'd enjoyed a contented life – as a successful filmmaker, a much-loved aunt and friend. But in the course of two years, she was captivated and then undone by him. Not once in those turbulent times did she imagine that her alluring, complex husband was capable of this. 'Cleverly conceived, What Came Before is a not only a suspenseful thriller, but a powerful indictment of domestic violence.' Qantas, The Australian Way Initially trained as a lawyer, ANNA GEORGE has worked in the legal world as well as the film and television industries. She studied Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT, and has written feature film scripts. She is currently working on her second novel, which is set on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children. What Came Before(Penguin, 2014) is her first novel.

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THRILLER

344 pp |

PAPERBACK

BLOOD WITNESS Alex Hammond One man's search for justice and redemption plunges him into the violent world of Melbourne's underbelly. A dark and powerful thriller from a talented new voice.

Published by: Michael Joseph, Penguin|July 2014 Rights available: US, Translation, Film/TV Agent: Fiona Inglis (fiona@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: Defence lawyer Will Harris is reluctantly drawn into a bizarre murder trial. A terminally ill man claims to have witnessed the brutal crime – in a vision. But the looming trial is more than just a media circus: it's Will's first big case since the tragic death of his fiancée. With the pressure mounting, Will's loyalties are split when his fiancée's sister is charged with drug trafficking. The strain of balancing both cases takes its toll and Will finds himself torn between following the law and seeking justice. '[A] slick, fast-paced legal thriller set in Melbourne but with a genuine international flavour and with enough twists to surprise even the most avid fans of the genre.' West Australian ALEX HAMMOND was born in South Africa and emigrated to Australia with his family as a child. He graduated with an Arts/Law degree from the University of Melbourne and worked for several leading Melbourne law firms. Blood Witness (Penguin) is his first novel.

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CRIME THRILLER

390 pp

PAPERBACK

FATAL IMPACT Kathryn Fox From the author who has been called “Australia’s answer to Patricia Cornwell” comes the seventh book in a crime series featuring talented forensic physician and pathologist, Anya Crichton.

Published by: Pan Macmillan|March 2014 Rights available: English language (excl ANZ & UK), Translation, Film/TV Agent: Fiona Inglis (fiona@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: When a girl's dead body is found in a toy box, forensic physician and pathologist Anya Crichton joins the police hunt in her home state of Tasmania for the child's missing mother and sister. Staying with her increasingly erratic mother, Dr Jocelyn Reynolds, Anya fears the long shadow of her sister Miriam's disappearance has finally driven her mother past the brink of sanity. But Anya soon discovers that Jocelyn is keeping a deadly secret. When tests conclude a virulent strain of food poisoning was responsible for the child's death, the outbreak begins to spread. Anya pairs up with Internal Affairs detective Oliver Parke to unravel the sinister connections between the fatal epidemic, a covered-up study, the shady deals of a multinational corporation and the alleged murder of a local scientist. Anya has strayed into a high-stakes game so dangerous the players will kill to keep it quiet. With time running short, Anya must uncover the truth before she is silenced - permanently. 'Fox is a medical practitioner who has used her interest in forensic medicine to turn thriller writer and is one of the best in the international forensic genre' The Weekend Australian KATHRYN FOX works as a family doctor, freelance medical journalist and editor. She has a special interest in forensic medicine and is a member of the Association of Forensic Physicians. Her debut crime novel Malicious Intent, featuring forensic pathologist Anya Crichton, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2004 and has been sold in the UK, Germany, France, Slovakia and Bulgaria. Since then, Kathryn has written six more novels in the Anya Crichton series, including Without Consent, Skin and Bone, Bloodborn, Death Mask, Cold Grave and Fatal Impact. She is currently working on a book with James Patterson in the Private Oz series.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

304 pp

PAPERBACK

THROUGH THE CRACKS Honey Brown A leafy street. A quiet neighbour. The darkest of crimes… From “the best writer of psychological suspense in Australia”.

Published by: Michael Joseph, Penguin|Apr 2014 Rights available: English language (excl ANZ), Translation, Film/TV Agent: Fiona Inglis (fiona@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: Adam Vander has grown tall enough and strong enough to escape his abusive and controlling father. Emerging from behind the locked door of their rambling suburban home, Adam steps into a world he's been kept isolated from. In the days that follow, with the charismatic and streetwise Billy as his guide, Adam begins to experience all that he's missed out on. As the bond between the boys grows, questions begin to surface. Who is Adam really? Why did his father keep him so hidden? Was it just luck that Billy found him, or an unsettling kind of fate? And how dangerous is revealing the shocking truth of Adam's identity? It's a treacherous climb from the darkness. For one boy to make it, the other might have to fall through the cracks. 'Honey Brown's latest book is a slow-burning drama about child abduction. With strong characterisation and a plot that drip-feeds its secrets, it's a winning formula.' The Sunday Age HONEY BROWN lives in country Victoria with her husband and two children. She is the author of: Red Queen, The Good Daughter, After the Darkness and Dark Horse. Red Queen was published to critical acclaim in 2009 and won an Aurealis Award, and The Good Daughter was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award in 2011. After the Darkness was selected for the Women's Weekly Great Read and for Get Reading 2012's 50 Books You Can't Put Down campaign. Her fifth novel, Through the Cracks, was published in 2014.

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THRILLER

304 pp

PAPERBACK

THE SPY James Phelan Introducing Jed Walker â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the new Jack Reacher!

Published by: Hachette|Dec 2014 Rights available: English language (excl ANZ), Translation, Audio, Film/TV (pls confirm) Agent: Pippa Masson (pippa@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: A sinister group code-named Zodiac has launched devastating global attacks. Twelve targets across the world, twelve code-named missions. Operating distinct sleeper cells, they are the ultimate terrorist organisation, watching and waiting for a precise attack to activate the next group. It is a frightening and deadly efficient way to stay one step ahead. And cause the most chaos. For ex-CIA operative Jed Walker, chaos is his profession. On the outer, burned by his former agency, he is determined to clear his name. Stopping Zodiac is the only way. Desperate to catch the killers and find the mastermind, he can't afford to lose the next lead, but that means that sometimes the terrorists have to win. Ultimately, it all comes down to Walker: he's the only one who can break the chain and put the group to sleep . . . permanently. It's exactly eighty-one hours until deadline. 'Jed Walker is right there in Reacher's rear-view mirror.' Lee Child, international bestselling author. JAMES PHELAN is a Melbourne-based writer. He has studied and taught writing at a post graduate level, and has been a novelist since the age of 25. His first book was the author interview collection Literati: Australian Contemporary Literary Figures Discuss Fear, Frustrations and Fame (John Wiley & Sons, 2005). His Lachlan Fox thriller novels are Fox Hunt (Hachette, 2006), Patriot Act(2007), Blood Oil (2008), Liquid Gold (2009), and Red Ice (2010). His Alone trilogy of Young Adult post-apocalyptic novels are titled Chasers (Hachette, 2010), Survivor (2011) and Quarantine (2011). James has written for a variety of newspapers and magazines, having worked at The Age from 20002006, and has contributed to short story anthologies and serialised novels, including: Picture This (Penguin, 2010), Watchlist (Audible/Vanguard, 2010), and the Get Reading! anthology (2011). His latest novels are a thriller introducing a new character, Jed Walker, The Spy (Hachette, 2013), and a 13-book Young Adult series The Last Thirteen (Scholastic, Sept 2013 and monthly in 2014).

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HISTORICAL TRUE CRIME

416 pp

PAPERBACK

THE PECULIAR CASE OF THE ELECTRIC CONSTABLE Carol Baxter The electrifying story of a criminal Quaker, a poisoned mistress, and the dawn of the information age in Victorian England.

Published by: Oneworld UK|Sep 2013 Rights available: Translation, Film/TV pls confirm Agent: Tara Wynne (tara@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: John Tawell was a sincere Quaker but a sinning one. Convicted of forgery, he was transported to Sydney, where he made a fortune. When he returned home to England, he thought he would be welcomed, but he was shunned. Then on New Year's Day 1845 Tawell boarded the train from Slough to London Paddington. Soon, men arrived chasing a suspected murderer – but the train had departed. The Great Western Railway was experimenting with a newfangled device, the electric telegraph, so a message was sent: a 'KWAKER' man was on the run. The trial that followed became a sensation. Told with narrative verve and rich in historical research, this is a delicious true tale of murder and scientific revolution in Victorian England. 'A fascinating history, mystery and portrait of a complex contradictory man.' Daily Mail CAROL BAXTER is the prize-winning author of three popular histories with a criminal bent – An Irresistible Temptation, Breaking the Bank and Captain Thunderbolt and His Lady – all of which have been published to critical acclaim. Previously, she was General Editor of the Biographical Database of Australia and, before that, Project Officer of the Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record, in which roles she edited many records relating to convicts transported to Australia to serve out their sentences. These helped her to discover the subjects for her tales of true crime. She is a Fellow of the Society of Australian Genealogists and an adjunct lecturer at the University of New England (NSW). A full-time writer and speaker, she lives in Sydney.

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CRIME/MYSTERY

448 pp

PAPERBACK

UNDERLAND Ed Chatterton A cop from Liverpool might just be the only one who can prevent a killing that would shock the world … The second book in the D.I. Frank Keane series.

Published by: Random House|Aug 2013 Rights available: US, Audio, Film/TV Agent: Tara Wynne (tara@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: At first glance, the horrifically bloody crime scene in suburban Liverpool looks like a straightforward murder-suicide. The husband kills the wife and then himself. Simple. Or it would be if it wasn't for the dead couple's missing teenage son, Nicky. With Nicky's holiday job on a Hollywood movie being shot in the city bringing unwanted press attention, newly promoted DCI Frank Keane knows that time is running out to find the missing boy. The only question is: is Nicky victim or killer? When it comes, the answer is worse than anyone expects. The deaths in Liverpool are just the start of a twisted international killing spree by an ambitious psychopath with a point to prove. As the odds, and the stakes, stack up, Keane has no option but to mount an unorthodox operation on unfamiliar and dangerous territory. MARTIN CHATTERON has been writing and illustrating books since 1983. His work has been sold around the globe, from China to the US. He has illustrated well over a hundred books as well as writing more than twenty of his own. In 2008 his book The Brain Finds A Leg was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Award. His children’s series called Mort has been published by Random House, and a puzzle book called Find Santa’s Pants was released by Little Hare. Martin’s first adult crime thriller as Ed Chatterton entitled, A Dark Place to Die was published by Random House (and by Arrow, Random House UK). The second book in the D.I. Frank Keane series, Underland, followed (released in the UK under the title Down Among the Dead Men).

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PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

384 pp |

PAPERBACK

SHALLOW BREATH Sara Foster Set across five continents, Shallow Breath is a compelling novel of dashed dreams and second chances. But most of all it is a story about love, and what it really means to be free.

Published by: Random House|Dec 2012 Rights available: English language (excl ANZ), Translation, Audio, Film/TV Agent: Tara Wynne (tara@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: Two years ago, Desi Priest made a horrific mistake and destroyed her family. Now, she is coming home to make amends: to her daughter, Maya, who's nurturing her own dangerous plan; to her brother, Jackson, who blames himself; and to her close friend, Pete, who has spent years shielding her from a devastating truth. But as Desi returns to her beloved house by the ocean, there is a stranger waiting for her. Someone who needs her help. Someone whose arrival will reveal a chain of secrets hidden for over twenty years. And one by one the family will be forced to confront the possibility that they have somehow got things terribly, tragically wrong … ‘An engaging novel that is sure to haunt you, this is an absorbing read.’ Book’d Out SARA FOSTER is the bestselling author of three psychological suspense novels. Her first novel, Come Back to Me, was published in Australia in 2010 and reached the Sydney Morning Herald top ten Australian bestsellers list, while Beneath the Shadows, reached No. 4 on the Australian Sunday Telegraph bestsellers list in 2011, and was also published in the USA and Germany. Her third book, Shallow Breath, was released at the end of 2012. Sara lives in Western Australia with her husband and two young daughters. She divides her time between writing, book editing and being a mum. Her passions include the natural world, photography and travel.

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COMING SOON

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PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

480 pp |

PAPERBACK

ALREADY DEAD Jaye Ford Jaye Ford's cracking crime fiction features ordinary women in extraordinary and believable situations, asking the viewer/reader 'What would YOU do?' Adrenalin-driven with twists, turns and hot romance.

Published by: Random House|due out Sep 2014 Rights available: English language (excl ANZ), Translation, Audio, Film/TV Agent: Clare Forster (claref@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: Journalist Miranda Jack is finally attempting to move on from the death of her husband by relocating up the coast with her young daughter, Zoe. Then a single event changes everything. On a Monday afternoon as she waits at traffic lights, a stranger jumps into her car and points a gun at her chest. Forced to drive at high speed up the motorway, Miranda listens to the frantic, paranoid rants of Brendan Walsh, a man who claims he's being chased and that they're both now running for their lives. Two hours later her ordeal is over in the most shocking fashion. Miranda is safe but she can't simply walk away – not without knowing the truth about that terrifying drive. As a journalist Miranda has always asked questions. But this time the questions are dangerous – and the answers might get her killed. Psychological thriller writer JAYE FORD is quickly making a name for herself in the crime genre with her spine-tingling novels featuring gutsy female characters in Australian settings. Translated and published around the world, Jaye’s novels, all published by Random House, include Beyond Fear (winner, Best Debut and Reader’s Choice in the Davitt Awards), Scared Yet?, Blood Secret and Already Dead (due out in September 2014). Jaye is a former print, radio and television journalist and was Australia’s first female presenter of a live national sports show. She later ran her own public relations business before turning to crime fiction.

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ACTION THRILLER

448 pp |

PAPERBACK

THE ALEXANDRIA CONNECTION Adrian d’Hagé Nimbly weaving politics, history and science through a rip-roaring plot, from Afghanistan to Washington, Sydney to London, The Alexandria Connection is a spectacular and stylish ride.

Published by: Michael Joseph, Penguin|due out Nov 2014 Rights available: Film/TV Agent: Clare Forster (claref@curtisbrown.com.au) Description: In the shifting desert sands of Egypt, rumours abound of a lost papyrus that will reveal the true purpose of the Pyramids of Giza. Could these ancient monoliths be the source of a new kind of energy, one that comes at no cost to the planet? CIA agent Curtis O’Connor and archaeologist Aleta Weizman are determined to find out. Close by, a shadowy and powerful group known as Pharos meets in Alexandria, its membership a closely guarded secret. Its first order of business: to orchestrate chaos on international financial markets with a series of spectacular terrorist attacks on the world’s fossil-fuel supplies. And in Cairo, amid the anarchy of Tahrir Square, thieves have broken into the famed Museum of Antiquities and stolen one of the world’s priceless artifacts: the mask of Tutankhamun. Is the audacious theft linked to the Pharos Group? ‘A fast-paced and thrilling read.’ West Australian ADRIAN d’HAGÉ was educated at North Sydney Boys High School and the Royal Military College Duntroon. His military service included command of an infantry battalion, director of joint operations and Head of Defence Public Relations. In 1994 Adrian was made a Member of the Order of Australia. As a Brigadier, he headed Defence planning for counter-terrorism security for the Sydney Olympics, including security against chemical, biological and nuclear threats. Adrian's literary career began with The Omega Scroll, introducing his character Curtis O’Connor. This best-selling book was voted one of the top 50 books of the year, and has been published in ten countries. The Beijing Conspiracy dealt with biological terrorism and what might happen if smallpox and Ebola are genetically engineered. The Maya Codex explored an ancient document with a terrible warning for civilisation. The Inca Prophecy sees Curtis O’Connor on the run from his own employer, the CIA. The Alexandria Connection (forthcoming) also features Curtis O'Connor and the strong female character, archaeologist Aleta Weizman.

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