Peter James’s THE HAWK IS DEAD flies high!

THE HAWK IS DEAD, the highly anticipated 21st novel in Peter James’s internationally bestselling Roy Grace series, was published on 21st October by Pan Macmillan in the UK and US. THE HAWK IS DEAD jumped straight to Number 3 in the bestseller charts after five days on sale with a close to 25% increase in sales compared to last year’s Roy Grace, ONE OF US IS DEAD. 

Ahead of publication, THE HAWK IS DEAD was praised by the likes of James Patterson who said ‘‘What a fool I’ve been not to have read Peter James until THE HAWK IS DEAD… I have no idea if this is the best Roy Grace thriller, but it’s most definitely a great story’, Alexandra Potter at Stylist who said ‘Fast-paced and gripping, I couldn’t put it down!’, and more (see below).

The publication campaign saw Peter embark on an extensive tour across the UK, taking part in radio and podcast interviews, book signings, Q&As, meet and greets, a TV appearance on BBC Breakfast and 5 News, and festival appearances at Jersey Festival of Words, The Queen’s Reading Room Festival at Chatsworth and Cranbrook Literary Festival, among others. The campaign culminated in celebrations at three separate launches in London (at Hatchards Picadilly, where Peter was interviewed by Angela Rippon), on Grace ‘home turf’ in Brighton and in Jersey.

At dozens of book store and supermarket events, scores of fans queued to have their copies of THE HAWK IS DEAD signed. You can catch up on Peter’s podcast interviews on Murder Junction, Quick Book Reviews, Shelf Life and Spectator – The Book Club as well as his radio feature on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live with Adrian Chiles.

Peter also reflected on 20 bestselling years of the Roy Grace series in a feature in The Bookseller, and sat down for an interview with Rebecca English for the Daily Mail, which also serialised the novel ahead of publication. And there’s plenty more book and launch content on Peter’s Instagram!

In THE HAWK IS DEAD, Her Majesty, Queen Camilla, is aboard the Royal Train heading to a charity event in Sussex when disaster strikes – the train is derailed. A tragic accident or a planned attack? When, minutes later, a trusted aide is shot dead by a sniper, the police have their answer.

Despite all the evidence, Roy Grace is not convinced The Queen was the intended target. But he finds himself alone in his suspicions. Fighting against the scepticism of his colleagues and the Palace itself, Grace pursues his own investigation. But when there is a second murder, the stakes rise even higher, and Grace is at risk of being embroiled in a very public catastrophe – and in mortal danger.

Failure at this level is not an option. But time is running out before a killer in the Palace will strike again…

The Roy Grace series is also a huge hit on TV; fans can catch series five of GRACE on ITVX, starring John Simm and Richie Campbell. The opening episode achieved average viewing figures of 3 million, surpassing ITV1’s slot average of 2.6 million viewers. The much-loved series will return for Series Six in 2026.

Peter is currently writing the next novel in the Roy Grace series.

About Peter James

Peter James is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author best known for his crime thrillers featuring Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, who Queen Camilla recently named as her favourite fictional detective.

Praised by critics and much-loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern-day policing, he has won more than 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger. His books have sold over 23 million copies worldwide, achieved 21 Sunday Times No.1s, and have been translated into 38 languages.

His Roy Grace novels are currently filming their 6th season for the hit ITV drama, Grace, starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper and available to view on ITVX and on Britbox. Seven of his novels have been adapted into hit stage plays. His plays have been named as ‘the most successful stage franchise since Agatha Christie’.

Praise for THE HAWK IS DEAD

‘What a fool I’ve been not to have read Peter James until THE HAWK IS DEAD. Anyway, I have no idea if this is the best Roy Grace thriller, but it’s most definitely a great story.’ – James Patterson

‘THE HAWK IS DEAD is classic Peter James, combining the trademark intricate plotting of his acclaimed Roy Grace series with a fascinating, behind-the-scenes exploration of life within the royal household.’ – Rachel Abbott

‘The pages turn themselves in James’ series’ – Anna Bonet, the i newspaper, ‘The best new crime and thriller books to read in October 2025’

‘I’d never read a detective novel before, but what better place to start than this thumping new thriller from Peter James? A murder investigation sends him deep into Buckingham Palace when Her Majesty Queen Camilla’s train is derailed, and her trusted aide is shot dead by a sniper. Fast-paced and gripping, I couldn’t put it down!’ – Alexandra Potter, Stylist

‘Packed with detail about the workings of the modern monarchy, the plot thunders along, underlining just how consummate a crime novelist James is.’ – Geoffrey Wansell, The Daily Mail

‘An utterly compelling thriller, this is James at his masterful best – one of the best writers around.’ – Jonathan Whitelaw, The Sun, ‘Pick of The Week’

Visit Peter’s website.

Follow him on BlueSky and Instagram. 

THE GHOSTS OF ROME by Joseph O’Connor shortlisted for two An Post Irish Book Awards 2025

THE GHOSTS OF ROME by Joseph O’Connor has been shortlisted for the Listeners’ Choice Award and the Novel of the Year Award at the An Post Irish Book Awards 2025. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Irish Book Awards, a set of industry-recognition awards set up by a coalition of Irish booksellers to celebrate and promote Irish writing, with winners voted for by readers. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 27th November and the An Post Irish Book of the Year TV show will air on RTÉ One on 11th December.

Readers can vote for their favourites on the An Post Irish Book Awards website.

THE GHOSTS OF ROME is the second in Joseph O’Connor’s Escape Line Trilogy and was first published in the UK by Harvill Secker in January 2025 and in the US by Europa Editions in February 2025. It flew straight to Number One in the Irish bestseller chart after only 3 days on sale, remaining in the overall Irish Top Ten for five weeks, and in the Irish Paperback Top 10 for sixteen weeks. It hit the Top 20 in the UK charts.

In THE GHOSTS OF ROME, Contessa Giovanna Landini is a member of the band of Escape Line activists known as ‘The Choir’ in the beleaguered city of Rome. Their mission is to smuggle refugees to safety and help Allied soldiers, all under the nose of Gestapo boss Paul Hauptmann.

During a ferocious air raid a mysterious parachutist lands in Rome and disappears into the backstreets. Is he an ally or an imposter? His fate will come to put the whole Escape Line at risk.

Meanwhile, Hauptmann’s attention has landed on the Contessa. As his fascination grows, she is pulled into a dangerous game with him – one where the consequences could be lethal.

The other shortlisted titles for Novel of the Year include: CONVERSATION WITH THE SEA by Hugo Hamilton, FUN AND GAMES by John Patrick McHugh,  LET ME GO MAD IN MY OWN WAY by Elaine Feeney, NESTING by Roisín O’Donnell, THE BENEFACTORS by Wendy Erskine, THE BOY FROM THE SEA by Garrett Carr and VENETIAN VESPERS by John Banville. And for the Listener’s Choice Award: A TIME FOR TRUTH: MY FATHER JASON AND MY SEARCH FOR JUSTICE AND HEALING by Sarah Corbett Lynch, INTENSIVE CARE: TRUE STORIES OF HEALING, HEARTACHE AND HOPE FROM INSIDE IRISH CHILDREN’S MEDICINE by Dr Suzanne Crowe, NESTING by Roisín O’Donnell, OLD PARISH: NOTES ON HURLING by Ciarán Murphy and THE GAEILGE GUIDE: SPARK YOUR CONNECTION TO THE IRISH LANGUAGE AND LEGACY by Mollie Guidera.

The first novel in the trilogy, MY FATHER’S HOUSE, was also an Irish Number One bestseller and has now sold more than 150,000 copies in English. It was shortlisted for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and the Eason An Post Irish Novel of the year 2023, and also longlisted for the 2024 Dublin Literary Award. Film rights are optioned and translation rights are also sold in Brazil, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden.

Joseph is currently working on the next novel in the trilogy, to be published in the UK and the US in early 2027.

To celebrate the centenary of the ordination of Hugh O'Flaherty, the central character of MY FATHER'S HOUSE, who also features in THE GHOSTS OF ROME, An Post have issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honour. Joseph O'Connnor has written an article on Hugh O’Flaherty and his correspondence to mark this event.

Photo credit: Urszula Soltys

About Joseph O’Connor

Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin, where he still lives. THE GHOSTS OF ROME is his eleventh novel: he is also the author of film scripts, radio and stage plays, two collections of short stories, and several bestselling works of non-fiction.

2022 was the 20th anniversary of Joseph O’Connor’s novel STAR OF THE SEA which was an international bestseller, selling more than a million copies in the UK alone and being published in 38 languages. It won France’s Prix Millepages, Italy’s Premio Acerbi, the Irish Post Award for Fiction, the Nielsen Bookscan Golden Book Award, an American Library Association Award, the Hennessy/Sunday Tribune Hall of Fame Award, and the Prix Litteraire Zepter for European Novel of the Year.

His novel GHOST LIGHT was chosen as Dublin’s One City Book novel for 2011. Published in 2019, SHADOWPLAY, has won him extraordinary praise, was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize, The Dalkey Novel Prize, the Costa Novel Prize, among others, and won him Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards. The French edition was shortlisted for the Jean Monnet Prize and the Vintage paperback was a Richard and Judy Winter 2020 pick.

He holds an honorary Doctorate in Literature from University College Dublin and received the Irish PEN Award for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature in 2012. He is the Inaugural Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Praise for THE GHOSTS OF ROME

‘THE GHOSTS OF ROME, Joseph O’Connor’s second novel in his projected trilogy about Rome under Nazi occupation, blazes with the imaginative flair and narrative energy that won its predecessor, MY FATHER’S HOUSE, high acclaim… There’s no slackening of tension, though, in the gripping account of wartime heroism, risk and resourcefulness this book continues. Jeopardy quivers through it… . The ugly stratum of Nazi oppression O’Connor’s novel graphically resurrects is packed with sensuously evoked reminders of Rome's rich past in this haunted and haunting novel.’ – Peter Kemp, The Sunday Times

‘O’Connor’s prose creates an extraordinary picture of Rome under Nazi control; brutal, chaotic, treacherous, decaying, wrecked and crumbling, and yet sometimes still bathed in glorious and unexpected light, literally and metaphorically. THE GHOSTS OF ROME is described as a sequel to MY FATHER’S HOUSE. The term is inadequate. Each can be read without reference to the other, but together they make a whole greater than the parts. An epic of war… O’Connor’s theme is not the world war in its widest sense, nor even the moral discomfort that is Vatican neutrality. Yet THE GHOSTS OF ROME make its own statement about these things. Focusing on people whose response to evil is only to act, he opens us to a humanity too urgent for debate and analysis.’ – Michael Russell, The Irish Times

‘The Choir’s attempts to rescue a grievously wounded Polish airman right under the nose of Gestapo commander Paul Hauptmann, who has been warned of the Fuhrer’s “intense displeasure” at his failure to eradicate the Escape Line, have a nail-bitingly tense “real time” feel to them. BBC interviews from the 1960s with former Choir members and fragments of an unpublished memoir give historical perspective and added pathos to this vivid and moving story, with O’Connor seamlessly combining real characters with imagined ones.’ – Laura Wilson, The Guardian, ‘The best recent crime and thrillers’

 ‘The power of THE GHOSTS OF ROME comes from the dazzling variety of voices employed, the sense of a world constructed in the multiple dimensions…  O’Connor has often been likened to the great Irish modernists for the lyricism of his voice-driven novels. But THE GHOSTS OF ROME also situates him within a broader European tradition of memory and moral reckoning, one that returns again and again to World War II. O’Connor embraces this legacy while transcending its cliches. His Rome is not merely a setting but a crucible, a city where the sacred and the profane collide, where resilience is forged in the shadow of ruins. By crafting a chorus of voices, he ensures that no single narrative dominates, reflecting the messy, multifaceted truths of history – the way it is lived and how it is constructed in retrospect. What emerges in not just a wartime thriller, though it is that, but a meditation on how we remember, how we resist and how, even in the darkest times, humanity endures.’ – Alex Preston, The New York Times

‘O’Connor has done his research with care, drawing on O’Flaherty’s unpublished letters, diaries and journalism. With his real people in place, the author spins a new tale of derring-do, recounted with the help of imagined interviews conducted many years later… O’Connor paints a lively picture of a city filled with Fascist police and German soldiers, some on furlough from the North, everyone watchful and hungry, the streets filthy, the black-market prices rising every day… THE GHOSTS OF ROME is both a tribute to the imagination and courage of his remarkable team and a riveting thriller.’ – Caroline Moorehead, The Times Literary Supplement

Visit Joseph O’Connor’s website.

Sceptre to publish 'raw, uncompromising and intensely lyrical' Natasha Carthew’s new non-fiction ROUGH EDGES

Acclaimed writer, poet and activist Natasha Carthew’s fierce and powerful new non-fiction title, ROUGH EDGES: WHERE LAND MEETS WATER, THE UNTOLD STORIES OF COASTLINE COMMUNITIES has been acquired by Sceptre. Editorial Director at Sceptre, Charlotte Humphery will publish the book after Hannah Black acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (exc. Canada) from Juliet Pickering. ROUGH EDGES will be available in in hardback, export trade paperback, ebook and audio digital download on 4 June 2026.

Following on from Natasha’s Nero Prize shortlisted memoir, UNDERCURRENT, ROUGH EDGES is a rallying cry for the beauty and importance of our coast and its people. Beyond the picture postcards, Britain’s coastal communities are suffering. Crowds flood the beaches during summer heatwaves, but quickly vanish again, leaving behind litter and unstable seasonal jobs. Seaside property is in high demand but affordable only for landlords and gentrifiers. The cost-of-living crisis and the ongoing pains of austerity trap those at the vulnerable edges of our nation in poverty.

Having grown up in rural Cornwall, Natasha Carthew leaves the county in search of a new home. Travelling the country and exploring the villages, towns and cities of our coast, she meets the people fighting to keep these places alive. With fierce compassion, she shares their voices and their stories.

Charlotte Humphery says: ‘Natasha is a remarkable force on the page and in the world, and I’m proud to be working with her on this vital new book. Whether exploring coastal cities or walking country paths, she traces economic shifts, the cost of austerity and considers the past and the future of these places under threat by climate change, gentrification and political expediency. Journeying across the country, she gives voice to those often ignored and finds hope in the persistence of coastal communities and those who live on our nation’s edges.’

Natasha Carthew says: ‘I’m delighted to be able to call Sceptre the home for my new non-fiction ROUGH EDGES, and I couldn’t wish for anyone better to guide me along the urban edges of our coastline than Charlotte, an editor who is a compassionate, considerate and curious, ensuring that the voices of our nation, especially those of the working-class, are heard loud and clear.’

About Natasha Carthew

Natasha Carthew is a Cornish working-class writer, poet and activist. She is the author of ten books, most recently UNDERCURRENT: A CORNISH MEMOIR OF POVERTY, NATURE AND RESILIENCE (2023), which was shortlisted for the non-fiction prize at the inaugural Nero Book Awards. She has also contributed to HAG: FORGOTTEN TALES (2020) and WOMEN ON NATURE: 100+ VOICES ON PLACE, LANDSCAPE & THE NATURAL WORLD (2021) and BOG PEOPLE: A WORKING-CLASS ANTHOLOGY OF FOLK HORROR (2025).

Natasha has written extensively on nature and socio-economics, and frequently discusses how authentic rural working-class writing is represented, for several publications and programmes including BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, The Guardian, The Bookseller, Book Brunch, The Big Issue and The Economist.

Natasha is also the Founder and Director of The Working Class Writers Festival and Common Ground Nature Prize for Working Class Writers.

Praise for Natasha Carthew

‘Natasha writes with a vivid, imagistic language’ – The Financial Times

‘Carthew is an elegantly lyrical writer’ – The Independent

‘Gripping stuff, Carthew’s prose has a startling ferocity’ – The Telegraph

‘Carthew’s is a different voice: sinewy and inventive’ – Patrick Gale

‘The rhythm of the language is hypnotic, and the powerful imagery of Natasha’s prose takes over. The raw energy and beauty of the landscapes are particularly well-evoked’ – Daily Mail

‘A real thing of beauty. The innovative structure and striking illustrations combine to create a verbal and visual feast. The reader feels like they are down in the darkness of mine and eavesdropping on the past’ – Cathy Rentzenbrink

‘Carthew’s writing is raw, uncompromising and intensely lyrical’ – Bookanista

‘Rough and taciturn and frank and, at times, utterly shocking. But Natasha’s writing is also deeply, deeply intimate’ – The Bookbag

Follow Natasha on X (previously Twitter) and Instagram.

BOUND BY FIRE by Elli J. Morrigan storms the Audible charts

BOUND BY FIRE, the first in Elli J. Morrigan’s Ashen Crown series, has performed tremendously well since its publication in August. First published by Audible in Germany it was No.1 in the German Fantasy as well as the Most Popular/Most Listened Audible charts. Its UK and US publication followed in October, and has already proved extremely popular with English listeners, with an average 4.5 star rating on Audible. It was also featured prominently at Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest trade fair for books.

BOUND BY FIRE is a romantasy novel. Burned out and desperate for change, Izzy has just quit her job and retreated to her late parents’ summer cabin, hoping to rediscover her former self. Instead, she tumbles unexpectedly into the mysterious realm of the Fae – straight into the path of the enigmatic Caleb – a hot, brooding stranger who refuses to let her out of his sight.

If Izzy ever hopes to return home, she has no choice but to follow him into Skarvindar, and the fortress of the ruthless Queen Kalia, who sees more in Izzy than just a lost mortal.

While frantically searching for a way back, Izzy becomes entangled in a deadly game of power where her life is at stake.

But within her, a fire stirs, poised to become an inferno – one that might save her, or reduce everything to ashes.

Meanwhile, a dangerous attraction ignites between her and Caleb, but their connection harbours secrets that could destroy them both.

Izzy faces a crucial decision: will she use her newly discovered strength to return to the person she once was – or to become the person she could be?

About Elli J. Morrigan

Elli J. Morrigan is the pen name of writing duo Alison Norrington and Jenny E. Kleine.

Jenny has a background in screenwriting and development, while Alison is a best-selling author, writer & producer. Her debut novel, CLASS ACT, was an Irish bestseller in 2004, with first week sales of over 10,000.

Praise for BOUND BY FIRE

‘Couldn’t stop listening! Loved every minute. From the very first scene, I was hooked… If you love slow-burn romantasy, strong heroines, and a touch of danger, this one’s for you.’ – reader review

‘Wonderful character development, a twisty, turny plot and a delicious ‘will they/won't they’ romance. Unexpected and utterly delightful. Definitely excited for the next instalment!’ – reader review

‘Oh. My. Goodness.... fabulous. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Now on tenterhooks for the next book...! Cannot wait!!’ – reader review

Follow Elli J. Morrigan on Instagram

Blake Friedmann Open Week returns!

Our Open Week is back! After an exciting and busy 2025, we’re pleased to be reopening our virtual doors next month with a week (Monday 10th – Friday 14th of November) dedicated to demystifying publishing and agenting, and supporting writers seeking representation. We will be running Q & As, sharing agent blogs on a variety of agenting and publishing topics, and running book giveaways across our social media accounts on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.

As ever, our aim is to offer helpful information and insight into what an agent does, how to navigate the submission process in terms of finding an agent, how an author and agent work together, understanding the publication process, earning income as an author through the sale of rights (translation, film & TV, audio and book), and we’re also happy to answer any questions on how to get into the agenting or publishing industry. The whole team, including all of our book agents, the Film & TV department, and the Translation Rights team, will be involved throughout the week, and we hope to answer as many questions as possible from writers (published or querying).

Alongside this, we will be offering three writers a 20-minute feedback meeting (online or by phone) on their submission packages in December. More information on how to submit for this opportunity will be revealed during the week on our social media accounts and on our website.

Kate Burke said: ‘We’re delighted to be running our Open Week again! At Blake Friedmann, we are all about transparency and accessibility. We are committed to supporting writers and anyone who wants to get into the industry but one thing we notice, time and time again –  from social media and what our agents hear when they give talks at schools, writers’ groups, conferences and festivals – is that people still have questions about what agents actually do and how it all works in terms of money, deals and rights, so, hopefully, our Open Weeks help to clarify that!’

More about the Open Week and new, daily content will be shared on our website and on our social media channels, using the hashtag #BFLAOpenWeek, throughout the week of 10th of November. This author-focused endeavour follows our ongoing Carole Blake Open Doors Project launched in 2017.

More information about Open Week - including our archive of blog posts and articles from previous years - can be found on the BFLA Open Week page of our website.