Latest Acquisitions & Adaptations

By Georgie Cutler, Eva Lee and Niamh Parr

Acquisitions News

Williams’ Trilogy Goes to Red Tower

Living My Quest Life, a new romantasy novel by romance and thriller author Shanora Williams, has been acquired by Red Tower, an imprint of Entangled Publishing. Liz Pelletier, CEO and Publisher at Entangled, bought world rights in a three-book deal managed by Georgana Grinstead of The Seymour Agency.

The trilogy follows a young protagonist desperate to save her sister from an evil curse. Embarking on a quest for her sister’s salvation, the protagonist finds herself in no shortage of strange situations – from joining a band of misfits full of secrets to hiring a deadly assassin. What could possibly go wrong? Living My Quest Life is set for publication in Autumn 2025.

Stiefvater’s New Novel Acquired by Viking

Bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater has announced a new novel, The Listeners, which will mark her adult fiction debut. North American rights went to Andrea Schulz at Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, with the deal being negotiated by Richard Pine at InkWell Management.

The novel is also set to be published by Headline, an imprint of Hachette, in the UK. Set at the outset of 1942, June Hudson, manager of the Avallon Hotel and Spa, a mountain retreat in West Virginia frequented by members of high society, has kept her hotel running efficiently – and with seamless serenity – despite the ongoing turmoil of war. However, a deal made by the heir of the Gilfoyle family – the hotel’s aristocratic owners – when the State Department threatens to throw her years of hard work into jeopardy.

A group of Nazi diplomats are being sent to the Avallon to be detained and it is June’s job to make sure the peace of the hotel and the happiness of its staff and clients remain undisturbed. Her plans are disrupted even further by the arrival of Tucker Minnick, an FBI agent set on exposing a spy amongst the diplomats. In her announcement, Stiefvater describes the novel as being full of “odd prose, slippery magic, class conflict, an ensemble cast, about four different kinds of love and the mountains in whose shadow [she] was born.” The Listeners is scheduled for publication in June 2025.

From Book to Screen

In the Works

The Woman in Cabin 10 Acquired by Netflix

A new British psychological thriller is coming to Netflix, with Keira Knightley starring in the lead role. Based on Ruth Ware's bestselling 2016 novel, the story follows Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist assigned to cover a luxury cruise. Everything seems fine until she witnesses a woman being thrown overboard from Cabin 10, leaving all passengers and crew accounted for. Lo is left searching for answers but as she digs deeper, doubts about her mental state grow, and the more she uncovers, the more dangerous the situation becomes. Packed with twists and conspiracies, Lo and the passengers are trapped in the middle of the sea with a crime scene and no answers. Joining Knightley are Kaya Scodelario, Guy Pearce, Hannah Waddingham and other notable cast members. While no release date has been announced yet, stay tuned for more details on this thrilling mystery.

Screen Adaptions Celebrating Black Voices

Hidden Figures (2016)

This bio-drama movie is based on the novel of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly that is inspired by true events. It follows three African-American mathematicians – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson – working at NASA during the early 1960s. The women send a man into orbit, all whilst battling racial and gender discrimination in the workplace. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe lead this star-studded adaptation.

The Perfect Find (2023)

This rom-com stars Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers finding love in New York City. Jenna (Union) moves back to the city to resurrect her career after a messy breakup and public firing. With her new job and kissing a tempting stranger (Powers) at a party, she believes her life is finally moving in the right direction. However, after discovering this stranger is her boss’ son and her new co-worker, she must figure out whether this new love fits in her new life. It is based on the novel by Tia Williams.

Noughts + Crosses (2020)

Based on the novel series by Malorie Blackman, this series is set in an alternative history, where African nations colonised Europe. In London, Sephy and Callum fight for their love against a background of racial prejudice and political revolution. Masali Baduza and Jack Rowan lead this BBC adaptation.

Black and British: A Forgotten History (2016)

This documentary series was written and presented by historian David Olusoga. A book was released to accompany the release of the BBC series. The four-episode series chronicles Black Britons throughout the history of Britain and the British Empire. It also relates this history back to the current Black British identity.