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'Novel in a year' to Headline

04.07.08 Tom Holman

Headline has won UK and Commonwealth rights in Imogen Robertson’s début novel, Instruments of Darkness.

The book—a historical murder mystery set against the backdrop of 1780s London and the American War of Independence—was signed by Headline deputy m.d. Jane Morpeth in a “very substantial” pre-empt bid from Annette Green at the Annette Green Agency.

Green called the book “powerful, compelling, mysterious, grotesque and brutal; an utterly enthralling read”. The book grew out of an entry Robertson submitted to the Daily Telegraph’s “Novel in a Year” writing feature and competition.

Her 1,000-word submission and synopsis was one of five winning entries chosen last summer by a panel of judges including novelist Louise Doughty, author of the newspaper’s feature. Robertson is a TV director.

Morpeth said it was “an extremely impressive first novel” and a rare signing for her since she became deputy m.d. at Headline in 2006. “I have a very small list of authors that I work with and rarely commission, but I couldn’t resist Imogen’s novel.”

Headline will release it in 2009.

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