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Bonnier imprint John Blake has acquired world all language rights to a “spellbinding” examination of John Lennon’s life and death.
Publishing director Kelly Ellis acquired rights for Who Killed John Lennon? by Lesley-Ann Jones from Clare Hulton at Clare Hulton Literary Agency. The book will be published in autumn 2020, commemorating the 40th anniversary of Lennon’s death and what would have been his 80th birthday.
Featuring exclusive interviews, the book is promised to pull back the layers of the music legend to present a complete portrait of his life, loves, music, untimely death and legacy. It will track the track events and character traits leading to the self-imposed New York exile before his death.
Jones has previously penned life stories of David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Freddie Mercury. She said: “Like millions of John’s fans, I grew up on Lennon-McCartney music, and have been passionate about the Beatles since I was born. The world looked to John for answers during the '60s and '70s unaware that he himself was on a quest for deliverance. It is the vulnerable, raw, unvalidated John, the man behind the superstar, whom I set out to get to know by writing this book.”
Ellis said: “Along the way [Jones has] worked with many of Lennon’s most intimate friends and family members, including Cynthia and Julian Lennon, allowing her to offer fans a completely fresh, revealing insight into one of music’s most complex characters. While researching her books, she never leaves a stone unturned and handles her findings with an acute level of insight and sensitivity. I’m really excited about what she will achieve with such a rich subject as Lennon and his art."