Borough Press acquires Imani Thompson’s ‘shocking and addictive’ debut novel HoneyIt’s about a PhD student at Cambridge University who develops an urge to commit murder.

It won UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from David Higham’s Nicola Chang in a “fiercely fought” 10-way auction during the Frankfurt Book Fair, commissioning editor Jo Thompson said.

US rights were purchased by Random House’s Marie Pantojan following a nine-way auction, and German rights were pre-purchased by Rowohlt within 24 hours of submission; Additional translation rights are currently being sold or offered in multiple international territories.

The synopsis of the novel is as follows: “Yrsa is tired: of her PhD, of the undergraduates she teaches, of the useless or manipulative men in the world. A man like this has no idea what he’s getting into when he throws bees into his San Pellegrino. But a semi-accidental murder sparks a desire for more, and suddenly Yrsa is alive.”

Jo Thompson said: “Imani’s writing is incredibly funny and clever. “This is a galloping novel about female rage—a serial killer finding his calling—but it is also a compelling take on race and justice that deeply rewards and surprises at every turn.”

The author commented: “I wrote this novel because I wanted to explore race and anger in a way that subverted tropes and stereotypes and also felt relatable. That’s why I’m so happy that people love my avenger hero as much as I do. Both Jo and Marie love it.” “They have such exciting visions for the book, and I can’t wait to work with them on the publication.”