Rebecca Hardy’s THE SUMMER WE LIED is pre-empted by Raven Books
Rebecca Hardy’s debut suspense novel THE SUMMER WE LIED and a second untitled novel has been pre-empted for UK & Comm rights (excl Canada) by Alison Hennessey, Publishing Director of Bloomsbury's Raven Books, sold by Juliet Mushens. The debut will publish in July 2026 as the summer lead for Raven Books in hardback, ebook and audio.
THE SUMMER WE LIED is a dual timeline, multi-voiced mystery that opens in a scorching heatwave in 1980s Sussex. Three teenagers overhear a brutal murder and believe they can identify the killer. Their testimony sends a man to prison but eighteen years later, his conviction is overturned under a huge media glare. The spotlight falls on those who sent him to prison originally and as Jonathan, Alex and Rachel – once friends, now strangers to one another – are forced to look again at their decisions they discover that there were many other secrets about what happened that summer that are about to finally come to light.
Alison Hennessey said,"I completely fell in love with Rebecca’s novel from the opening, I don’t think I’ve read something so deeply satisfying, with twist after twist after twist, in such a long time. Perfect for fans of Erin Kelly, Susie Steiner, Broadchurch and Unforgiven, Rebecca’s writing and characterisation are exquisite; it’s a book I just want to press into the hands of countless suspense readers and say 'this, this is what you have been waiting for".
Rebecca Hardy said, "It is a dream come true to be working with the brilliant Alison Hennessey, and the whole team at Raven Books. Inspired by the kind of once-in-a-generation incidents of violence and brutality, it’s a novel about secrets and lies; about the complex relationships between parents and children, and the lasting impact of domestic violence and trauma. Mostly, though, it is a story about early friendships and teenage bonds; the kind that can be lost all too quickly, and the kind that can break us and save us, all at once. I can think of no better home for this story than Raven Books".
Juliet Mushens said:,"I found this novel incredibly gripping from the moment I opened it - it’s one to keep you turning the pages and to discuss with your friends. I’m so thrilled that it’s found a home with Alison and the Raven Books team”.
A law graduate and English teacher for almost twenty years, Rebecca Hardy is is currently taking a career break to pursue her love of writing. She lives in East Sussex, with her wife and teenage son, in amongst the fields and hills where her novel begins. A place which is, thankfully, far more tranquil in real life than on the page.