Beautiful Malice - Cover

Rebecca James has kindly sent me a copy of the cover for Beautiful Malice. It is similar in style (but not colour) to the one I posted before:


Beautiful Malice will be published 1 July by Faber.

More on Beautiful Malice

I posted details of Rebecca James's publishing deal a while ago. More details on the book are now available. It'll be out on 1 July from Faber in the UK:

So, were you glad, deep down? Were you glad to be rid of her? Your perfect sister? Were you secretly glad when she was killed? Following a horrific tragedy that leaves her once perfect family devastated, Katherine Patterson moves to a new city, starts at a new school, and looks forward to a new life of quiet anonymity. But when Katherine meets the gregarious and beautiful Alice Parrie her resolution to live a solitary life becomes difficult. Katherine is unable to resist the flattering attention that Alice pays her and is so charmed by Alice's contagious enthusiasm that the two girls soon become firm friends. Alice's joie de vivre is transformative; it helps Katherine forget her painful past and slowly, tentatively, Katherine allows herself to start enjoying life again. But being friends with Alice is complicated - and as Katherine gets to know her better she discovers that although Alice can be charming and generous she can also be selfish and egocentric. Sometimes, even, Alice is cruel. And when Katherine starts to wonder if Alice is really the kind of person she wants as a friend, she discovers something else about Alice - she doesn't like being cast off. Shocking and utterly absorbing, Rebecca James' strong narrative will grip readers from the very first page. "Beautiful Malice" has become a publishing phenomenon, sparking numerous auctions worldwide, selling to 27 countries, and launching a previously unknown writer into the centre of the international book market.

[NB. Cover is taken from the Faber catalogue so may not represent the final image.]

Publishing Deal - Rebecca James

Confirmation of the UK publication of Rebecca James's Beautiful Malice comes in today's Bookseller:

Julia Wells acquired British Commonwealth, excluding Australia and New Zealand, to the debut and a follow up. The deal was struck via agent Jo Unwin, who pitched it as "a teenage Jodi Picoult crossed with [TV programme] 'Skins'".

Written by Rebecca James, a 30-something year-old Australian living in Armadale in New South Wales, Beautiful Malice was described by the agency as "a tense YA psychological thriller".

According to Rebecca James's blog, Beautiful Malice will be out in Australia (by Allen and Unwin) in May 2010 and the UK (by Faber) in February 2011.

UPDATE: Beautiful Malice will be out in the UK in July!