Karen Sullivan, publisher of Orenda Books, is delighted to announce the acquisition of World English Language rights for Stephanie Bramwell-Lawe’s staggeringly accomplished, atmospheric debut historical mystery Thornby Hall, in a two-book deal negotiated with Anna Dixon at YMU.
Set in Warwickshire, 1891, we meet recently orphaned and destitute Briar Monroe, who has accepted the protection of Lord Danville and the shadowed sanctuary of Thornby Manor, while she awaits the arrival of a relative. The great house looms above a mist-shrouded lake, its corridors heavy with secrets – not least the mysterious death of Lady Elizabeth Danville, and the unspoken tensions between her formidable widower and his magnetic son, Gabriel.
As Briar navigates the undercurrents of a household ruled by watchful servants and locked doors, she is drawn ever deeper into a web of suspicion, desire and fear. And whispers in the night, figures at windows, and a constant sense of being watched leave her questioning not only the truth about Thornby, but her own safety within its walls.
Karen says, ‘This is an exceptional, vivid historical mystery, laced with peril and full of glorious gothic tropes that are both cannily acknowledged and perfectly employed. With a dead wife, an estranged son, locked rooms, an asylum just beyond the gates, whispers in the nearby town, strange servants and a constant sense that nothing in this house is quite as it should be, this feeds straight into the current resurgence of interest in – indeed. obsession with – the gothic. A dark romance also simmers at the heart of this suspenseful novel, which brims with obsession, betrayal and so many secrets.
‘Steph writes with striking assurance and narrative control, and Thornby Manor is right up there with the very best gothic tales – creepy, lush and deliciously unsettling. I was held completely spellbound, from the opening pages. We’ve had superb success with our historical fiction of late, and we’re proud and honoured to add Steph’s dazzling debut – and her second novel, Oceania, to our list. With her background in publishing at Bonnier, Steph brings a rare understanding of the industry, and working with her – on the edits and on the marketing campaign – has been an absolute joy. Thornby Manor will be an exquisite package, with sprayed edges, foil and embossing, and we have an ambitious Gothic Spring marketing campaign lined up, which will also see Steph take to the road with Essie Fox.’
Steph says, ‘I have always loved Gothic novels. Stories that simmer with psychological dread, protagonists forced to confront impossible odds – where the setting is a main character in itself! Thornby Manor is my Manderley, my Wuthering Heights, and I could not be more thrilled that it has found such a wonderful home with Orenda Books. It really is a dream come true.’
Anna Dixon says, ‘On page one of Thornby Manor, the reader instantly knows they are in the hands of a brilliant debut novelist and about to read something extremely special. It is so gratifying to place it with a publisher as dynamic as Orenda whose ambitions for this book and for Steph as an author match my own. This book is a true treat, and I’m so excited to watch it soar and find its readers.’
Thornby Manor, by Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes, will be published in high-spec hardback by Orenda Books on 23rd April 2026. For more information, please contact Karen Sullivan: Karen@orendabooks.co.uk.
