Atlantic Fiction acquires ‘swaggering debut of conflict and camaraderie’, The Kings Head

Atlantic Fiction has acquired World rights from Ciara McEllin at Watson Little in Kelly Frost’s debut The Kings Head, a brilliant, swaggering debut of conflict and camaraderie, carving a slice of history for London’s forgotten Teddy Girls. The Kings Head will be published in hardback on 6^th February 2025.

It’s 1957 and the Kings – Harry, Tony, Saint, the most fearless girls in N4 – rule the bomb-struck streets of Finsbury Park. The war is over but the real battle’s just begun, as Harry, their unpredictable, prideful, dangerously charismatic leader, decides that the Seven Sisters Road should be theirs too. But this is territory owned by the Sisters, a rival North London gang, and not easily given up. Never ones to back down from a fight, the Kings strengthen their numbers with girls from the local schools. As football matches morph into moonlit brawls, and scraps in dancehalls glint with weapons, tensions mount. And as the authorities close in, as conscripted boys come back from the war to claim what was theirs, there’s no telling what the consequences will be…

Kelly Frost grew up in Salisbury and presently lives and works in Jersey as a journalist. She has an undergraduate degree in English from UCL and a Master’s degree in American literature from Oxford, where her writing appeared in student publications. The Kings Head is her first novel.

Atlantic Fiction says:

‘Kelly’s writing is as sharp and glittering as the flick-knives her protagonists carry, and her novel is one of the most energetic and forceful debuts we’ve encountered for an age. We can’t wait to publish The Kings Head and we’re delighted that it’s our gang that Kelly’s chosen to join.’

Kelly Frost, author says: ‘For me, London’s girl gangs were always missing from the bookshelves, and I hope that the Kings, the Sisters, and all the punches they throw, the insults they lob, and their unforgettable fashion, goes some way to remedying that omission. I’m thrilled that The Kings Head has found a home with the brilliant and committed team at Atlantic, and I’m so grateful for their unwavering support.’

Ciara McEllin, agent, says:

‘I was instantly captivated by the charming and fearless girl gangs in The Kings Head when Kelly sent it to me and am delighted it has found the perfect place at Atlantic. I can’t wait for readers to meet the unforgettable Kings!’