Corvus acquires Happily Never After by Rachel North

Corvus Publishing Director Sarah Hodgson has acquired World Rights in Rachel North’s Happily Never After from Judith Murray at Greene & Heaton. Happily Never After will be published in paperback original and eBook in Summer 2025.

Rachel North was born in Scarborough and studied English Literature at Oxford University. She has worked as a cleaner, a receptionist, a kitchen designer, a market researcher, a company director, a celebrity shopper and a victim support volunteer. She has an MA in Creative Writing. Under the name Caroline Bond she is the author of six novels, including The Second Child, a Radio 2 Book Club pick and, her most recently published book, Thea and Denise. She lives in Leeds with her husband and one of her three children… the other two having grown up and escaped.

A fairy tale wedding is what every couple dreams of. But not all fairy tales have happy endings…

A small group of family and friends head to a beautiful, secluded location in the mountains of Majorca for the wedding of Alex and Maddie. The Finca Incantata is a magical place – a castle with a cobbled courtyard, a deep, cold, fresh-water pool and a high tower that looks out over the surrounding wilderness.

The guests arrive bringing with them their pretty dresses, their smart suits and their own thoughts about the upcoming union and about marriage itself. Among them is one guest who is determined to ensure the wedding does not take place…

Who is the malevolent presence? Why do they hate so fiercely and so specifically? And just how far are they prepared go to prevent Alex and Maddie tying the knot?

 

Rachel North says,

‘As I child I loved reading, and being read, fairy tales – the beautiful illustrations used to fascinate me, but I never fantasised about meeting Prince Charming, falling in love and living happily ever after. My make-believe was far darker; full of drama, betrayal and people who were not who they pretended to be. Hence it was, perhaps, no great surprise that I became a writer. I hope that readers enjoy my dark tale of the perils of believing that everyone wishes you well on your wedding day.’

Sarah Hodgson says,

‘I’m thrilled to be continuing Corvus’s relationship with the hugely talented Caroline Bond in her new guise as Rachel North. Happily Never After is a brilliantly entertaining and twisty psychological thriller that will have readers racing to turn the pages.’