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£800,000 for slush pile author

09.04.08 Tom Tivnan

Sue Fletcher at Hodder & Stoughton has paid £800,000 for five novels from a debut thriller writer whose manuscript was rescued from the slush pile.

Hodder beat off stiff competition to secure UK and Commonwealth rights for Matt Hilton's series of books that will feature detective Joe Hunter. The deal was done with Luigi Bonomi at LBA. The first title, Dead Man's Dust, will be published by in hardcover in June 2009 with subsequent novels published at six-monthly intervals.

Hilton has been a serving Cumbrian police constable for the last four years. His manuscript was plucked from the LBA slush pile by Bonomi's wife, "an obsessive thriller reader".

Fletcher, whose authors include John Connolly and Elizabeth George, said: "It has been a long time since I read a debut as thrilling and as promising as Dead Man's Dust. Matt Hilton's fiction will appeal to a very wide audience, particularly fans of Lee Child. His character, Joe Hunter, will certainly give Lee Child's Jack Reacher a run for his money."

tom tivnan Rights deal Hodder & Stoughton Home slush pile Sue Fletcher Matt Hilton

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Comments on this article

By yampy

Yay that's great news for us slush pile residers. Provided it truly is free of nepotism. One thing struck me about this article; why was it 'rescued' from the slush pile and not simply discovered?

09 Apr 08 17:02

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By davey hilton

well done matt

09 Apr 08 21:24

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By Michael Bunting

This is great news for Matt and gives hope to people stuck on the slush piles. That's where my book was for ages until it was signed. I too was a bobby. Well done, Matt.

09 Apr 08 23:12

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By Elliot

It is funny reading other articles about this, such as the Daily Mail, because apparently Luigi Bonomi said something like "My wife rescued this book from the slush pile as she is an obsessive thriller reader, and said this book was the most gripping she had read for ages, and I most certainly agree". But surely Mr. Bonomi was the one who put the book on the slush pile in the first place?...

10 Apr 08 10:11

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By Simon "Oddbod" Williams

I think this is great and best of luck to Matt cant wait to see the 1st novel in print, gives a little hope to all budding writers, i just hope mine was sitting under his when it was picked up :-)

10 Apr 08 22:01

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By Mary Fitzsimons

Congratulations, Matt! I first read about your success in Carlisle’s News and Star. All best wishes for the future.

11 Apr 08 10:29

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By Colin Bury

Matt, Matt, You've done what I'm trying to do! I, too, am a bobby who's compelled to write, but just a 'tad' behind you at the moment! Enjoy it. Respect.

25 Apr 08 21:56

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By ray hilton

matt is my older brother.he has made our family proud,i wish him the very best of luck and joy with his new found career.he has endeavoured to have his work published for so long.all my love to him ray

07 Jun 08 22:50

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