The List of Suspicious Things

Product Information

Again, I will use my own book as an example here – when it came to querying The List of Suspicious Things, I already had The Trouble with Goats and Sheep as a comp (see above) but because it’s set in West Yorkshire, is dark (!), and uses dialect in the dialogue, I combined it with A Kestrel for a Knave (or the film Kes) to give a more accurate flavour of the book. I'd heard a lot about The List of Suspicious Things on social media and so was thrilled to get the opportunity to read it. It's set in Yorkshire in 1979, Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minister and women are living in fear of the Yorkshire Ripper. When 12 year old Miv's family begin to talk of moving down south, Miv, with the help of her best friend Sharon, is determined to find the Yorkshire Ripper so her family can remain in Yorkshire. Jennie: Hannah is an incredibly talented writer, one whose work I had admired on the course. The first time she told me that something I had written wasn’t working I felt very emotional – not just because I knew she was right – I also really appreciated that she had the best interests of my book at heart. It’s similar with agents. While they will get a sense of your book from your letter and synopsis, providing comps is an easy way to cut through the noise and encapsulate the feel of a book. So here is my guide to identifying and using comp titles in pitching your book. Jennie gave herself six months to make a success from writing. After a few scrunched up manuscripts, Jennie leant on her love of true crime and hit upon her idea for The List of Suspicious Things. Soon her pen was ablaze.

What a comp should do instead is give an agent a shortcut to the feel of your book in the most accurate and positive way possible. It’s a way to shine the best light on your work and I hate to go all Gen Z on you, but a comp is more about ‘vibes’ than it is about direct comparisons, and those ‘vibes’ can be about any aspect of the book, with some ideas/examples below.

If you could hold someone up as an everyday leader, who would it be and why?

Smart and funny and devastating, We All Want Impossible Things has huge Sorrow and Bliss vibes and I didn't want it to end. LAURA PEARSON Miv's family life is troubled, her mum has had a nervous breakdown and hasn't spoken for sometime. Her aunt has moved in to help take care of them, but with the ripper still out there, Yorkshire isn't what it used to be and there is talk of moving away. This is devastating to Miv, who would then lose her best friend, Sharon, the one stable thing in her life. Her solution is to catch the ripper, so she starts the list of suspicious things and sets out with Sharon to investigate. Along the way, the pair meet a strong cast of characters and form a pretty tight group of friends.

Think about film and television too – it’s all writing – and who wouldn’t want to read Succession in book form (for example). My current WIP has a Happy Valley vibe to it, and I’m very happy with that. In Newman's hands... this tale of love and friendship is tender, funny, life-affirming joy. MARIE CLAIRE, 'Best Books of 2023'Jennie said: “I remember my dad staring open mouthed at the television and saying ‘but I know him, I know him’.” So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don't. On paper we shouldn’t be friends. Firstly, we are from totally different generations, secondly our novels are entirely different. But we are friends, good friends and it’s made me doubt everything I know about building connections in my life. Our top tips for writing and nurturing your writing friendship: We All Want Impossible Things is one of those books I will be buying for everyone I know. A funny, moving, beautifully written book, I laughed and cried in equal measure. It is both a unique and wise take on friendship, love and loss that will stay with me for a very long time. JENNIE GODFREY, author of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS This is a superb coming of age story cleverly entwined with the mystery of the identity of a serial killer, it’s a story of unbreakable friendships, a life that is better just for knowing that person and the strength we derive from them. It’s beautifully written and I will not deny I have tears rolling down my face at times, this book is truly an experience and one to savour. It isn’t hard to imagine this will be one of the smash hits of 2024. Highly recommended, obviously!!