An Alzheimer Exposé Sells to One Signal, Bloomsbury Gets a Michelin Star, and More

London, Kensington Team Up for 'Last Heist'
John Scognamiglio at Kensington has acquired world rights to bestselling romance author Julia London's The Last Heist. David Purse at packager Inked Entertainment handled the deal, with London represented by Jenny Bent at the Bent Agency. Inked characterized the book as Ocean's Eleven meets The Golden Girls, in which "an all-female group of chaotic elderly thieves come out of retirement for one last heist against a young crypto-loving dudebro, while trying to repair their fractured friendship along the way." The Last Heist is set for a 2026 publication.

Bloomsbury Gets a Michelin Star
Harriet LeFavour at Bloomsbury has acquired North American rights to The Road to the Table, a cultural history of the Michelin Guide, by veteran culinary writer and former New Statesman wine columnist Nina Caplan. Emily Sweet at Aevitas Creative brokered the deal. Bloomsbury said Caplan will tell the story of how "a tire-selling scheme sparked a culinary revolution, carved the modern map of France, and changed fine dining as we know it." The book is scheduled for a spring 2026 release.

Children's/YA Deals Roundup
New projects this week include a YA dark fantasy-adventure, tentatively titles Vampires of Valhalla, by Heidi Schulz, in which the village of Hardholm is raided by Viking vampire longships, and when 16-year-old Alys's twin sister is chosen as a sacrifice, she will do anything to save her from an unimaginable fate—even if it means wrestling with her own new vampiric existence; Katherine Quinn's Stolen Midnights, about a fiery politician's daughter and a clever thief, who must navigate a treacherous world of magic-wielding criminals, uncover the secrets of the Fates, and harness their powers to stop impending doom while fighting a forbidden attraction; and We Could Be Magic, a graphic novel by Marissa Meyer, illustrated by Joelle Murray, a body-positive story about a girl who has the chance to live out her dream of being a character actor at the amusement park dedicated to the fantasy world of her favorite writer, only to find that the reality of life in costume is not what she expected.

Avid Picks Up Worthy Memoir
Shannon Welch at Avid Reader Press has preempted North American rights to Becoming Worthy by former NBA star James Worthy and Phil Taylor. David Black and Mark Tavani at the David Black Agency represented the authors. Tavani said Worthy tells his story of going from standout college player to being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 and becoming "a dominant figure in the NBA's golden era." He takes readers "deep inside one of the most iconic teams in American sports history" while also "candidly describing his inner struggles as an athlete, Black man, and person seeking better mental health and a more authentic life." A pub date has not yet been set.

Donovan, Berkley Make Deal for the 'Devil'
Kerry Donovan at Berkley has taken world rights to Lambda winner Alexandria Bellefleur's first paranormal romantic comedy, The Devil She Knows. The two-book deal was brokered by Sarah Younger of the Nancy Yost Literary Agency after an 11-imprint auction. Berkley said the book is "a sapphic retelling" of the 2000s movie Bedazzled, featuring "a crafty, thousand-year-old demon who prefers to wear pink as she brokers for human souls, and a down-on-her-luck human recovering from a spectacularly humiliating breakup, who is willing to gamble everything for love." The book is scheduled for fall 2025.

Simon Element Nabs Nutrition Guide
In a preempt, Simon Element executive editor Emily Graff has acquired world rights to 35 Chances, a nutrition guide by Culina Health cofounder and registered dietitian Vanessa Rissetto. Nena Madonia Oshman at the Nominate Group handled the deal. The publisher said Rissetto, a frequent guest on the Today show, will offer readers "a new take on nutrition that rejects dieting fads and instead provides a framework that empower readers to make healthy choices every day, throughout the day, with nutritional advice, sample meal plans, and easy recipes." A pub date has not yet been announced.