Circle of Liars, the “utterly addictive” YA debut thriller by Kate Francis will be published by Usborne in July 2025.

In an announcement in The Bookseller, which subscribers can read in full here, senior commissioning editor Becky Walker said, “Get ready to enter the Circle of Liars. Impossibly pacy and with a blazingly imagined concept that is going to get every single reader talking, this really is YA at its most addictive from a huge new talent.”

Kate added: “Writing Circle of Liars was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. There was nothing better than coming home and diving into the dangerous and exhilarating world of these characters, pushing them to their absolute limits, and sometimes beyond. I am so excited to share this book with readers and hope that they will enjoy the ride as much as I have.”

Set in the Californian desert, Circle of Liars follows seven teenagers trapped in an abandoned motel and caught in deadly game of revenge. Every hour they must choose the guiltiest among them to cross the line and be killed…