Terry Prone: The rare delight when an author's second offering beats the debut

Megan Nolan’s sentences unfurl like flags at half-mast. They whisper open like tissue paper around a forgotten gift

Megan Nolan was heralded for her debut novel two years ago and has now topped it with her new book. Picture: Sophie Davidson

The headlines, when a new writer hits the jackpot, tend to stress that they have won themselves a “two-book deal”. The inference it is hoped will be drawn is that the publishers have such faith in the writer, that they’re not just buying one novel from them, but two.

In actual fact, of course, what the publishers are doing is taking a punt that if the first offering works, the second will be seen by readers as brand continuation. Sometimes it happens — Lee Child, Marian Keyes, Stephen King, and Cathy Kelly are all names that — writ large on the cover of a book — guarantee the browser standing at the table in the bookstore that if they go for one of those writers’ latest offerings, they will, at the very least, be protected from boredom.