The good news reached us early in March that Mandy de Waal's riveting novel about girls on the game, the woman who runs them, and the men who love and endanger them all will be represented by the William Morris Agency. Renni Browne was the lead editor on the project, with developmental assistance from Shannon Roberts.  Renni was enthusiastic enough about the book to recommend it directly to senior agent and agency VP Mel Berger.

He and Renni worked with Mandy to take this explosive story over the finish line, and it's soon to make its way out to publishers. Here's how Mandy describes the story:

I don't know about America but in England, a 'squeeze' can be a number of things;  a tight spot with no way out, an affectionate hug, or a man's favorite woman when he has more than one to choose from.  Squeeze the novel is about all of these.  The man is Callum and the favorite woman, Maria, has been running away from him since they were children when he got her pregnant.  He loved her then, he loves her still.  But even if she were willing, and she's not, he can't have her because she's his sister. Not that she hates him.  Far from it.  But she knows that he's a murderer, an extortioner, and a breaker of hearts, particularly hers.  Whether she loves him or not, it's immaterial.  He's her brother and she has to dig deep to find the strength to stay away.  So far she's managed it.

When Maria left home in disgrace she became a prostitute.  A good one.  And when she'd learnt the ropes she became a madam and started supplying 'squeezes' to the high rollers, the high class who could pay the high price.  She keeps a small firm of handpicked girls and runs a tight ship with monthly inspections.  She's stayed cool, stayed professional, and stayed alone.  Then two things happened: she met a decent man, and one of her girls messed up.  The girl killed a man and the decent man got her pregnant.  What Maria wanted was the murder covered up and the baby to give her the strength to clean up her act, get once and for all back onto the straight and narrow. The only person crooked enough to get a dead man out of a hotel in the middle of the night is her brother Callum, and what he wants in return, Maria thinks she can give him.  But his temper hasn't mellowed over the years, and he nearly kills her.

Maria has no choice but to betray him.