Zaffre, the adult fiction imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) to Songs for the Sinless, a fantasy trilogy by Tessonja Odette, in a six-figure pre-empt within 24 hours, book news company The Bookseller revealed on Monday.

Editorial director Kelly Smith acquired the rights from Kimberly Whalen at The Whalen Agency.

International demand has been strong, with Delacorte (Penguin Random House) securing US rights in a major deal, Ravensburger winning a nine-way auction in Germany, Hidra prevailing in an eight-way auction in Spain, and additional sales made to Planeta in Brazil and Maxim in Hungary.

The first instalment, The Lies That Summon the Night, will be published in February 2026, with simultaneous release in the US. Sequels are scheduled for early 2027 and 2028.

Set in a world where art is lethal, the series follows fugitive storyteller Inana as she is forced into an alliance with a bounty hunter, leading to revelations that threaten not only their lives but the fate of their world.