Catherine Ryan Howard has scored a major transatlantic publishing deal. Howard is widely regarded as one of Ireland's best new crime writers of recent times. Her debut novel, Distress Signal, (pictured above) was shortlisted for the Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the 2016 Irish Book Awards. The winner that year was The Trespasser by Tana French, who has gone on to achieve extraordinary things. French's latest novel The Wych Elm has been widely acclaimed as a literary tour-de-force.

Her second book, The Liar's Girl, is a nominee in the Best Novel category at this year's Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Awards. The deal represents further confirmation of the rude state of health of Irish writing, which has continued to produce best-selling authors – whether in literary fiction, or in genres like crime and science fiction.

The Cork-born author took to Twitter to confirm the news, writing: "It hasn't even sunk in here yet, but I've signed a new deal with Blackstone, my North American publishers, for six more books.

"Yes, SIX.

*gulp*"

She continued: "That means 8 more novels are coming including #RewindBook, and I've 7 of those yet to write.

*bigger gulp*

"So, like, if anybody's got any spare plot ideas they're not using...?"

She finished up what was a very amusing tweet by sharing her gratitude at getting to do the "job [she'd] dreamed of having since I was 8 years old".

"Seriously though, I’m enormously grateful that I get to do the job I’ve dreamed of having since I was 8 years old, and that I can do it for another while yet."

I wasn’t going to say anything until Monday but it’s up online, so... for the weekend that’s in it, this Irish writer has some news: https://t.co/t1r1gyeD2C pic.twitter.com/JB2H4vqD6z

— Catherine Ryan Howard (@cathryanhoward) March 16, 2019

We wish Catherine Ryan Howard all the best in what promises to be a hugely fruitful career!