Conduit Books snaps up Ben Sims' The Long Let
New small press Conduit Books, founded by novelist and critic Jude Cook, has acquired The Long Let by Ben Sims.
Cook bought UK and Commonwealth rights from agent Salma Begum at Greyhound Literary. This is the fourth title acquired by the publisher, and is due to be published on 12th November.
The synopsis says: "The Long Let takes the reader into the charged territory of sexual obsession with the unrequited love of an older man for a young Adonis, set in a claustrophobic north London house share."
Cook said: "When I first read The Long Let, I was immediately struck by the verve, ambition and humour of the prose, as well as the pathos and power of a timeless story of unrequited love. Ben is an extraordinary young writer, one with a bright future ahead of him, and we’re delighted to be publishing his debut novel as Conduit’s fourth and final title of 2026."
Sims added: "It is a privilege to be working with a bold new publishing house which champions ambitious novels. Founded and run by someone who is himself a novelist, Conduit Books is a haven for writers who value the individual paragraph, sentence, clause and word."
Begum said: "The Long Let is an energetic, playful and subversive debut and we couldn’t imagine a better home for it than Conduit Books. We are thrilled to be partnering with the publisher in its inaugural year and to be part of its bold and exciting contribution to contemporary literary culture."
