DR LOUISE POWELL

I’m delighted to be able to share the front cover of my debut novel UNDERDOGS, which will be published by JM Originals, an imprint of John Murray Press, on 2 July 2026.

UNDERDOGS is a literary fiction novel told in a poetic North East dialect. It follows ten-year-old George and his long-term unemployed Dad Reg as they become involved in an underground greyhound gambling ring led by charismatic former miner Bertie. The ring revolves around Easington Greyhound Stadium, an independent or ‘flapping’ track.

Inspired partly by my childhood spent going flapping, UNDERDOGS won the Sid Chaplin Northern Writers’ Award 2023 when it was still a work-in-progress.

It will be published by JM Originals (John Murray Press) on 2 July 2026 in paperback, ebook and audiobook. Luke Speed at Insight Management & Production is also very excitingly representing film/TV rights.

The cover was designed by Ellis Crossley, an exceptionally talented final year Design student at Liverpool John Moores University. Ellis was the winner of a cover design competition run by John Murray Press, and I absolutely love his striking, elegant design, with its focus on the father, son and greyhound who are central to my novel.

UNDERDOGS is available to pre-order at:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/underdogs/louise-powell/9781399828819

I’ve given everything to this story of a father, a son and a beautiful greyhound called Goldie, and I hope that readers really enjoy spending time in their lively world.

Bookseller Rights announcement, 16th April 2026.