EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures swooped in and preemptively acquired film rights to Aftertaste, the breakout debut novel from rising literary talent Daria Lavelle. Doug Robinson is producing.
Set to be published on May 20, 2025 by Simon & Schuster, Aftertaste has already been recognized as one of Apple Books’ Best Books of May and one of Goodreads’ and Barnes & Noble’s Most Anticipated Debuts of 2025.
The debut novel is set in the world of New York City restaurants. Aftertaste is both a haunting ghost story and epic romance woven together with strong characters written in vivid cinematic detail, per the studio.
Ahead of its U.S. release, the novel has already sold in 12 international territories following a series of competitive auctions. That is a lot of action for a tyro author.
Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Lavelle was raised in the New York metro area. Her work delves into themes of identity and belonging through magic and the uncanny. Her short stories have been featured in The Deadlands, Dread Machine, and more.
Lavelle is represented by The Friedrich Agency and WME.
