The CWA was saddened to hear of the death on 26 October of one of the country’s foremost literary agents, Carole Blake of Blake Friedmann. Many of our members will know Carole, and her energy, enthusiasm and expertise were renowned and celebrated throughout the publishing industry.

Blake Friedmann’s official statement read: ‘It is with huge sadness that we must share the news that our beloved mentor, colleague and friend Carole Blake died last night. The loss of such an incredible woman so soon is not something any of us feel prepared for, but we are grateful that she lived so fully to the last, and that she died swiftly and painlessly, on being readmitted to hospital last night, with Julian by her side.’

The CWA’s 2016 Diamond Dagger holder Peter James was represented by Carole. On Twitter he wrote that he was ‘immensely sad my wonderful agent and one of my closest friends ever has died, suddenly’.

The CWA wishes to extend our sympathy to the family of Carole, and to her friends and colleagues within the CWA and in the publishing and wider world.