5 Acts Productions options rights to Clare Mackintosh's The Last Party

5 Acts Productions, the new ITV Studios label led by David P. Davis, has optioned the rights to The Last Party, the latest thriller from the multi-award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author, Clare Mackintosh.

The Last Party, which is the first in a planned series, launches in hardback on 4th August and the deal to adapt the book is the first major content move for the Cardiff-based 5 Acts Productions, which launched at the turn of the year and sits within Patrick Spence’s studio at ITV Studios. It is led by Davis as Creative Director, whose previous credits include Industry, Electric Dreams and Doctor Who.

Translated into forty languages, Mackintosh’s books have sold more than two million copies worldwide, have been New York Times and international bestsellers and have spent a combined total of sixty-four weeks in the Sunday Times bestseller chart.

The Last Party follows DC Ffion Morgan as she investigates the murder of Rhys Lloyd, a home-grown hero who has returned to build controversial holiday homes on the shore of Llyn Drych (Mirror Lake), but who is found floating dead in the water on New Year’s Day, the morning after a party that brought together the feuding community. Morgan has to scrutinise her neighbours, friends and family but in a village with this many secrets, murder is just the beginning.

Davis said: "From the very first page I was totally hooked on The Last Party. For me it’s the perfect alchemy of great characters, a glorious setting and wonderfully crafted intrigue. Clare has written a novel perfectly suited for dramatisation and I couldn’t be more proud she’s entrusted 5 Acts with the adaptation."

Mackintosh said: "It was exciting to have a huge amount of interest in adapting The Last Party, but 5 Acts stood out from the start. I loved David’s passion for the story and was impressed by his commitment to the Welsh culture, language and settings. I know he’ll create something truly spectacular for the screen and I can’t wait to see the spiky, unfiltered DC Ffion Morgan brought to life.”