Beyoncé Collaborator Yrsa Daley-Ward's Debut Novel The Catch Kicks Off Well-Read Black Girl Series (Exclusive)

Yrsa Daley-Ward has a hotly-anticipated anticipated new novel on the way, and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look.

PEOPLE can exclusively share the cover for the acclaimed author's fiction debut, The Catch, publishing next year. The book’s publication is part of a new series of books selected by Glory Edim, founder of Well-Read Black Girl, produced in partnership with Liveright, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

The Catch follows twins Clara and Dempsey, whose mother, Serene, disappeared into the River Thames when they were children. As an adult, Clara sees a woman who looks just like their mother — this person, however, has "aged not a day" and "has enjoyed a childless life," per the novel's description.

The Catch is an "empowering exploration of identity, motherhood and the creative potential that lies within the hearts of Black women," per a statement shared with PEOPLE.

“As a woman, I chose a path — one of many, and sometimes wondered if it was the right one,” Daley-Ward says in a statement. “I’m fascinated by the world beneath the surface of women’s lives, by the choices we didn’t make, the ‘yeses’ that turned out to be trapdoors and the compromises driven by necessity.”

Daley-Ward, the PEN Ackerley Prize-winning writer of the memoir The Terrible and collaborator on Beyoncé's 2020 film Black is King, also notes that The Catch became a way to pose important questions that she was asking herself, particularly about the choices we make.

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“The book is a journey of peeling back layers, exploring the split between who we are and who we become as we navigate careers, family and love,” the author says. “In this book, I delve into what I call the ‘ghost life’ — the alternate path that haunts us, asking, Did I make the right choice? What did I leave behind?"

“These questions linger, particularly as I look at motherhood and motherlessness, both of which shape us in profound, unseen ways," she continues. "I often dream of my own mother, gone too soon, wondering what it would be like to see her without the filters of time and distance. This is an invitation to examine our hidden lives, the selves we keep buried and to confront the haunting question: What if?”

Glory Edim, founder of Well-Read Black Girl and author of books including the 2024 memoir Gather Me, notes that The Catch marks a new chapter for her literary community. Founded in 2015 as a book club, Well-Read Black Girl promotes and encourages conversation about diverse new voices in books.

“I'm beyond excited to announce our acquisition of Yrsa Daley-Ward's debut fiction novel. To include her voice in Well-Read Black Girl's first foray into publishing is an honor,” Edim says in a statement. 

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“Our new literary series is determined to introduce narratives that are innovative and beguilingly genuine," Edim continues. "Daley-Ward's writing fits the bill; the voices in her manuscript hovered over my head for days. My co-editor, Gina Iaquinta, and I can't wait for you to experience her powerful characters.”

The Catch will be published on June 3, 2025 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.