Megastar chick-lit author Elin Hilderbrand stuns fans by revealing she's ditching 'high-quality beach reads' and going in VERY different direction

Author Elin Hilderbrand has stunned fans after announcing she was ditching her summertime staple books to write dark fiction about teenagers. 

In an interview with The Boston Globe, Hilderbrand, 55, revealed she would be writing the new piece in tandem with her 18-year-old daughter, Shelby Cunningham.

The outlet reported that the two new books from the mother daughter duo would be a cross between 'Euphoria' and 'The Secret History'. Their first book 'The Academy' is slated to release next year. 

The TV series Euphoria, from where they have grabbed inspiration, follows a group of high school students, going through their own relatable problems such as body image, drug addictions and trying to fit in. 

While 'The Secret History' revolves around a group of six students studying at a Vermont college who become entangled in a murder 

Hilderbrand told the outlet: 'I'm out of ideas. I could tell it was happening when I wrote 'Golden Girl.' I knew 'Swan Song' was the goodbye. I just couldn't find any fresh takes.'

Hilderbrand, seen here, revealed she would be writing the new piece in tandem with her 18-year-old daughter, Shelby Cunningham

The TV series Euphoria, from where they have grabbed inspiration, follows a group of high school students. A grab from the show is seen here

She added: 'I've tried to deliver high-quality escapist wish-fulfillment beach books every summer. I never want to write something where they felt: 'She's done this already.''

According to Hildebrand the new novel concerning the teenagers will be set at a boarding school and will be 'extremely adult'. 

She told the outlet it wouldn't hold back on the 'sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll' and would involve a lot of interpersonal drama. 

Hildebrand added: 'The things Shelby was telling me, my mouth dropped open. Just the interpersonal drama was mind-blowing. 

'I said, “We’re writing a novel, and we’re going to set it at a boarding school.” She was like “OK, yeah.” But [her experience] isn’t part of the plot.'

Hilderbrand's books include '28 Summers', 'The Identicals' and have become a summertime staple. 

Nearly all of her novels involve an idyllic beach scene, with the stories set around Nantucket where she resides. 

Hilderbrand's books include '28 Summers', 'The Identicals' and have become a summertime staple

Nearly all of her novels involve an idyllic beach scene, with the stories set around Nantucket where she resides

She told the outlet that those are the novels she will definitely stop writing altogether, but may return with a memoir or a cookbook. 

Hilderbrand previously told the Associated Press in June 2021 that 2024 was the year she would put down her pen. 

Speaking then, she said: 'A lot of people will follow a writer for a long time and then inevitably they will turn out a book that is not as good as the others,

'I've always said to myself, 'I will not do that. I will make each book better and better or different in some way.' I feel myself coming to my natural end of my material.'

The first two seasons of Sam Levinson's racy series starred Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie and Jacob Elordi.

The first season of the program ran for eight episodes and was followed by a pair of specials released in 2020 and 2021.

Series creator Sam Levinson previously conceded that 'there are going to be parents who are going to be totally f**king freaked out' 

Euphoria's second season was premiered to critical and commercial acclaim. It was confirmed that a third season had been greenlit in February of last year.

In the first episode, viewers saw Zendaya's character, Rue, suffering from a drug overdose.

That scene is accompanied by a group of shirtless teen boys hovering around a phone as they look at revenge porn photos of another character in the series.

There was also a statutory rape scene involving Hunter Schafer's 17-year-old character, Jules.

Euphoria's second season was premiered to critical and commercial acclaim. It was confirmed that a third season had been greenlit in February of last year.

Series creator Sam Levinson previously conceded that 'there are going to be parents who are going to be totally f**king freaked out'.