Fanfare! Pleased To Announce A Major Deal...

[AgentPete]

From today's BookBrunch...

Michelle Paver back at Orion​

Bestselling author returns to Orion with 'immersive and intoxicating ghost story Rainforest', part of emerging new sub-genre christened 'survivalist Gothic'​

Publisher Sam Eades acquired world rights to Rainforest by Michelle Paver 'in a major deal' struck with Peter Cox at Redhammer. Described as 'one of Britain’s modern greats', the Sunday Times bestselling author has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.​

According to the acquisition statement: 'Rainforest is a companion story to Dark Matter and Thin Air, gothic thrillers that inspired a brand-new generation of readers and writers. Rainforest will be published as a lead title by Orion Fiction in October 2025, released alongside anniversary editions of Dark Matter and Thin Air.​

'Rainforest is a haunting survivalist thriller that unfurls in the intoxicating and unforgiving rainforest. Grief-stricken entomologist Simon is sent on an expedition in the Mexican jungle, to escape a scandal that threatens to destroy his career. He joins an archaeological dig, beset by a series of troubling events and dissent in the ranks. As Simon treks deeper into the jungle in search of a new species of mantid, he loses his way and his grip on reality. Simon is not alone in the rainforest. And escape will be impossible…'​

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Paver (pictured) said: "I love telling supernatural stories set in remote, extreme environments. So be warned – Rainforest isn’t the traditional haunted house story. With Dark Matter I took readers into the polar night. For Thin Air, to one of the highest mountains on earth. Now with Rainforest we’re in a place of teeming life and sudden death, impenetrable shadows and shocking bursts of colour. For my hero, it’s a refuge where he hopes to forget the tragedy he’s left behind. But soon he discovers that the jungle is also a haunted place: it has spirits of its own, as well as the ghosts he brings with him. Readers have called my work 'survivalist Gothic.' That’s fine by me!"​

Cox said: "David Shelley [chief exec of Orion's parent company Hachette] was keen for Michelle to return to Hachette / Orion and proposed Sam Eades as her publisher. It was an inspired choice. Michelle and Sam have a mighty meeting of minds.​

"Rainforest is both classic Paver and shockingly ground-breaking, and Sam has been an utterly brilliant publishing accomplice in its genesis!"​

Speaking to BookBrunch, Cox added: "Michelle is returning to Hachette from Head of Zeus, who published her last ghost story Wakenhyrst together with the final three books (9 in total) in the worldwide bestselling Wolf Brother series.​

"Both companies (Hachette and Bloomsbury) fought hard for Rainforest and it was an agonizing decision for Michelle and indeed for me, since I have strong personal connections to both.​

"Michelle has created a whole new sub-genre that’s being termed 'survivalist Gothic.' Books such as Dark Matter and Thin Air exemplify this high-commercial sub-genre...I expect massive film/TV interest."​

Sam Eades, publisher, said: "Every single second of this journey into the rainforest with Michelle has been a joy. Her phenomenal writing reminds me of the power fiction has to make us feel and make us fear. She weaves together Mayan culture with themes of obsession, possession, gender, death and rebirth, casting a dark spell on the reader all the way to the shocking finale."​

Rainforest will be published in hardback, trade paperback, ebook and audio in October next year.​

Orion released some background about the author. 'Michelle Paver was born in central Africa and came to England as a child. After gaining a degree in Biochemistry from Oxford University, she was a solicitor before giving up the law to write full-time. Her books include the bestselling Wolf Brother series for younger readers, and the acclaimed adult ghost stories Dark Matter, Thin Air, and Wakenhyrst. To make her stories real for her readers, she often travels to the world’s most far-flung and challenging places."​

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[Jonny]

Great news. Heartiest congratulations to both author and agent - think I've heard of him. Name certainly rings a bell.

 

[RK Wallis]

What a coup! Congratulations to all involved xx r

 

[Barbara]

Excellent news. Congratulations.

 

[MattScho]

Survivalist Gothic is a cool sub-genre
Congrats to author and agent, and the book reading world. Sounds fascinating.

 

[Hannah F]

And I bet she's been to the rainforest to research it! Congratulations, Michelle and Peter!

 

[Rich.]

Huge congratulations to you both! I look forward to diving into the freaky rainforest!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Fabulous! Well done writer and agent!

 

[LJ Beck]

Brilliant! Huge congrats! Sounds like a nail-biting time to bring the deal to close. And the birth of a new sub-genre too! So much to cheer about!

 

[AgentPete]

Brilliant! Huge congrats! Sounds like a nail-biting time to bring the deal to close. And the birth of a new sub-genre too! So much to cheer about!

Yup, plate is definitely full p.

 

[KateESal]

Fabulous!! Great work Michelle, great sell Peter!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Peter has heard me say this umpteen times over the years. Dark Matter, creepy as hell, was the book that led me to the discovery of Michelle Paver, an agent called Peter Cox, and then, oh look, he has an online place.... Litopia.

 

[CarolMS]

Congratulations! It's a thing of beauty, a reason to cheer! YAY! So happy for you--and the author!

 

[Hannah F]

Saw Dark Matter in the Cymera Festival Blackwells bookshop and they only take a small selection of books there, mainly linked to the authors giving talks.

 

[Nikky Lee]

Squee! Congrats. Fabulous news

 

[Roz Morris]

Bravo! Nice to see some good news.