'Classic story of murder' from Ian McEwan

Jonathan Cape is publishing a new novel by Ian McEwan in September.

UK & Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to Nutshell were acquired by Dan Franklin, associate publisher at Jonathan Cape, from Peter Straus at Rogers Coleridge & White.

Nutshell is described as a classic story of murder and deceit and "the finest recent work from a true master".

Franklin said: "This is an amazing book. You first gasp with astonishment, then laugh with delight."

Michal Shavit, publishing director, added: "Love and betrayal, life and death come together in the most unexpected ways in this sensational new novel from Ian McEwan. We are thrilled and proud to be publishing Nutshell this autumn."

McEwan has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction numerous times, winning the award for Amsterdam in 1998. His novel Atonement received the WH Smith Literary Award (2002), National Book Critics' Circle Fiction Award (2003), Los Angeles Times Prize for Fiction (2003), and the Santiago Prize for the European Novel (2004). Atonement was also made into an Oscar-winning film. McEwan was awarded a CBE in 2000 and in 2014 he was awarded the Bodleian Medal.