Orenda Books signs 'jihadi thriller'

Orenda Books had signed a Jihadi thriller from debut author Yusuf Toropov.

Karen Sullivan, publisher of Orenda Books, has acquired world English language rights to Yusuf Toropov’s debut thriller, Jihadi: A Love Story, from Bob Diforio of the D4EO Literary Agency in the USA.

Described by Orenda Books as a “complex, intriguing and intricately woven literary thriller”, Jihadi: A Love Story is an “astonishing debut that explores the nature of good and evil alongside notions of nationalism, terrorism and fidelity, the ethics of intelligence services and the fragility of the human mind.”

Sullivan said: “This is an extraordinary book – commercial, timely and relevant, but also with a moral heart that lifts it above the average thriller.”

She added: “I’m very excited to be publishing Yusuf, and know he has a stunning future ahead.”

Toropov said: “Karen Sullivan was an early and avid supporter of Jihadi: A Love Story, and it was clear to me not only that she understood the world of this book, but also that she was committed to supporting big conversations in new fiction. I can’t imagine a better publisher for the project.”

Literary agent Diforio said Sullivan and Toropov made a “great team”.

He added: “While there was interest in Jihadi: A Love Story by a number of publishers, the conversations that Yusuf had with Karen Sullivan revealed that she full understood Yusuf’s vision for his work and her editorial input has proven invaluable.”

Jihadi: A Love Story will be published in Spring 2016 by Orenda Books.