Atlantic pre-empts Bradley's 'deft' debut novel

Atlantic Books has pre-empted UK Commonwealth rights for The Cat and the City, the "disturbing, delightful" debut novel by Nick Bradley. 

In her first acquisition for Atlantic, editor Poppy Mostyn-Owen acquired the novel from Ed Wilson of Johnson and Alcock. The Cat and the City will be published in hardback and eBook in April 2020.

"A tattoo artist beholden to traditional methods is caught up in a mind-bending commission; a homeless man is squatting in an abandoned capsule hotel; an overworked taxi driver is still grieving his wife's death; an American translator is struggling to adjust to her new big city life; a shut-in hermit is afraid to leave his house; a video game champion is searching for romance," said Atlantic. "What links these people is a mythical cat, shapeshifting and wonderous, that dances through the streets of Tokyo. And, as it does so, the cat brushes up against the lives of those who live there and connects them in unexpected and, at times, magical ways."

Mostyn-Owen said: "The Cat and The City is a treasure of a novel; disturbing, delightful and formally playful, it is at once a meditation on modern existence and a lithe thrill-ride through the less-glimpsed back alleys of Tokyo. I am delighted to welcome Nick to the Atlantic list with his deft debut."

Bradley added: "The moment I walked in the door at Atlantic, I knew my stray cat book had found its rightful home. I'm ecstatic to be working with Poppy and all the passionate and enthusiastic team, and to be joining a list of incredible publications. I can't wait to share my little cat's Tokyo adventures with everyone next April when the sakura is blooming in Japan. Many thanks to my agent Ed Wilson for believing in this project from its early days."