Michaelides' second thriller optioned by Stone Village Television

Stone Village Television has acquired TV rights for Alex Michaelides' second thriller The Maidens, which will be published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in June 2021. 

Michaelides is represented by Sam Copeland at RCW and Katie Haines at The Agency in the US.

The Maidens will weave together Greek mythology, psychology and murder to deliver a "spellbinding" literary thriller. 

Emad Akhtar, publishing director at Orion Fiction, said: "The Maidens is a brilliant book by the brightest new star in literary thriller writing. Alex is already a master craftsman of suspense, and one of the most naturally intelligent and gifted storytellers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. I am thrilled that Stone Village love the book every bit as much as we do. Their passion and enthusiasm is fantastic, and I look forward to seeing what’s in store for Alex and The Maidens!"

Scott Steindorff, managing partner of Stone Village, said: "This is the kind of story I’ve been wanting to help tell my whole career. It has everything I love: a layered and heroic lead woman, academia, Greek islands, classics, complex psychology and an unpredictable mystery. The characters and world are all here for endless, entertaining storytelling."

Michaelides commented: "In our conversations I felt Stone Village really got the story and the characters. I’m thrilled by their passion for The Maidens, and the great ideas they are bringing to the adaptation. It’s going to be an exciting experience."

Michaelides debut, The Silent Patient, was published by Orion in 2019 and has sold 163,242 copies across all editions via Nielsen BookScan's Total Consumer Market in the UK, excluding lockdown-era sales.