Black & White pre-empts new novel by Corlett

Black & White publishing director Sam Humphreys has made her first acquisition for the company, the new speculative novel from Anne Corlett.

Humphreys, who moved to the Bonnier Books UK division in January 2023 following eight years at Pan Macmillan imprint Mantle, pre-empted World English rights from Laura Williams at Greene & Heaton. The book,The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, will publish in May 2024.

Partly inspired by vast immersive theatre productions – such as those of British company Punchdrunk – the novel is set in an alternate London’s Theatre District, a walled-off area "where all involved are born into their roles, and follow their own rules; even the police have no jurisdiction there. But in a closed world where illusions abound, it’s easy for powerful men to control the narrative – and some will go to any lengths to ensure certain stories are never told."

Humphreys said: “As soon as I read Anne’s novel, I knew that not only did I have to publish it, I also wanted it to be the book that launched my list. I can see it appealing to fans of The Night Circus and The Doll Factory (Picador) yet it also feels entirely and brilliantly original.”

Corlett has an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and was a criminal defence solicitor before becoming a full-time writer. Her apocalyptic sci-fi debut The Space Between the Stars was published by Tor and Berkley in 2017.

Corlett said: “I’ve been fascinated by immersive theatre since my first visit to Punchdrunk’s ‘The Drowned Man’. It’s such a collaborative form of storytelling, with space for the audience to weave their own narratives."