Bolinda buys library audio rights for The Testaments

Audiobook publisher Bolinda has secured exclusive library audio rights for Margaret Atwood’s’ latest edition of The Handmaid’s Tale and the upcoming Booker Prize-longlisted sequel, The Testaments. 

Ellis Moore, rights and content manager at Bolinda, acquired the audio rights from Penguin Random House. The two titles will be released simultaneously with the print edition on 10th September in libraries, digitally through the BorrowBox library lending app, alongside the physical CD and MP3CD and Playaway format. Bolinda also hosts Atwood’s extensive backlist catalogue of audio.

The Testaments is set 15 years on from Offred’s final scene in the first book and told by three female narrators from Gilead. It was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize on Wednesday (24th July) and will be published in print and e-book and audio by Chatto & Windus on 10th September.

Moore said: “This acquisition has been a huge win for Bolinda. We’re so proud of working exclusively on the author’s entire backlist, and it is wonderful we can continue to supply our customers with the story that started it all, The Handmaid’s Tale, along with the highly anticipated sequel.”

The announcement also follows the news that Canongate has partnered with Bolinda to make its audiobooks available to libraries in a new partnership.