Century acquires 'The Traitors' tie-in puzzle book

Century, an imprint of Penguin Random House, has acquired The Traitors: The Interactive Puzzle Book, a tie-in to the BAFTA award-winning BBC reality TV game show.

Zennor Compton, editorial director for Century Non-Fiction, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights excluding Canada from All3Media International. The book will be published on 23rd November 2023 in hardback and e-book.

The book is written by Alan Connor, author of Richard Osman’s House of Games: 101 new & classic games from the hit BBC series (BBC Books). Amanda Lovett, contestant and “Traitor” from series one, provides the foreword for the book. Publication will be supported by a major publicity, marketing and retail campaign.

The publisher says: “In The Traitors, readers must put their sleuthing skills to the test in a world of deception, betrayal and strategy. Placed in a castle in the Scottish Highlands, you must figure out if your fellow players are Faithful or a Traitor. Can you trust Jorge, the dentist with an encyclopaedic memory and tendency to smile at everyone? Or Nina, the retiree who acts like the group’s matriarch but has a knowing glint in her eyes…? Beware, for in this treacherous game, trust is a luxury you cannot afford.

“In the book, the decisions the reader makes will decide what happens next as they can choose their route through the book – unless they take a wrong turn and are murdered by the Traitors. It is suitable to be played alone or with others and includes over 20 standalone games to play as a pair or in a group – all with cunning twists you’ll recognise from ’The Traitors’ – this is the perfect gift, guaranteed to unleash hours of mischief and fun.”

The BBC series was produced by Studio Lambert Scotland and first aired in November 2022. Earlier this year the series was awarded two BAFTA’s for Best Reality and Constructed Factual and Best Entertainment performance by Claudia Winkleman, as well as a British Press Guild Award for Best Entertainment. Following the success of the UK series, iPlayer has since released the US and Australian series and "The Traitors" has been commissioned for a local series in more than 25 territories.

Lovett said: “Ever since the show aired, ’The Traitors’ fans have been asking how they can be part of the wonderful world of the show and I’m so excited that Penguin is publishing the tie-in book to give this opportunity. The book is full of all the mystery, suspense and fun of the show and I can’t wait for its release in November."

Compton said: “Like the rest of the UK, I became completely obsessed with ’The Traitors’ at the end of the last year, as did the rest of the Century team. So we’re thrilled to be publishing the series’ official book, which will fully immerse fans into the treacherous world of the show, with twists and turns at every page. Fun for all the family, the book is set to match the success of the show."

Jane Sharp, vice-president of commercial licensing at All3Media International commented: “A nail-biting psychological game of suspense and deception The Traitors is as addictive on the page as it is onscreen. With the passion and expertise of Century’s team and writer Alan Connor, I’m delighted that faithful fans and new players will be able to lose themselves in the vivid stories and immersive gameplay of ’The Traitors’’ official book.”