Chatto & Windus triumphs in eight-way auction for journalist’s 'urgent exposé' of the British far right

Chatto & Windus has won an eight-way auction for the Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman, a journalist and researcher for the advocacy group HOPE Not Hate, who spent a year undercover infiltrating far-right groups.

UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired from Doug Young at PEW Literary for publication in May 2025.

The synopsis states: "Harry Shukman set out to explore this secretive world that seemingly hides from us in plain sight. He spent a year living under an assumed name, wearing a hidden camera, infiltrating the extreme right-wing groups that are deliberately eroding principles about what is acceptable in public debate and promoting racist ideology. From joining a shadowy network called the Basketweavers to canvassing for Britain First, Harry spent time with neo-Nazi thugs, anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists and eugenicist sympathisers close to the very heart of our government, exploring the historical context for their beliefs and looking at the wider European backdrop."

Shukman said: "The hardest part about being undercover, not counting the fear and constant threat of exposure, was keeping my mouth shut. I couldn’t tell my friends or family that I had been to a neo-Nazi conference in Tallinn, or met a group of white nationalists in Athens, or given a lift in my car to a football hooligan named Nightmare."

Chatto & Windus added: "The scope of what Shukman discovers makes for a nail-bitingly tense read, but he also writes with humanity and compassion, and there are surprising moments of humour. We were struck by his bravery in going undercover and would urge everyone to read this vital and urgent book."

Young commented: "Harry Shukman has written a book of superb reportage which should be essential reading for anyone with an interest in the current political climate."