Doubleday pre-empts Swedish bestseller by Lisa Ridzén

Doubleday has landed When the Cranes Fly South, a Swedish debut by Lisa Ridzén. 

The publisher said it had reached number one on the Swedish bestseller list with rights already sold in 19 territories so far. 

Publisher Kirsty Dunseath pre-empted world English language rights from Josephine Oxelheim of the Salomonsson Agency, and US rights have now been sold to Jennifer Barth for the Vintage Originals list.  

When the Cranes Fly South will publish May 2025. It is the story of Bo, an elderly man living a quiet existence in a small rural village in the north of Sweden. The synopsis says: “His days are punctuated by visits from his care team and his son. Fortunately, he still has his beloved dog Sixten for company, only now his son is insisting the dog must be taken away; the very same son that Bo is wanting to mend his relationship with before his time is up. The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotions that make Bo look back at his life, his own father, and all the different ways of expressing love.” 

Ridzén said: “When I first began writing a story about an elderly man from Sweden’s rural north, I hardly dreamed that it would one day be published in Swedish. That people all over the world will now be able to read it in English feels unimaginable! I am so incredibly appreciative of Kirsty Dunseath and Doubleday’s amazing work and commitment to helping Bo’s story fly out into the world!” 

Dunseath added: “This is a book full of heart and emotion. It reminded me of the work of Fredrik Backman and Rachel Joyce – the kind of book that takes you on a journey but also makes you ask questions of yourself. I adored it and although I wept a few times, they were the very best kind of tears.”