Lagom wins three-way auction to 'remarkable' account from Caroline Darian, daughter of Dominique Pelicot

Bonnier Books UK imprint Lagom has won a three-way auction to the rights for the "remarkable" account from Caroline Darian, the daughter of Dominique Pelicot. Pelicot is currently on trial accused of drugging his wife and handing her over to dozens of men in a case that has convulsed France and made headlines around the globe.

Carole Tonkinson, editor-at-large, acquired world English-language rights from Lily Salter at JC Lattès in a three-way auction to I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again. The book is scheduled to launch on 19th December this year, to correspond to the end of Pelicot’s trial.

That trial has captured the world’s attention since it began on 2nd September. Darian first became aware of the accusations against her father in November 2020, when she received a call from the police that her father was in custody. Officers had seized his computer equipment and found material that suggested that, since 2013, he had "drugged Gisèle, Caroline’s mother, before handing her over, unconscious, to men".

Gisèle gave up her right to anonymity and opted for a public trial—in which Darian herself testified. Darian has established a charity to highlight the increasing crime of the chemical submission of women.

Darian’s book focuses on how she and her mother were forced to rebuild their lives. She said: "[Since 2020], I’ve been determined to rise above this appalling ordeal and transcend it into something more noble and useful for all other victims of chemical submission. Difficult to pinpoint, still poorly identified, rarely diagnosed and therefore badly supported, this social phenomenon affects a wide range of people, from women and sometimes men, to children, infants and the elderly, in all walks of life."

Tonkinson called Darian’s title a "powerful window into the remarkable bravery displayed by Caroline and her mother in the face of unspeakable horror. They have turned the tables on shame. Caroline’s work establishing a charity to draw attention to the chemical submission of women is crucially raising awareness of a troubling public health issue that is on the rise. Her capacity, with her mother, to turn personal pain into a collective fight is simply remarkable. It is a great honour to work on this project".

Véronique Cardi, c.e.o. of Darian’s French house JC Lattès, said: "Publishing [Darian] is a lifetime experience, which proves again the power of books to change the world. From our very first meeting, I was amazed by her courage, her dignity and her ambition.”