Orenda lands Tuomainen’s thriller trilogy ahead of Carell's Amazon series

Orenda Books has landed Antti Tuomainen’s thriller trilogy The Rabbit, which is currently being adapted for the screen by Amazon Studios, starring Steve Carell. 

Karen Sullivan, publisher and founder of Orenda Books, acquired world English language rights excluding the US and Canada for the Finnish author's series from Federico Ambrosini of the Salmonsson Agency.

Sullivan said: "It has been an utter joy to publish his darkly funny, poignant, original thrillers, all of which have received widespread critical acclaim. I did not hesitate in buying The Rabbit Factor, the first in Antti’s first-ever series, and both of its follow-ups. Warmly funny, and rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life.

"The story features Henri, an insurance actuary, who controls his life meticulously, calculating everything down to the last decimal. And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back.

"But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri's relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets.

"We have been absolutely dying to share the news that this madcap book has been optioned by Amazon Studios, but the news is now out and Henri will be played by Steve Carell. Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman are producing, and Alex Young will executive produce for Mandeville Films. Antti and his agent Federico will also act as executive producers on the project. The Rabbit Factor has now been sold in 15 countries, and is tipped to become a global bestseller. I honestly can’t wait!"

Tuomainen said: "I couldn't be happier. The Rabbit Factor and the whole insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen trilogy have found the perfect home with Karen Sullivan and Orenda Books. I'm looking forward to unleashing this quiet, rational and deeply introverted Finnish mathematician to the unsuspecting UK public. Knowing Karen and her formidable publishing powers, I know we will have lots of fun along the way."

Ambrosini said: "I am thrilled to have Orenda Books publish Antti Tuomainen’s new novel The Rabbit Factor. Book by book, Karen Sullivan and her team have managed to raise Tuomainen’s popularity in English, where he has been hailed as 'the funniest writer in Europe' by the Times. In the hands of such a professional and energetic team, I am convinced The Rabbit Factor and the rest of the trilogy will be yet another success."

The first book in the trilogy, The Rabbit Factor , will be translated by David Hackston, and published in hardback in October 2021 and paperback in spring 2022, with a second book, The Moose Paradox, slated for autumn.