Orion lands two books from Whitaker in six-figure deal

Orion Publishing Group has landed two books from Chris Whitaker in a six-figure deal.

Publisher Emad Akhtar acquired UK and commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown.

The first novel in the deal, All The Colours Of The Dark, will be published on 21st May 2024 by Orion Fiction, and in the US by Amy Einhorn at Henry Holt.

The title has gone out to option publishers in translation territories, with rights handled by Curtis Brown; and film/TV submission will be handled by Jason Richman at UTA.

All The Colours Of The Dark is described as both a crime novel and “a sweeping love story, unfolding on an epic canvas”. The synopsis says: “The town of Monta Clare, Missouri, is shattered by the abduction of local teenager Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley. None more so than Saint Brown, who is broken by her best friend’s disappearance. Soon, she will eat, sleep, breathe, only to find him. But when she does: it will break her heart.”

Whitaker’s previous novel, We Begin At The End (Zaffre), won the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the Year and the Ned Kelly International Award.

Whitaker said: "I knew from his reputation and from our very first meeting that Emad was a truly special editor. His vision, creativity and attention to detail is staggering, and have helped give me the confidence to tell this story. In Orion, Amy, Cathryn and Jenn, I have the support of true publishing titans.”

Akhtar said: “Chris has already made an indelible impression on the canon of modern crime fiction. Somehow, with All The Colours of the Dark, he has excelled himself. This is an ambitious story, told on an epic canvas. It’s a missing persons mystery, a serial killer thriller and a love story all rolled into one – with a unique twist on each.”