Orion pre-empts Evans’ ‘sweeping and immersive’ debut The Mapmaker’s Wife

Orion Fiction has acquired The Mapmaker’s Wife, “a sweeping love story that explores race, identity, friendship and family”, by debut author Hannah Evans.

Assistant editor Sanah Ahmed and editorial director Rhea Kurien will lead the publication of The Mapmaker’s Wife in early 2024 after Sarah Benton, who is now head of Bonnier’s Zaffre Publishing Group, pre-empted world rights from Rowan Lawton at The Soho Agency. Publication is scheduled for early 2024.

The synopsis reads: “It is 1954 and Beatrice Bell has spent her entire life in Grenada. Until Patrick Allen, an Irish-English surveyor, arrives on the island and the two are swept away in a whirlwind romance that spans decades and transports them across a crumbling Empire. But not everyone can accept their interracial relationship, and decisions they make will reverberate through generations.”

Evans, who is based in Cardiff, South Wales, and works in communications and as a staff writer for Santes Dwynwen magazine, said: “This story is so close to my heart, taking inspiration from how my grandparents met and began their relationship. Finishing the manuscript was a real family affair, interviewing generations of women and discussing memory, family and all that might have been.

“It has been a sheer joy to work on The Mapmaker’s Wife with Sanah and the Orion team, and I’m particularly indebted to my endlessly patient agent, Rowan, who helped me transform this narrative from family folktale to sweeping drama. I’m also grateful to the publishing houses which run access to writing programmes – such as Hachette’s Future Bookshelf and Penguin’s WriteNow – without which I would never have had the confidence to finish this novel.”

Ahmed said: “From the first few pages, we fell head over heels for Bea and Patrick’s love story at Orion. The Mapmaker’s Wife was sweepingly romantic, gorgeously immersive and will transport you to London, Dublin, Tanganyika and Freetown. It explores race, identity and finding your voice. We’re so excited to welcome Hannah to the Orion Fiction list.”