Penned in the Margins scoops exquisite fiction debut by Bromwich

Independent publisher Penned in the Margins has acquired Between the Trees, an "exquisite" fiction debut by writer and journalist Kathryn Bromwich.

UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired from Matthew Turner at the RCW Literary Agency. Between the Trees will be published in spring 2023.

"Between the Trees tells the story of Laura, who finds herself living alone in a cabin deep within a forest in the Italian Alps, where she makes a living translating medical documents and teaching the children of affluent locals," the synopsis explains. "She spends her days roaming the woods and climbing the mountains outside her front door, and soon begins a relationship with a waiter some years her junior, which brings new rhythms to her life. But late one night there is a knock on the door, and on the other side stands someone from her past who has finally found her."

Publisher Tom Chivers said: "I am entranced by this remarkable novel; by the poise of Kathryn’s exquisite prose of course, but also by its rich sense of place and the strangeness that is always threatening to break through. It’s a book that has really got under my skin, a powerful meditation on female oppression – and of self-discovery through isolation – and I can’t wait to share it with readers."

Bromwich is a writer and commissioning editor on the Observer New Review, having previously worked as acting deputy editor of the Guardian Guide. She writes about all aspects of culture and has contributed to publications including Little White Lies, Dazed, Vice, Time Out and the Independent.

"I am thrilled that Penned in the Margins will be publishing Between the Trees," she said. "Writing the novel was a way for me to process my thoughts and feelings at a very difficult time in my life, and I hope readers enjoy getting lost in these strange and mysterious woods as much as I did. Tom and the rest of the team understood completely what I was trying to achieve and I am grateful that they will be helping me tell this unsettling story."