PRH to publish 'Silence of the Lambs' author's first novel in 13 years

Thomas Harris, author of The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, is returning after more than a decade with a new novel, to be published by Cornerstone imprint William Heinemann next year.

The new novel - the title and cover for which has yet to be revealed - will be published in hardcover and e-book editions on 21st May 2019, with narration for the simultaneous Penguin Random House Audio publication to be performed by Harris himself. An Arrow paperback will follow on in 2020.

Few details have been revealed about the new book, although William Heinemann did confirm it will be a thriller. It follows 13 years on from Harris's last novel, Hannibal Rising, and is his first standalone novel since Black Sunday, published in 1975.

Jason Arthur, publisher of William Heinemann, Hutchinson and Windmill, acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Anne Sibbald of Janklow & Nesbit Literary Agency. Grand Central will publish in the US and publishing partners across the globe will be announced in the coming weeks.

Harris' backlist featuring the cannibalistic psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter, has meanwhile been made available in e-book for the first time, after Arthur also secured e-book rights in Red Dragon, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal and Hannibal Rising. All four novels, which were already available in physical editions, are now available for download in the UK.

Arthur said: "I’m thrilled to be publishing this new novel by Thomas Harris. Hannibal Rising was the very first book I published when I joined William Heinemann back in 2006, and it was such a huge excitement for me as Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs ranked (and still rank) as two of my favourite thrillers of all time. There is no doubt in my mind that Thomas Harris remains one of the most notable writers of the last four decades, and the publication of his first novel in 13 years – his first non-Hannibal novel in over 40 – will be a significant publishing event."

Harris, who rarely speaks publicly, commented: "I’m very pleased that Grand Central and Heinemann are publishing my new novel."

William Heinemann puts worldwide sales of Harris's five titles at over 30 million copies to date. The writer has sold 1.7 million books for £12.8m in the UK through Nielsen BookScan, which measures sales since 1998 only. His bestseller was Hannibal’s 2000 paperback, at 523,409 copies sold.

All Harris' books have also been made into films, including notably the multiple Oscar winner "The Silence of The Lambs".