Six-figure deal for McKinty’s The Chain

Crime writer Adrian McKinty has signed a six-figure deal for his thriller The Chain, which has sold to 31 territories, with Orion to publish in the UK this summer. 

Orion publishing director Emad Akhtar acquired UK rights following a six-figure deal done by Reagan Arthur and Josh Kendall at Mulholland Books/Little, Brown US for world rights with McKinty’s agent Shane Salerno, of The Story Factory.

Inspired by chain letters and exchange kidnappings, The Chain sold to 24 territories around Frankfurt 2018 with further rights sold since then with the novel to be translated into 22 languages.

Orion said it will be publishing The Chain as part of a 31-publisher global event on 9th July. 

Akhtar said: “I always knew McKinty would one day write his breakout book. But, seriously, The Chain exceeded every single expectation I had. It’s the perfect page-turner, with depth of characterisation, packed with ideas, pace for days, told with supreme skill and style. The reactions to it so far have been spectacular and I felt exactly the same when I read it. This book completely blew me away – The Chain redefines the high concept thriller.”

According to Nielsen BookScan, McKinty's Detective Sean Duffy series (Serpents Tail/Blackstone) has sold 39,214 copies.