S&S snaps up Kathy Reichs in global two-book deal

Simon & Schuster (S&S) has snapped up two books by Kathy Reichs, in a deal marking the first time the author's novels will be published globally by one publisher. 

Scribner, S&S Canada, and S&S UK will publish Reichs' next two novels. Simultaneous audio editions of the two novels will be released by S&S Audio. Many of Reichs' previous works have been published by Arrow in the UK. 

World and audio rights were acquired by Scribner senior vice president and publisher Nan Graham, S&S UK and Commonwealth c.e.o. and publisher Ian Chapman, and S&S Canada president Kevin Hanson from Deneen Howell of Williams & Connolly. Scribner will be handling foreign rights.

The first novel,  A Conspiracy of Bones and Blood, to be published in March 2020, marks the return of Reichs’ popular heroine forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan and will be the 19th instalment in the series, which was the basis for TV show "Bones". 

Reichs, a forensic anthropologist, said: "I’m excited that my new Tempe Brennan novels will be published around the world by the Simon & Schuster publishing group and I am delighted to be returning to Scribner, my first and longtime publishing house."

Chapman added: "Kathy Reichs is an author whose work I – and many others in the company – have long read and admired.  Kathy is a wonderful storyteller. That we now have the opportunity to publish her in the UK is a delight and a privilege, and to do so on a global scale is even more exciting."

"We could not be more thrilled for the opportunity to publish Kathy Reichs at all our Simon & Schuster companies around the world,’ said Carolyn Reidy, president and c.e.o. of S&S Inc. "We know that hers is a truly global audience, that there are Temperance Brennan fans in every corner of the world who eagerly await her next adventure, and that by  putting a worldwide Simon & Schuster publishing effort behind her we will be able to help yet more readers discover the particular pleasures of reading Kathy Reichs."

Reichs has sold 5.17million books for £31m, according to Nielsen BookScan, with thriller Deja Dead (Arrow), her bestseller at 339,816 copies sold.