Transworld snaps up 'extraordinary' sequel to Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Transworld has snapped up the “extraordinary” sequel to John Boyne’s bestseller The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, hailed as “one of the publishing events of the year”. 

Editor Bill Scott-Kerr secured a two-book UK and Commonwealth deal with Boyne’s long-time agent Simon Trewin at Simon Trewin Creative. All The Broken Places will be published on 15th September 2022.  

The sequel focuses on Gretel, who readers will remember as Bruno’s older sister from the earlier novel. The UK release will spearhead a global publication with major international deals already completed for rights in the US, Canada, Italy, Finland, Greece, Brazil, Holland, Norway, Spain, Catalonia, Sweden, Germany, France and Serbia.  

Trewin said: “These 14 deals are a fantastic start to the book’s publication journey, and we expect many more territories to be finalised by our co-agent, Laura Bonner at WME, ahead of the London Book Fair.” 

Boyne said: “When I was 15 years old, I was introduced to the work of Primo Levi and Elie Wiesel and a lifelong interest in the study of the Holocaust began. For two decades I read widely on the subject and, one day, this led me to write a novel called The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, which changed my life entirely. 

“That book was published in 2006 and in the years between then and now, I’ve regularly made notes in a file that I called ’Gretel’s Story’. It was a book I hoped to write one day, telling the story of Bruno’s older sister Gretel who, at the end of her life, looks back at the experience she was part of and is forced to examine her conscience regarding her guilt and complicity in those times. 

“During lockdown, I decided it was time to write that novel and ’Gretel’s Story’ became All the Broken Places. It spans from 1946 to today and takes place in Paris, Sydney and London. Gretel is 91 years old now but still struggles with her memories and her grief. 

“I hope all those readers who embraced my earlier novel will be keen to discover what happened to Bruno’s family after he made that fateful journey to the other side of the fence and witness the consequences in the devastation of the post-war world.” 

Scott-Kerr commented: “This will be the 10th novel of John’s that I have published over the past 15 years and every one of them has been surprising, original and inventive. But this one is particularly special. John’s writing grows with every book – as does his willingness to challenge himself and to push the boundaries – and, as his legions of fans around the world will attest, in so doing he has become one of the great storytellers of our age. I and the team at Transworld can’t wait to share this extraordinary novel with readers, old and new. It is sure to be one of the publishing events of the year.” 

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has been published in 57 languages becoming the most translated Irish novel of all time, and remains a perennial bestseller. It was adapted into a film in 2008. Around 1.5 million copies have been sold in total, according to Nielsen. Boyne has sold 1.67 million books in total for £9.9m.