November 2023 | Penguin Random House South Africa

Novel Beginnings

This year has seen the most spectacular debut adult fiction yet! In this diverse collection of first works of literature, the authors share the unique inspiration behind their novels. From Katy Hays, who contemplates fate and discovery at the Met Cloisters, and Fran Littlewood exploring the challenges of midlife to Costanza Casati's portrayal of a powerful and beloved Clytemnestra and Brook Robinson's examination of the complexities of translating for the criminal justice system.

The Art of Adaptation: I Am Pilgrim's Journey to the Silver Screen

I Am Pilgrim author, Terry Hayes, discusses the challenges of adapting his successful novel into a film. Despite a film deal with MGM, the project has yet to materialise, with the author attributing delays to the complex nature of Hollywood. He reflects on the evolving landscape of streaming and the difficulty of capturing and maintaining audience attention.

Extract: Water by John Boyne

The first thing Vanessa Carvin does when she arrives on the island is change her name. To the locals, she is Willow Hale, a solitary outsider escaping Dublin to live a hermetic existence in a small cottage, not a notorious woman on the run from her past. But scandals follow like hunting dogs. And she has some questions of her own to answer. A masterfully reflective story, and the first in Boyne’s Element series.

Merry Litmas: The Christmas Wishlist of Our Favourite Bookworms

Unwrap literary magic this Christmas with a wishlist from beloved authors and bookstagrammers. Discover Slikour: The Life of a Hip Hop Pioneer, Feed My Tribe for the foodies, and the soul-stirring Man's Search for Meaning. Dive into quirky tales like Buried Treasure and explore South African landscapes in Place.

Extract: The Secret by Lee Child & Andrew Child

In 1992 Chicago, a hospitalised man faces an impossible question from strangers before plummeting from his twelfth-floor window, drawing the attention of the Secretary of Defense. Jack Reacher, recently demoted from Army Major, becomes part of an inter-agency task force to investigate. With a cold-blooded killer on the loose and a 23-year-old secret to unveil, Reacher is determined to bring justice, whether that means playing by the rules or following his own instincts.

Extract: Alex Cross Must Die by James Patterson

When an American Airlines plane explodes in the sky, detectives Alex Cross and John Sampson are first on the scene. They don't hear the gunfire. At first. It soon becomes clear that the plane was taken down by a rare, stolen machine gun. The list of people who could operate the weapon is short. And time runs even shorter. But this isn't the only case the pair must solve. They're also tracking a serial killer who's ambushing young men in what the media are calling the 'Dead Hours' murders.

Extract: The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes

The Year of the Locust is as immersive as Terry’s instant classic I Am Pilgrim. In the book, a deep cover special agent is charged with the impossible: extract a vital informant from a secretive terrorist group deep in their heartland – without getting caught. When it doesn’t go to plan, no-one could have foreseen how significant the repercussions might be ...

Chapter One

Extract: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

Can you commit the perfect crime? Pilgrim is the codename for a man who doesn't exist. The adopted son of a wealthy American family, he once headed up a secret espionage unit for US intelligence. Before he disappeared into anonymous retirement, he wrote the definitive book on forensic criminal investigation. But that book will come back to haunt him.

Part One