Photo: Ebony Lamb Photography
British rights to New Zealand author Catherine Chidgey's ninth novel have been bought by the firm that also published works by Charles Darwin, Jane Austen and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Publishing house John Murray won the rights at auction to Chidgey's new novel, The Book of Guilt.
Established in 1768, John Murray's publishing canon includes Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, Jane Austen's Emma, Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and more recently Booker shortlisted Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies and Stephen Hawking's final book, Brief Answers to the Big Questions.
Other international rights to the dystopian novel had already been sold to to publishers in the US, Canada, Australia and Germany.
New Zealand rights remained with Te Herenga Waka University Press, which has published Chidgey since her first novel In A Fishbone Church, came out in 1998.
Te Herenga Waka University Press publisher Fergus Barrowman said Chidgey's global popularity would be lifted stratospherically with the might of John Murray behind her.
"John Murray's acquisition of The Book of Guilt is a significant turning point in her career.
"I could not be happier for Catherine, an extremely hard-working and gifted author who, through the critically acclaimed success of her previous books such as Pet and The Axeman's Carnival, has more than earned her place on the world stage."
Chidgey said said she liked to challenge herself with each new book, "and I can't wait for readers to engage with this story - my first foray into dystopian fiction".
John Murray publishing director Nicholas Pearson said reading The Book of Guilt was one of the most memorable and haunting reading experiences he's had.
"Its daring plot ticks down like a dangerous timepiece, all the while throwing light on the dark complexities of human nature.
"We are thrilled and proud to bring this outstanding writer to the John Murray list."
Chidgey's many accolades include two Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction wins, two Women's Prize longlistings and four International Dublin Literary Award nominations.
The Book of Guilt would be published in May next year.