Manilla Press, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, is set to add six new novels to its translated fiction list.
As the publisher of Satoshi Yagisawa, with breakout hits including Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and the recently published Days at the Torunka Café, the imprint, headed up by publisher Sophie Orme, is dramatically expanding its translated fiction offering over the next few years. Acquiring three new authors and welcoming back two returning authors, the list is set to go from strength to strength.
Publisher Sophie Orme acquired world English-language rights from Renata Petruseva at Agenzia Malatesta for Dark Heart by Silvia Avallone, translated by Lucy Rand, (publishing June 2026), world English-language rights were acquired from Cristina Hidalgo at Grupo Planeta, for Clean Houses by María Agúndez, translated by Beth Hickling-Moore (spring 2027) and UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired for Highblood by Claudia Amador, translated by Hannah Cameron Kauders (spring 2027), from María Lynch at Casanovas & Lynch. North American rights for Highblood were pre-empted by Yezanira Venecia at Atria, Simon & Schuster.
Returning authors to Manilla Press include Laura Imai Messina and Moa Herngren. Orme acquired world English-language rights from Claire Sabatiegarat at The Italian Literary Agency for The Island of Lost Letters, translated by Lucy Rand (publishing early 2027), with North American rights acquired by Abrams. UK & Commonwealth rights were bought by Orme from Josephine OxelheimatSalomonsson Agency for Moa Herngren’s next two novels The Mother-In-Law (spring 2027) and The Inheritance (spring 2028).
Silvia Avallone’s Dark Heart is an evocative Italian bestseller about a young woman who looks to hide from her guilt in a tiny Piedmont mountain village but instead finds love. Over 200,000 hardbacks have been sold in Italy, with rights sold in 27 territories so far.
Pre-empted at this year’s London Book Fair, Clean Houses by María Agúndez is a brilliantly outrageous take on the contradictions of modern feminism, class awareness, and the social choreography of domestic labour.
Also pre-empted by Orme, Claudia Amador’s Highblood is an award-winning, pitch-dark, bloodthirsty family vampire saga set on Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
From the international bestselling author of The Phone Box at the Edge of the World, Laura Imai Messina’s new novel The Island of Lost Letters, is a moving, captivating story of lost letters, lost chances and hearts that must be healed, set against a real post office on the Japanese island of Awashima.
And bestselling Swedish author Moa Herngren returns with The Mother-In-Law and The Inheritance, two further gripping and highly acclaimed family relationship dramas.
Publisher Sophie Orme said: ‘Manilla Press has published some of the most captivating stories from across the world and I’m delighted to double down on that commitment with this rich and varied list of books in translation. These bestselling and award-winning international voices will take you from the mountains of Piedmont to the Columbian Caribbean coast. From all too recognisable family drama to a dynasty of blood-thirsty vampires. Sweeping, heart-breaking, funny, horrifying, gripping and thought-provoking – there is something here for every reader.’
Silvia Avallone said: ‘I’m very excited, happy, and honoured at the thought that Cuore nero is about to be published in English by the prestigious publishing house Bonnier Books UK and the extraordinary team at Manilla Press. I hope that English readers will be as passionate as Italian readers about the story of Emilia and Bruno.’
María Agúndez said: ‘I will never forget the day I was lying on the sofa and suddenly got the call: Manilla Press is going to publish your book in English. I exploded with joy. Clean Houses comes from living with my eyes wide open and my ear tuned to everything that needs to be heard. From asking: what about all those jobs no one wants to do? What about the people who actually do them? Always with humour, and never being kind to any of my characters.’
Claudia Amador said: ‘Highblood is born of a search to explore the atemporal archetypes of gothicness, its aesthetics and appetites, but from a stable, carnivalistic, and local perspective in dialogue with my Caribbean surroundings. I’m delighted that it will be published in English by Manilla Press.’
Dark Heart by Silvia Avallone will publish in hardback, trade paperback, eBook and Audio, 18th June 2026.
Clean Houses by María Agúndez will publish in early 2027.
Highblood by Claudia Amador will publish in early 2027.
The Island of Lost Letters by Laura Imai Messina and The Mother-in-Law by Moa Herngren, will also publish in early 2027.
