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Butter author Asako Yuzuki returns to Fourth Estate with Hooked
Fourth Estate has acquired Hooked, the new novel by British Book Awards Debut Book of the Year winner Asako Yuzuki, whose novel Butter was also named Waterstones Book of the Year.
Kishani Widyaratna, publishing director, acquired British Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to Hooked in physical, e-book and audio from Stephen Edwards of RCW on behalf of Hamish Macaskill at The English Agency Japan and Bungeishunju Ltd.
North American rights went to Helen Atsma and Gabriella Doob at Ecco and translation rights have sold in Italy, France, Germany, Poland and Spain with further offers underway. The novel – translated by Polly Barton – will be published in the UK in March and be supported by a major campaign.
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Its description reads: “Eriko’s life appears perfect – devoted parents, spotless apartment and a job in the seafood division of one of Japan’s largest trading companies. Her latest project, to reintroduce the controversial Nile perch fish into the Japanese market, is characteristically ambitious. But beneath her flawless surface she is wracked by loneliness.
“Eriko becomes fascinated with a popular blog written by a housewife, Shoko. Shoko’s posts about eating convenience store food and her untidy home are the opposite of the typical Japanese housewife’s manicured lifestyle. When Eriko tracks Shoko down at her favourite restaurant and befriends her, Shoko is at first charmed by her new companion. But as Eriko’s obsession with Shoko deepens, her increasingly possessive behaviour starts to raise suspicion. As Eriko’s carefully laid plans begin to unravel, how far will she go to hold on to the best friend that she’s ever had?”
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Widyaratna said: “It has been amazing to see booksellers and readers take Asako Yuzuki into their hearts with the extraordinary success of Butter, masterfully translated by Polly Barton. It’s a joy for us to be working with both Asako and Polly again on Hooked. With its delicious, unsettling and profound exploration of food, obsession, friendship and womanhood in contemporary Japan, Hooked brings together all the ingredients for which Asako is so adored by readers. We can’t wait to connect Asako with fans old and new next spring.”
