Viking acquires two new William Boyd novels featuring Gabriel Dax

Viking has acquired two new novels by William Boyd. The books continue the adventures of accidental spy Gabriel Dax, preceded by Gabriel’s Moon (Viking).

Publishing director Harriet Bourton acquired UK & Commonwealth rights to The Predicament and The Finland Station from Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown. Grove Atlantic has acquired North American rights to The Predicament.

The two new novels will follow Dax as he descends "deeper into the shadowy world of Cold War espionage". The Predicament, which will be published in September, sees the protagonist sent to Guatemala, "before political turmoil leads him to West Berlin, and to the trail of a plot to assassinate magnetic young President John F Kennedy".

Meanwhile, The Finland Station, which will be published in 2026, will see Dax journey to "the very heart of the Soviet empire".

Bourton said: "William Boyd is an author at the height of his literary powers, a craftsman guaranteed to delight his readers time and again. These sophisticated spy-craft thrillers are a fantastic opportunity to reach a new audience, combining espionage thrills with brilliantly compelling world-building. The whole team here is exceptionally ambitious and energised about all that we can achieve over the next few years with Will."

Boyd added: "It has always been an intensely pleasurable experience being published by Viking. The collaboration and rapport across the whole team is superb and wholly professional. A novelist’s dream – and none better exemplified by the challenge of writing and publishing my Gabriel Dax trilogy."

Geller said: "Everyone who read Gabriel’s Moon said the same thing: when is the next Gabriel Dax story coming? Bringing all his skills as a spy writer (from Restless [Bloomsbury] to his James Bond novel [Vintage]), William Boyd is the most versatile writer at work today and has created a series that will be read for years to come."