Bantam Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House U.S., has acquired world English-language rights to two new thrillers by “New York Times” bestselling author Lee Child. The books star Frances Neagley, the former U.S. Army Master Sergeant, familiar to readers from Child’s bestselling Jack Reacher novels.
First appearance in ‘Without Fail’ (2002)
The first novel, “Zero Margin,” co-written with thriller author Yasmin Angoe, is scheduled for publication in March 2027. Frances Neagley, who first appeared in “Without Fail” (2002), quickly became one of the most enduring and beloved characters in the Reacher novels. Brilliant, fiercely self-reliant, and guided by an uncompromising sense of justice, she has always operated as Reacher’s equal. Now Neagley takes center stage in a series of her own.
In “Zero Margin,” Frances Neagley lives by a simple set of rules: protect the innocent, expose the guilty, and leave no one behind. When a desperate encrypted call reconnects her with her former commanding officer – now the wealthy CEO of a leading security company – she is drawn into a race to rescue his kidnapped son from a covert syndicate operating beyond the reach of governments, borders, or the law.
“Readers love Neagley because she doesn’t need anyone – not even Reacher,” said Lee Child. “She’s smart, capable, and relentlessly effective. It was time she got her own story, and I loved working with Yasmin, who has done a tremendous job bringing that story to life.”
‘Working with Lee has been a dream’
“Working with Lee has been a dream,” added Yasmin Angoe. “Opportunities like this don’t come along often, so I was deeply honored to have the chance to learn from one of the great thriller writers. He welcomed me into the Reacher universe and trusted me with Frances Neagley, which is something I’ll always appreciate.”
On September 16, Amazon Prime Video will debut the new television series “Neagley,” starring Maria Sten, following the success of “Reacher,” which returns for its fourth season on August 12.
More than 200 million books sold
Lee Child’s books – above all the “Jack Reacher” novels – have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide and have been translated into dozens of languages. The next Jack Reacher thriller, “Chain Reaction,” will be published in hardcover by Bantam on October 20.
Yasmin Angoe is the author of the critically acclaimed espionage thriller “Her Name Is Knight,” the psychological suspense novels “Not What She Seems” and “Behind These Four Walls,” and the young adult fantasy horror novel “She Drinks the Light.”
