Tor acquires long-awaited second novel from Scott Hawkins
Tor Nightfire, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Blacktail from Scott Hawkins, the critically acclaimed author of The Library at Mount Char, and his first new work in over a decade.
Michael Beale, Commissioning Editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excl. Canada) to Blacktail at auction from Caitlin Blasdell at Liza Dawson Associates. It will be published in hardback in September 2026, simultaneously with Crown Publishing Group in the US.
Michael Beale, Commissioning Editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excl. Canada) to Blacktail at auction from Caitlin Blasdell at Liza Dawson Associates. It will be published in hardback in September 2026, simultaneously with Crown Publishing Group in the US.
Described as ‘Watership Down meets the apocalypse,’ Blacktail follows a half-breed wolf seeking vengeance after men kill his mate and unborn pups. As he travels farther from his wild home and deeper into the world of man, he encounters strangers – animal, mortal, and otherworldly – who will help him wage war on humankind. From the blood-slicked wilderness to a burning confrontation with angels, Blacktail is brutal, heartbreaking, and ferociously original.
Michael Beale said: ‘This is a work of animal fiction with real teeth. It combines visceral, clawed horror with a deeply moving, mythic animal theology. Blacktail sits perfectly at the intersection of literary horror and dark fantasy, and I am incredibly proud to have it on the Tor Nightfire list.’
Author Scott Hawkins said: ‘I’m thrilled to be working with Tor Nightfire on Blacktail. First, it was a lot of fun to write a story entirely from the point of view of animals. It's also true that much of it was sparked by real events I've seen as a pet owner or through working with a dog rescue. As such, this book has a deep personal resonance for me. I’m sincerely grateful to all the professionals shepherding it into print’
Caitlin Blasdell, agent, commented: ‘We were thrilled when Blacktail landed at Tor Nightfire after a vigorous auction in the UK and are looking forward to partnering with them as they publish this powerful dark literary work this autumn’
Photo credit: H Hawkins.