Karen Sullivan, publisher of Orenda Books, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of World English Language rights for S.J. Watson’s Before I Sleep Forever, in a deal negotiated with Ariella Feiner at United Agents.
Before I Go to Sleep was more than a bestseller – it was a publishing phenomenon. Selling over six million copies worldwide, translated into more than forty languages and adapted into a major film starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth, it became an instant international sensation, reaching number seven on the New York Times bestseller list – the highest position achieved for a debut novel by a British author since J.K. Rowling – and establishing S.J. Watson as one of the most successful and important voices in psychological suspense.
Karen says, ‘The influence of Before I Go to Sleep extends far beyond sales and awards; it was instrumental in defining the modern psychological thriller. Christine Lucas became one of the genre’s most iconic unreliable narrators, and the novel’s shocking central twist, claustrophobic tension and domestic setting created a blueprint that countless novels would follow. Long before ‘domestic noir’ became an established genre, Before I Go to Sleep set the standard.
‘And Christine Lucas returns in Before I Sleep Forever. Years after escaping the man who attacked her and stole her life, she is living under an assumed name, hidden away in an isolated cottage, terrified that the past will find her. Meanwhile, her attacker, Mike Lynford, has reinvented himself as a public figure with millions of followers, rewriting history and presenting himself as the victim. When strange things begin happening around Christine – objects moved, memories missing, disturbing reminders of the attack she survived – she becomes convinced that her amnesia is returning. But if her memory is not failing, then someone is trying to make her believe that it is…
‘Before I Sleep Forever delivers everything readers loved about the original novel: the mounting paranoia, the creeping uncertainty, the ingenious plotting and the sense that danger lies hidden just beneath the surface of an ordinary life. But it is also something very rare: a sequel that not only justifies its existence, but expands and enriches the story that came before it. Smart, unsettling and completely addictive, this is the return of one of the most memorable characters in contemporary crime fiction, from the writer who helped to create and then redefine an entire genre.
‘We are honoured to be publishing Before I Sleep Forever as a major publishing event, with an ambitious, high-profile, multi-platform marketing and PR campaign, launching with an exclusive sampler, a cinematic big-screen teaser and an author interview at Capital Crime Festival in London. We are also very much looking forward to introducing Christine’s stories to a new generation of readers, who will be stunned by the intricate plotting and yet another breathtaking twist.’
S.J. Watson says, ‘I never wanted to return to Christine’s story unless I was certain I could take it somewhere new, surprising and worthy of the first book. That moment has finally arrived, and I’m thrilled to be bringing it into the world with Orenda. Moving to an independent publisher feels like the boldest, most exciting thing I could do with this story. Orenda’s fearlessness and love of a proper page-turner make them the perfect partner. It’s a strange and wonderful thing to be revisiting Christine on the page with the stage production of Before I Go to Sleep about to tour. It feels like the best possible moment to ask what happened next, and Before I Sleep Forever will have the answers.’
Before I Sleep Forever, by S.J. Watson, will be published in hardback on 6th May 2027, by Orenda Books. For more information, please contact Karen Sullivan: Karen@orendabooks.co.uk.
