Scribner UK, an imprint of Simon & Schuster UK, has acquired The Runner, a new literary thriller from British novelist Scarlett Thomas, for publication in summer 2026.

Scribner UK editorial director Chris White acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Veronique Baxter.

The publisher describes The Runner as a “mind-expanding story about high finance, con artists, the Book of Jonah, ultra-marathons – and how falling in love can change everything”.

The blurb reads: “Jay has been hunted since he was 20-years-old. A contract on his life has been traded like a commodity, rising and falling with Bitcoin. On the run once again, with no passport and air miles as his only currency, Jay will have to choose between love and survival, and run for his life.”

White said: “Scarlett Thomas is a genius. And I’m certainly not the only one that thinks so – just ask Douglas Coupland and the New York Times. She writes books that are utterly original and impossible to put down. Reading a new Scarlett Thomas novel is just such a fun way to spend your time. Who else could take cryptocurrency, the Book of Jonah, ultra-marathon running and exorcists, and blend them into an unputdownable thriller.”

Thomas

said: “Being published by Scribner has been a dream come true. I’m so excited to introduce the world to Jay, a character who has been haunting me for the past couple of years.

“The Runner was inspired by Iris Murdoch’s The Sea, The Sea, the works of Herman Melville – especially Bartleby and Moby-Dick – and all the hours I’ve spent nerding out over Strava data, spreadsheets and protein shake recipes. This is my take on what it means to have natural wealth – and what happens when you fall for someone who isn’t just wildly unsuitable, but may also be trying to kill you.”

Photo Credit: Ed Thompson