Thomas Harris, the creator of Hannibal Lecter, announces his first book since 2006’s Hannibal Rising. This New Thomas Harris novel will be his first book in more than 40 years without his famous cannibal.
The author is well-known for creation of one of the most famous monster of literature – the sophisticated, psychopathic cannibal Hannibal Lecter.
This New Thomas Harris novel, the title is not revealed yet, has long been anticipated since 2004. Harris has signed a deal for two books; the first book was Hannibal Rising released in 2006, but no details were revealed about the second book.
In 2007, Harris’ agent Mort Janklow told : “I have no idea what Tom’s next book will be. It may not involve the Hannibal character at all. His deal does not require that. He is an important American novelist and writes what he chooses, when he chooses.”
The publisher William Heinemann announced this New Thomas Harris novel and set to release globally on 21 May 2019. The publisher described the book as ‘standalone’; and also mentioned that it will not involve Hannibal Lecter.
Jason Arthur, publisher at William Heinemann, said: “There is no doubt in my mind that Thomas Harris remains one of the most notable writers of the last four decades, and the publication of his first novel in 13 years – his first non-Hannibal novel in over 40 – will be a significant publishing event.”
Thomas Harris wrote only one book without Hannibal Lecter. It was his debut novel, Black Sunday, which was released in 1975. The book was a thriller set around a planned terrorist attack on the Super Bowl. It was inspired by the Munich Olympic hostage crisis of 1972.
Lecter played a small but memorable role in his first appearance in 1981’s Red Dragon. In the book, Lecter was advising FBI profiler Will Graham from his prison cell as the agent struggles to identify a serial killer. The novel was successful, as was the 1987 sequel, The Silence of the Lambs. It also starred Lecter in a supporting role to FBI hopeful Clarice Starling. In 2000, the sequel Hannibal saw Starling tracking down Lecter in Italy; while the prequel Hannibal Rising in 2006, revealed the makings of the character after escaping the Nazis as a child in Lithuania. Hannibal Rising has initial print run of 1.5 million copies; but it didn’t receive the same critical acclaim as the previous books.
