THE BOOK OF HIDDEN THINGS(OLD TITLE: THE SECRET KINGDOM)

Book ID/图书代码： 12100016B89808

English Summary/英文概要： It is about a group of friends from a poor quarter in Puglia, Italy, who meet every year on the same date, loyal to an unspoken agreement. No one is really keen on going back to the same local bar, but every year they end up there. But this time the most charismatic and chief-like person misses the appointment. What happened to him?

It is about longstanding friendship and a bit reminiscent of Donna Tartt’s Secret History in its observation of the different personalities.

The Secret Kingdom is a novel that defies ready characterisation; it is a literary thriller with a subtle vein of fantasy running through it. It can be compared with the work of writers like Michael Chabon and Neil Gaiman. It is about friendship and landscape, love and betrayal; above all it is about the nature of mystery itself. It is brilliantly beguiling and seductive.

Chinese Summary/中文概要： 小说讲述了一群来自意大利普利亚贫困角落的朋友，他们每年都会在同一天聚会，忠诚于同一个无法言说的协议。没人真的热切盼望回到同一家当地酒吧，但他们还是会这么做。但这次，他们中间最有魅力、最具号召力的人却失约了。他发生了什么？

本书的主题是关于长期友谊的，其中对不同个性的观察描写令人想起Donna Tartt的《校园秘史（Secret History ）》。

这部文学惊悚小说包含幻想的意味，和Michael Chabon、Neil Gaiman的作品类似，讲述了一个关于友谊、爱情、背叛，以及探寻自我本质的故事，情节引人入胜。(LYR)

Awards/获奖情况：THE BOOK OF HIDDEN THINGS by Francesco Dimitri has won the Prize VSD RTL for the best thriller in France. You can get more info here: https://www.actualitte.com/article/culture-arts-lettres/francesco-dimitri-laureat-du-prix-vsd-rtl-du-meilleur-thriller-etranger/94138

In terms of marketing, Titan Books will be running tube ads from the 2nd July for two weeks (55 posters across the London tube network) and they have ads in SciFi magazine, Locus and Magazine of F&SF in the US, as well as all the trade magazines, and SciFi Now and SFX First Read in the UK.

It has been very well received – find below some of the praise and the beautiful cover:

"An evocative meditation on friendship, adulthood, and the liminal spaces that lie just outside human perception...Dimitri’s beautifully written tale, steeped in nostalgia, folklore, and religion, will enthrall and terrify readers." - Publishers Weekly

"In lesser hands, this blend of detective story, organized crime thriller, and supernatural investigation would feel like a grab bag of plot devices, but Dimitri has created a thrilling spectacle that also manages to point poignantly at the way the landscapes we grow up in shape us in ways even beyond our understanding. A deeply felt look at the idea of home, clothed as a popcornworthy page-turner." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"What a joy to have this in English. Francesco Dimitri’s fantastic fantasy novel has everything I like. A sensation of damp shadows moving just out of sight, and a slow, joyful, and mysterious unravelling of events. I can’t recommend it too highly." - Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Thicket

"What a glorious read! This sun-drenched fantasy is a feast for the senses, reflecting on the value of friendship and what it means to finally grow up. If you loved the Neil Gaiman’s Ocean at the End of the Lane, this book is for you." - Helen Marshall, author of Gifts for the One Who Comes After

About the Author/作者介绍： Francesco Dimitri，30出头的意大利作家，之前主要撰写幻想小说作品。

Francesco Dimitri is an Italian writer in his early 30s. He has previously written fantasy fiction.

Format:

Rights Status/版权销售情况：Simplified Chinese/简体中文：AVAILABLE

Complex/Traditional Chinese/繁体中文：AVAILABLE

Sales in other countries/其他国家销售情况：France – Hugo & Cie Germany – Heyne Italy – Longanesi; Giunti Japan – Seirindo Shobo Slovenia – LYNX

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