W. F. Howes, RBmedia’s UK publishing brand, has secured the audio rights for Madwoman, the electrifying UK debut novel from talented American writer, Chelsea Bieker.

Chelsea Bieker said: “It’s a tremendous honour that W. F. Howes will bring Madwoman to their vast and amazing audience. I can’t wait to connect with listeners and hope they will feel as deeply affected by this story as I did writing it. I am very grateful for this wonderful opportunity.”

Hot on the heels of Bieker’s critically acclaimed US debut Godshot, which was named a Barnes & Noble Pick of the Month and NPR Best Book of the Year, Madwoman is a gripping story about violence, recovery, motherhood and motherloss, and the brutal things women do to keep themselves and each other alive.

The plot centres around Clove, who has gone to extremes to keep her traumatic past a secret, spending years meticulously crafting a family that looks nothing like the one she grew up in. But as secrets begin to leak out she becomes entangled in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the very people she thought she’d confined to her past.

In a highly competitive, multi-publisher auction, the UK and Commonwealth audio rights were acquired directly from Bieker’s UK print publisher, Oneworld, by Laura Smith, Acquisitions Manager at W. F. Howes.

Laura Smith commented: “Madwoman is a book everybody is talking about—on both sides of the Atlantic—and it is certainly worthy of all the hype and praise. Tackling domestic violence with nuance and sensitivity, Madwoman is an utterly transfixing novel that will give listeners the full spectrum of emotions, with moments of heart-breaking trauma interlaced with brilliant dark humour. Chelsea is undoubtedly one of the most explosive new writing talents to emerge from the US and we can’t wait to work closely with her and the Oneworld team to bring this stunning title to life in audio.”

The Madwoman audiobook will be published in September 2024 simultaneously with the Oneworld hardback and ebook editions.

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About W. F. Howes
W. F. Howes Ltd is the U.K.’s leading audiobook publisher, distributing its content through all leading consumer and library vendors. The company is known for publishing bestselling authors, such as Danielle Steel, Val McDermid, Dan Jones,and V. E. Schwab. W.F. Howesis the U.K. subsidiary of RBmedia. For more information visit www.wfhowes.co.uk or email [email protected].

About RBmedia
RBmedia is the largest audiobook publisher in the world. With more than 70,000 titles, our audiobooks continually top key literary awards and bestseller lists. The company’s powerful digital retail and library distribution network reaches millions of listeners around the globe—at home, in the car, and everywhere their mobile devices go. Our titles are available on leading audio platforms, including Audible, Spotify, Apple, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, Storytel, OverDrive, Hoopla, and many more. Find out more at rbmediaglobal.com.