Two weeks ago, the thriller world rejoiced over the news that bestselling author Terry Hayes had finally finished his second novel, I Am Pilgrim, which was “a global publishing phenomenon” back in 2014, left readers stunned.
Now we have a cover to go with the plot details—and, spoiler, it’s strikingly gorgeous.
Pilgrim, which #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci said was “one of the best suspense novels I’ve read in a long time,” and the New York Times called “a big, breathless tale of nonstop suspense,” took the genre by storm nearly ten years ago. That book introduced readers to an American agent tasked with tracking a dangerous terrorist, but truthfully, that brief description doesn’t do it justice.
I Am Pilgrim is a book unlike anything else, written by a man—Hayes—with an extensive background in Holywood as a screenwriter, who packed more mystery, intrigue, twists, action, and spine-tingling suspense into 600 pages than most can fit into three full-length novels. Simply, it’s a breathtaking masterpiece that is a must for anyone claiming to be a fan of the genre.
“It’s the tenth anniversary of the publication of I Am Pilgrim which to my eternal gratitude found a huge audience around the world,” said Hayes in last month’s official press release from Emily Bestler Books, an imprint of Atria Books at publishing powerhouse Simon & Schuster. “To my great relief, I have now completed my new novel, which has been a far longer journey than I anticipated. To say that it’s epic is something of an understatement, but I am incredibly proud of it and even more excited that it has the opportunity to reach an audience at last.”
Epic. That’ll get readers excited.
“It’s been a decade in the making,” said Emily Bestler, Senior Vice President and Editor-In-Chief of Emily Bestler Books, “yet still, ’worth waiting for’ is an understatement. The thrill, excitement, and joy I had reading I Am Pilgrim all those years ago was reignited and elevated as I read The Year of the Locust.”
Terry Hayes is a former journalist and Emmy-nominated screenwriter. He wrote screenplays for, amongst others, Mad Max 2 – Road Warrior, Dead Calm, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Payback, From Hell, and Vertical Limit, along with many un-credited writing on a host of other movies, including Reign of Fire, Cliffhanger and Flightplan. The Year of the Locust is Terry Hayes’ second novel. His first, I Am Pilgrim, was an international bestseller.
Readers looking to pre-order The Year of the Locust, which is sure to be one of the biggest releases next year, can now do so here or anywhere else books are sold.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and is building a growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available. His second novel, LETHAL RANGE, comes out on August 8th. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. And to take part in free, exclusive BOOK CLUBS each month, join The Real Book Spy on Discord.