AGP Executive Report

Jeffrey Archer: The bestselling novelist died aged 86, a day before his final book, Adam & Eve, reached shelves. His novels sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. Book Awards: The National Book Foundation announced its 2026 finalists and will honor Salman Rushdie. School Libraries: A report says nearly 12,000 books were banned in U.S. public schools during 2025–26, including works by Margaret Atwood and Charlotte Brontë. Thriller Deals: Publishers are competing for new fiction, with PMJ winning a four-way auction for Claire Blake’s thriller and Sphere securing a two-book deal with Monica Rodden. Book-to-Screen: Authors First, a new adaptation studio backed by $10 million, says it aims to help writers bring their books to screen faithfully.

Publishing & AI Labeling: A UK startup, Books by People, says it has UK Intellectual Property Office approval for a “human-authored” mark, using manuscript checks and author declarations to help readers choose books written by people, not machines. Thriller Buzz: Penguin Michael Joseph (PMJ) acquired Claire Blake’s claustrophobic Australian Outback debut thriller They Always Run, while Sphere (Little, Brown) landed a two-book pre-empt for Monica Rodden’s twisty debut Homespun. Local Book Retail: Everett, Washington welcomes a brick-and-mortar home for mobile bookstore Lost the Plot, aiming to make the shop a safe, welcoming space for readers. Book Trade in the UK: Market Bookshop is taking over a kiosk at London’s Exmouth Market, rebranding it as Kiosk Bookshop with secondhand, rare, and first-edition finds. Crime & Courts (Book-adjacent): A New Orleans judge dropped a complaint against a TV station after the legal basis was found to be repealed. True-Crime Spotlight: Iowa’s Harlan Newspapers ran a front-page feature on DIXIE’S LAST STAND, a true-crime book tied to a local murder case.

Sci-Fi & Mystery Book Buzz: C. N. Lesley’s Shadow Over Avalon launches a two-timeline survival saga where genetic engineering, AI, and rebellion collide as a submerged city’s life-support system turns deadly. Historical Fiction Spotlight: Serah Olekanma’s Green Eyes keeps momentum with a Civil War-era story of motherhood, courage, and quiet resistance in slavery-era Virginia. Thriller/Pop Culture Tie-Ins: Carrie gets a modern, apocalyptic TV-style expansion on Prime Video, while The Good Daughter (Karin Slaughter) lands a Peacock release date of Nov. 12 as a six-part family mystery. Publishing & Industry: Circana’s 2026 best-sellers so far skew heavily toward adult genre fiction, with familiar breakout authors dominating the cash-register rankings. Book World Community: Decatur Book Festival cuts ties with Kiss and Tale Romance Bookshop after racism allegations went viral. Copyright & AI Policy: Australia’s ABC says AI firms have bypassed publisher “do not crawl” signals, arguing existing copyright law is the only real remedy. Local Book Life: People’s Book in Takoma Park may soon sell beer and wine, aiming to make the shop an even bigger hangout.

Crime & Censorship: US public schools logged nearly 12,000 book bans in 2025-26, affecting 7,370 works and 4,000+ authors, with Texas driving the surge after a restrictive state law. Author Spotlight: Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling novelist and former Conservative MP, died at 86, with his final novel Adam and Eve due out as news broke. Publishing & Retail: Amazon rolled out a redesigned Kindle lineup (entry, Paperwhite, and Colorsoft) plus new accessories, aiming for lighter, faster, more colorful reading. Book Industry Support: The Booker Prize Foundation and UEA launched the Eve Smith Scholarship for 2027-28, backing postgraduate prose fiction students. Local Book Culture: A new independent shop, The Novel House, opened in Daventry with genre-led sections, book clubs, and events—plus a resident golden retriever. Thriller/TV Adaptations: SVT commissioned My Mother, a Nordic thriller series based on Karin Smirnoff’s Janna Kippo novels.

Publishing Loss: Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling novelist and former Tory MP, has died at 86; HarperCollins says he passed “suddenly and peacefully” at home, with his final novel Adam and Eve due out as he was still signing books. Crime & Books: A Texas case tied to true crime writing remains in the spotlight after the identification of flight attendant Rana Soluri’s remains, while Canada reports parole extensions for a former RCMP officer convicted of murdering his wife. Book Festivals & Community: Decatur Book Festival has cut ties with a local bookstore after racism allegations surfaced online, putting spotlight on how events police inclusion. Thriller/Screen Adaptations: Colleen Hoover’s Verity keeps driving buzz as its film lands in theaters and Apple’s Imperfect Women is renewed for season 2. Literary Awards: Michelle Good is named a first-time finalist for the $100K Giller Prize for Eliza Sunshine, a family saga rooted in Cree women’s lives. Rights & Access: A report says U.S. school book bans hit a record high of about 12,000 titles, as districts increasingly use AI to flag books. Genre Watch: October horror lineups and cozy reads are rolling out, with The Institute season 2 also teasing more Stephen King–style suspense.

Publishing Industry Watch: Frankfurt Book Fair arrives as the German market cools—revenue down 2.7% in 2025, fewer book buyers (especially ages 10–15 and 20–29), and fewer new titles and translations, even as fiction and some YA categories inch up. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Colleen Hoover’s Verity dominates North American box office with a $32.6M debut, while Tom Cruise’s Digger stumbles at $8M; the film’s reception stays mixed. Rights & Access: Maryland public libraries begin letting readers request Kiswahili children’s books, a diaspora milestone driven by Tanzanian author Zawadi Sakapalla-Ukondwa. New Releases: Piatkus wins an 11-way auction for Dr Louisa Nicola’s women’s brain-health nonfiction; YouthWide publishes The Tree, a new picture book in the Mr. Kind series. Crime & Culture: A true-crime thriller DIXIE’S LAST STAND gets a five-star review; meanwhile, a UK library event invites locals to upload cinema and theatre materials to Wales’ public collection. Sci-Fi/Pop Culture: Russell T Davies reveals plot ideas for a scrapped 2026 Doctor Who Christmas special, including Daleks and a mysterious spaceship.

True-Crime Spotlight: Discovery ID is set to air a new “Most Evil” episode on serial killer David Penton, featuring interviews with true-crime author Steve Jackson and Texas lawman Gary Sweet, tying the case to Jackson’s bestselling book BOGEYMAN. Learning With a Twist: A Bristol museum speaker session spotlights how a classroom project helped students tackle a real cold case, echoing the “Murder 101” true-crime phenomenon. Publishing Meets Pop Culture: Amazon’s The Love Hypothesis rom-com lands as a charming adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s novel, while Verity keeps dominating headlines with a strong North American debut despite mixed reviews. Crime & Community: Police launch a murder investigation after a woman is found dead in Norfolk, and a Montana city suspends filming on a thriller after residents cite disruption and poor communication. Books & Belonging: A new YA fantasy centers on finding your place, and a debut novel from Eritrean-American author Bsrat Mezghebe explores identity across three generations in 1991 Washington, D.C.

AI & Privacy in Publishing: Hyderabad police opened a case over an AI-morphed “Chuttamalle” video allegedly using Janhvi Kapoor’s scenes, with Jr NTR vowing legal action and urging people not to share. Cultural Survival Through Books: In Gaza, a child’s rescued book—buried after an attack and later repaired—highlights how libraries and reading are becoming lifelines amid school destruction. Crime Fiction Spotlight: A new spy debut, The Pickle Factory, turns CIA tradecraft into farce, while Halloween-themed coverage keeps pushing thriller and detective reading. Literary Events & Talks: Sydney Opera House’s Curious festival kicks off with Chip Rolley’s conversations on AI, journalism, and meaning-making. Publishing Industry Notes: Australia mourns Hilary McPhee, the editor behind McPhee Gribble, credited with nurturing writers like Tim Winton and Helen Garner. Local Book Culture: A Pumpkins and Pages festival in Daviess County will raise money for teachers, pairing fall fun with author visits.

Book-to-screen buzz: Colleen Hoover’s Verity keeps driving new search demand as Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson promote the thriller, with Variety also spotlighting the cast’s favorite “can’t-put-down” reads and the film’s real-life lakeside mansion location in New York. Crime-writing debate: Ron Franscell weighs in on whether crime writers should profit from someone else’s tragedy, as a renewed digital edition of his true-crime book The Darkest Night sparks fresh backlash. Thriller/TV watchlist: Prime Video’s Jack Reacher renewal rides alongside chatter about other streaming crime hits, while Kill Jackie expands its “Seven Demons” assassin roster in AMC+ materials. Publishing & culture: A New Yorker review of On the Mark faces criticism for linking Hebrew punctuation to colonialism, and Goodreads rankings keep feeding fall reading lists. Community reading: Libraries push Halloween programming and horror recommendations, including a local guide with 700 horror picks.

Publishing & Culture: Min Jin Lee marks the next chapter of her Korean diaspora saga with American Hagwon, reflecting on why she quit law to write after a hepatitis B diagnosis and how she’s now aiming to finish a “Korean quartet” before 70. Crime Fiction Spotlight: Spanish crime writer Alicia Giménez Bartlett celebrates 30 years of Petra Delicado with Bajo el cielo infernal, a new case shaped by grief after the death of her husband. Thriller Adaptations: Colleen Hoover’s Verity opens in Indian theatres with a modest start (about Rs 1.89 crore net on day one), while ITV confirms a release date for Elizabeth Day’s novel-to-screen The Party (starting Oct. 11). Bestseller/Franchise Buzz: Drishyam 3 keeps momentum at the box office, nearing the ₹100 crore mark globally on day one. Bookish Life & Community: Linghams Booksellers rolls out a star-studded October events programme, and Crimestoppers highlights how anonymous tips help solve and prevent major crimes.

Queer Lit Spotlight: Robbie Couch’s “Just the Good Parts” and Lily Chen’s “The Matcha Maker Café” both land in our Reading Rainbow interviews, with authors stressing how representation and nostalgia shape belonging. Fantasy Fall Watchlist: Goodreads’ most-anticipated October fantasy list spotlights new romantasy and dark-fantasy reads, including Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Splintered Harmony,” V.E. Schwab’s “Victorious,” and Ann Liang’s “To Dream in Darkness.” Crime & Publishing Community: Wild Blue Press says true-crime readers helped finalize the cover for “DIXIE’S LAST STAND,” while the Barbara Neely Awards open applications for Black mystery and crime writers. Local Book Events: Burbank’s free Book Festival returns Oct. 3, and libraries across the region roll out spooky storytimes and book clubs for October. Big Screen/Book Tie-Ins: Colleen Hoover’s “Verity” keeps dominating headlines as film coverage and reviews swirl around the thriller’s adaptation. Comics for Modern Readers: “Zorro Remastered” debuts as a deluxe, restored collection with added content.

Publishing Careers: Daniela Schlingmann Literary Scouting promoted Isabel Martin to scout and Tom Taylor to associate scout, signaling fresh talent in cross-border discovery. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Reviews and chatter keep circling Colleen Hoover’s Verity—with critics split on whether the thriller’s pulp promise lands on screen. Romance Franchise Watch: Bridgerton Season 6 is in a “blue sky” writers’ phase for Eloise’s next romance, drawing from Julia Quinn’s novels. Global Reading Trends: Chinese publishers are finding new traction in Indonesia, pitching Mandarin children’s titles with interactive formats and exploring local vs. China printing. Crime Writing Spotlight: Janice Hallett discussed her plotting approach and love of everyday overheard dialogue ahead of her new novel The Silent Appeal. Indie/Community Bookselling: Chaparral Books opened a second storefront in Portland’s Ford Building, leaning into a welcoming, low-pressure shop culture. Bestseller Watch: Common Siblings 23 held the No. 1 spot for a second week on Kyobo’s list, with fiction interest rising over the holiday period. Library & Events: October programming continues to roll out, from craft and game nights to book festival calendars.

Youth Justice Study: Vermont’s family-court handling of 18-year-olds is linked to lower repeat offending than adult criminal court, bolstering plans to expand “Raise the Age” to 19-year-olds in 2027. Publishing & Prizes: A Syrian-revolution nonfiction book, Days of Love and Rage, lands on the Baillie Gifford Prize shortlist. True Crime & Books: A new Iowa-focused true-crime title, DIXIE’S LAST STAND, revisits a long-running murder-or-self-defense case. Film-to-Book Buzz: Verity keeps dominating attention as readers and viewers debate its twists and adaptation. Tech & Reading Culture: Cory Doctorow argues big-tech “disruption” and AI won’t fix monopolies, calling for tougher antitrust action. Local Book World: Evanston Writers Workshop opens registration for “In the Trenches 2026,” headlined by Pulitzer winner Jonathan Eig. Community Events: October book calendars and author talks (including Veronica Roth) are rolling out across libraries and festivals.

Nonfiction Prize Watch: Patrick Radden Keefe’s “London Falling” is named a Baillie Gifford Prize finalist, spotlighting a teenager’s death amid London’s superrich shadow world. Publishing Appointments: Bonnier Books UK taps Stefanie Bierwerth as publisher-at-large for Zaffre, bringing crime-and-thriller leadership from Quercus/John Murray. AI & Culture: Eddie Perfect warns about AI’s creep into everyday life while adapting Molière’s “Tartuffe” as a robot-centered satire for Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre. Books to Screen: “Verity” keeps climbing after its film release, with fresh reviews and chart chatter around Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson’s psychological thriller. Kids & Community Reading: A London hotel partners with the Natural History Museum for a dinosaur-themed suite experience, while McCracken County Public Library adds new play-area funding via local book-sale proceeds. Genre Picks: October’s sci-fi/fantasy and children’s releases get a big push, including time-travel romance and haunted-TV themed recommendations.

Local Retail Spotlight: Great Bend’s IGNITE finalists include The Book Cellar, a Claflin book-and-liquor shop aiming for curated, personalized picks—built after founders couldn’t find a book locally. International Publishing: Spain’s Liber fair opened in Barcelona with 250 exhibitors from 19 countries and thousands of meetings, as the industry pushes deeper global ties. Crime & Courts: A Kansas judge is set to decide whether a 17-year-old accused in a 2024 Fall City mass murder will face juvenile or adult court. Community Safety: Sint Maarten’s youth crime prevention plan hits staffing and paperwork snags, with probation shortfalls and limited foster placements. Publishing/Pop Culture: Colleen Hoover’s Verity keeps dominating headlines as the film lands in theaters, while Rachel Reid says Heated Rivalry should’ve come first in her hockey romance series. Adaptations & New Work: Netflix’s His & Hers team is developing Alice Feeney’s thriller Twist for TV. Genre Buzz: Amazon MGM is developing Garth Ennis’ R-rated horror-noir comic Freddie the Fix for film.

Supreme Court & Immigration: The US Supreme Court let Trump’s administration resume third-country deportations, pausing a lower-court due-process ruling while arguments are set for December. Publishing & Adaptations: Ali Hazelwood announced a sequel to The Love Hypothesis, The Two-Body Problem, arriving Feb. 2, 2027, as the romance continues to expand on screen; meanwhile, The Little Prince is getting a live-action film with Morten Tyldum directing and Simon Beaufoy scripting. Crime & Courts: A judge ordered a do-over for NYC’s pied-à-terre tax rollout after a list of residences harmed homeowners, while a high-profile case involving Lindsay Clancy heads into possible retrial talks after a mistrial. Books & Community: Alaska’s Writers Guild conference drew editors and agents for critiques and workshops, and Ireland named 12 bookshops as contenders for “Bookshop of the Year.” New Releases: Jodi Picoult’s Hollow Bones review spotlights 9/11 and postpartum psychosis, and a new women’s fiction novel, The Time After Now, centers type one diabetes alongside romance, extortion, and escape.