Datura to Acquire and Reissue Polis Books Titles

Datura Books in Acquisition Deal with 17 former Polis authors

Following the recent closure of Jason Pinter’s Polis Books, Datura Books are thrilled to announce the acquisition of a number of titles. Whilst any publishing house closure – and in particular an independent – is a sad day, Editorial Director Gemma Creffield has been working behind the scenes to ensure these authors found a home with Datura as quickly as possible. From award-winning books and outstanding debuts to cult classics, we are proud to announce that the following authors have moved to Datura:

Sarah Bailey | Mike Bockoven | Richard Brewer & Gary Phillips | Tori Eldridge | Heather Harper Ellett | Elisabeth Elo | Wayne Johnson | David James Keaton | Shannon Kirk | Winnie M Li | Steph Post | Jason Powell | Zhanna Slor | Patricia Smith | Matthew McBride | Sung J Woo

Full details on reissue publication dates are below. Unless otherwise stated, worldwide rights were obtained in the deal. 

Creffield has said “I’m delighted to be able to give some of the Polis Books’ stunning collection a new lease of life. These are truly fantastic titles and we can’t wait to bring them under the Datura umbrella.”

Sung J Woo: “You know, writers have so many obstacles in their way — completing the book in the first place (monumental), then finding the right agent (needle in a haystack), and then somehow lucking into a publisher who loves your work and will champion it (a miracle). I know Jason Pinter, the head of Polis, did everything he could to keep his ship afloat, and he did an amazing job finding a new home for us; I’m so grateful to be with Datura!”

Richard Brewer & Gary Phillips: “Both Gary and I were saddened to hear of Polis Books going away. Owner Jason Pinter was the first to believe in the concept of Culprits and we will be forever grateful to his publishing our book. We are overjoyed that Datura will be keeping our Culprits alive as part of their roster.”

Winnie M LI: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Datura will be issuing a new edition of my debut Dark Chapter in 2025. It’s a novel which is very personal to me, as it’s so closely rooted to my own lived experience of crime. In recent years, the themes of gender-based violence and survivorhood which it explores have come to the forefront of our public conversations, and I continue to hear from readers who have been moved by my book. So I’m very excited that Datura will be able to help new readers find my debut.” 

Sarah Bailey: “I am thrilled to be joining Datura Books and can’t wait for The Housemate to be available to US and UK readers. It’s exciting to be joining a publisher with such passion and momentum!”

TITLES INCLUDED:

2024:

19 November: Finding Katarina M by Elisabeth Elo – American doctor, Natalie March, travels to Siberia to find her estranged grandmother, only to uncover dark family secrets and a dangerous international plot.

3 December: Culprits by Richard Brewer & Gary Phillips – Culprits examines what happens after a big score once the thieves go their separate ways, only to find that the end of the heist was the beginning of their troubles. In this linked anthology, we follow each member of the crew of culprits after the heist as this seemingly perfect score ends up a perfect nightmare. WITH NEW COVER

2025:

21 January: The Ninja Series by Tori Eldridge – Kill Bill meets the Joy Luck Club in this edge-of-your-seat debut novel about Lily Wong; a modern-day female ninja, dedicated to rescuing women from abusive relationships while trying to hide the truth about her real life from her overprotective family. WITH NEW COVERS FOR BOOKS 1-3 

25 February: The Housemate by Sarah Bailey – A twisty, high-concept standalone thriller: Three housemates. One dead, one missing and one accused of murder. WITH NEW COVER

25 March: End of the Ocean by Matthew McBride – From the author of the popular cult classics Frank Sinatra in a Blender and A Swollen Red Sun comes a riveting novel of redemption and suspense that asks the question: just how far are you willing to go for love? 

15 April: Killing It by Mike Bockoven – From the twisted and imaginative mind of Mike Bockoven, author of the cult classic Fantasticland, comes a wholly original and witty new novel of terror, perfect for fans of From Dusk Till Dawn and Shaun Of The Dead. 

22 April: Remember by Patricia Smith – Megan Abbott meets Ellen Hopkins in this compelling psychological thriller about a young girl who is forced to confront her past demons after a mysterious new neighbour moves in next door. WITH NEW COVER

6 May: No Man’s Ghost by Jason Powell – It’s an FDNY firefighter’s first – and possibly last – week on the job…from Jason Powell, FDNY firefighter and author whose work has been published in Slate and whose cooking has featured on Rachel Ray Everyday. WITH NEW COVER

17 June: Skin Deep and Deep Roots by Sung J Woo – In this witty and endearing PI series, rookie detective Siobhan O’Brien investigates the secrets of a prestigious New York college in a search for her friend’s missing daughter. WITH NEW COVERS

15 July: Dark Chapter by Winnie M Li – Hard-hitting crime fiction based on a true story of the dark chapters and chance encounters that can irrevocably determine the shape of our lives. WITH NEW COVER

26 August: Judah Cannon series by Steph Post – Floridian crime series in which Judah Cannon, middle son of a notorious crime gang, tries to extricate his family of a life of crime and poverty but not without encountering revenge, loyalty, betrayal, love, religion, and everything in between. WITH NEW COVERS

23 September: Tenkill by Shannon Kirk – A surrealist thriller for fans of early John Grisham, with an all-female-led cast, and a secret at the end that will shake you to your core. WITH NEW COVER

28 October: The Red Canoe and The Witch Tree by Wayne Johnson – from multiple Pulitzer Prize-nominated author; following Buck, a man fighting for his life, & Lucy, a semi-feral girl, living on the border of Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community reservation as tragedy and trauma unite the two. 

18 November: At the End of the World, Turn Left by Zhanna Slor – An unique, unconventional detective story, set in Milwaukee’s eclectic Riverwest neighbourhood during the 2008 recession, weaves together the tale of two immigrant sisters with very different ideas of home.  Zadie Smith’s White Teeth or Rachel Zhong’s Goodbye, Vitamin. WITH UPDATED COVER

2 December: Ain’t Nobody Nobody by Heather Harper Ellett North American Rights Only – A riveting debut novel about family and loyalty, old grudges and new lives, Ain’t Nobody Nobody is Faulkner meets “Breaking Bad”. 

2026

27 January: Head Cleaner by David James Keaton – Head Cleaner is an original blend of thriller, science fiction, and horror that takes our love of nostalgia to task for its morbid obsessions with dead media and dead-end jobs: Clerks meets Black Mirror. WITH NEW COVER

24 February: A Tree Born Crooked by Steph Post – starring James Hart as a tough-as-nails MC with an aching emptiness inside. With bullets in the air and the ghosts of heartache, betrayal and unspeakable rage haunting him at every turn, James must decide just how much he is willing to risk to protect his family and find a way home. 

24 March: Breakfall by Zhanna Slor – Mina Banksy’s life is a mess when two detectives turn up at her door, looking for her missing friend Dylan, a recovered addict and convicted felon. His disappearance triggers a series of events that turn everyone at the close-knit gym into suspects or victims, and somehow all roads lead back to Mina Banksy. WITH NEW COVER