History & True Crime

S&S Khashoggi book The Killing in the Consulate published in October and being adapted for drama

01/10/2019

The Killing in the Consulate: Investigating the Life and Death of Jamal Khashoggi by BAFTA-winning foreign affairs correspondent Jonathan Rugman, who has spent decades reporting from across the Middle East, will be published on 2nd October 2019 by Simon and Schuster and is being developed for drama by Two Cities Television (producers of Patrick Melrose, currently adapting Fire and Fury) and Topic Studios (producers of the Academy Award®-winning film Spotlight, and co-financiers of the Academy Award®-shortlisted documentary Dark Money).

UK & Commonwealth (excluding Canada) publishing rights were acquired by Ian Marshall, Deputy Publishing Director at Simon & Schuster UK, from non-fiction agent Martin Redfern at Northbank Talent Management, who is handling international book rights. Dramatic rights were acquired by Topic Studios and Two Cities in a joint bid from books to broadcast agent James Carroll, also at Northbank Talent Management.

Ian Marshall said: ‘This is such a crucially important book. While this was a shocking event that made headlines around the world and has huge geopolitical significance, it is also a personal story of a man who left behind a grief-stricken partner when she had been looking forward to getting married. Jonathan brilliantly weaves the two strands of the narrative to make a compelling read.’

Jonathan Rugman said: ‘It was shocking to return to Istanbul to report on the killing and dismemberment of a fellow journalist and the attempt to cover up the crime. My book bears witness to Jamal’s life as well as to his death. His story needs to be told and it should never be forgotten.’

Stephen Wright at Two Cities said: ‘Four time BAFTA-winner Guy Hibbert (Eye in the Sky) with his track record in factual drama makes him the perfect screenwriter to adapt this story.’

Maria Zuckerman, EVP of Topic Studios added, ‘This important story deserves to be told, in full, to a global audience. We and Two Cities feel that Guy, with his ability to bring challenging true stories so vividly to the screen with deep humanity, will do it justice.’

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