Reagan Arthur's new imprint at Hachette Book Group and Grand Central, publishing works of fiction and narrative nonfiction, is called Cardinal. It aims to focus on books that "entertain and enlighten, across genres and across borders. The books will vary in setting, voice, and audience, but they will always have two cardinal traits in common: excellent writing and brilliant storytelling."
Cardinal's first title will be The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey, appearing September 16. Cardinal will then publish six titles a year, starting next year with:
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage (Winter 2026)
The Golden Boy by Patricia Finn (Winter 2026)
The Good Eye by Jess Gibson (Summer 2026)
Skin Contact by Elisa Faison (Summer 2026)
Get Lost by Justin Halpern (Summer 2026)
The Rise by Ian Rankin (Fall 2026)
And so far for 2027:
Solo by Marya Hornbacher (Winter 2027)
Record Lows by CJ Green (Winter 2027)
Fortune by Alex Mar (Winter 2027)
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| Reagan Arthur (photo: Michael Lionstar) |
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Arthur rejoined Hachette last July after a five-year stint as executive v-p and publisher of Knopf. Before that, she had been at Little, Brown for 19 years, starting in 2001 as senior editor. She founded the Reagan Arthur Books imprint in 2010, and became senior v-p and publisher in 2013.
Arthur commented, "I became very fond of cardinals during the pandemic: I loved their cheerful red presence in an often bleak time. I learned that they can symbolize, according to various belief systems, good luck, love, hope, and renewal--things I'm firmly in favor of. And one meaning of the word cardinal is 'of great importance,' which is how I regard the books and writers we'll publish, and our goal of bringing readers books that will brighten the landscapes of their own lives."
Hachette CEO David Shelley said, "I'm really enjoying reading my way through the launch list. Reagan is an exceptional talent-spotter and tastemaker, and I know that Cardinal books will entertain and enlighten millions of readers in the years to come."