Publishing Deal - Schatzing

News from Frankfurt of a new book from Frank Schatzing, (which I like the sound of), via Publishers Weekly:

Quercus has acquired WEL rights in the latest novel by Frank Schaetzing, author of The Swarm, a book-of-the-fair a few years back. The new novel is LIMIT, published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch in Germany and now sold in 17 countries.

The story is set in 2025. The race for alternative energy – helium 3 – to be found on the moon is on between the Russians and the Chinese. Julian Orley, the eccentric owner of Orley Enterprises, invites prominent and very rich guests to a breathtaking trip to the moon to stay in the moon hotel. On earth, detective Owen Jericho is searching for the dissident Yoyo, who holds many keys to the intrigues and ruthless games for power between politicians and the multi-national oil companies.

The Swarm, published in the UK by Hodder, has now notched up sales of 5m in 30 countries, and a film is due next year. Quercus also published Schaetzing's historical crime novel Death and the Devil, which has sold in excess of one million copies in Europe alone.