Here’s a bit of big news to start your Thursday morning . . . New York Times bestselling author Joseph Finder has signed a two-book deal with Harper and is set to release The Oligarch’s Daughter in 2025.
The Oligarch’s Daughter will be the first new book from Finder since House on Fire—his sixth Nick Heller novel, published in 2020—and, according to Publisher’s Marketplace, is said to follow an “ordinary American” who “must go on the run after falling in love with the daughter of a notorious Russian oligarch and attracting the attention of intelligence services from both countries.”
The second book in the new deal with Harper (negotiated by Dan Conaway at Writers House and sold to Noah Eaker in an auction) is titled Town of Spies, though less is known about the plot or the official date of publication for that one. Currently, our best guess is that it’ll be released sometime in 2026. These will be the nineteenth and twentieth books written by Finder, whose debut novel, The Moscow Club, was published in 1991.
Reached this morning for comment, Finder, speaking exclusively to The Real Book Spy, said, “I was musing one day about Russian oligarchs who live with their families in the U.S., and I began to wonder what would happen if an ordinary American guy fell in love with and married the daughter of one of those oligarchs—how U.S. intelligence would become very interested—and that became The Oligarch’s Daughter.”
“When my agent, Dan Conaway, submitted to publishers,” continued Finder, “I was amazed at how many of them were really enthusiastic about the book and about the direction I was moving in. I’m excited about this book—I think it’s the best one I’ve written. (But we writers always think that, right?)”
It’s certainly one heckuva teaser, and readers will no doubt be waiting anxiously to get their hands on Finder’s forthcoming new novel. In the meantime, if you haven’t already, be sure to check out Finder’s backlist, which includes major bestsellers such as High Crimes (1998), which was adapted into a movie starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman, and Paranoia (2024), also adapted into a blockbuster film starring Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, and Harrison Ford. A longtime favorite of ours here at The Real Book Spy, Finder’s fifth Nick Heller novel, Guilty Minds (2016), remains one of the highest-scored books I’ve reviewed to date and seems even more relevant in today’s world, given the current state of politics in Washington, than it was when it released eight years ago. If you’re new to Finder’s books and looking for a place to start, I highly recommend that book.
This is a developing story, so be sure to check back in the coming weeks and months as we update this article once more is known about The Oligarch’s Daughter. Until then, make sure you’re following Joseph Finder on X (formally known as Twitter), Facebook, and his official website to stay up-to-date on everything he’s working on.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and is building a growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available. His second novel, LETHAL RANGE, comes out on August 8th. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. And to take part in free, exclusive BOOK CLUBS each month, join The Real Book Spy on Discord.