Sphere bags Japanese suspense novel in sixfigurepre-empt

Akinari Asakura

Sphere has acquired The Final Six by Akinari Asakura, translated from Japanese by Haydn Trowell, in a six-figure pre-empt.

Senior commissioning editor Cal Kenny acquired world English language rights

from Marina Penalva at Casanovas & Lynch Literary Agency on behalf of Emily

Books Agency. The Final Six will be a super-lead title for Little, Brown in 2026.

Rights have also been sold in China, Indonesia, Korea, Russia, Taiwan and

Thailand and deals are currently being closed for Spanish, Italian, Brazilian and

Portuguese rights. Sphere will publish The Final Six on 12th June 2026.

Its synopsis reads: “21-year-old Shogo Hatano has beaten over 5,000 applicants to

become one of six candidates still in the running for graduate positions at

Japan’s most exclusive tech company, Spiralinks. But the night before the last

interview, Hatano receives an email that changes everything: Spiralinks will only

take on one of the final six and the other hopefuls must decide who.

“When deliberation begins, Hatano discovers a package containing six envelopes, each containing a shocking revelation about one candidate. The secrets exposed could ruin more than careers, they could destroy lives. With theclock ticking, Hatano must simultaneously process the scandals, figure out whoplanted the evidence and convince the others that he is deserving of the job oftheir dreams. The wrong decision could have deadly consequences.”

Asakura is a Japanese writer and novelist known for his work as the creator of themanga

Show-ha Shoten!The Final Six is his first novel to be translated into theEnglish language.

Kenny said: “The Final Six is propulsive, clever and dark, with a completelyunique hook. A brilliant psychological suspense novel, packed with unexpectedtwists and shocking reveals, it simultaneously functions as a searing critique ofthe corporate world. Akinari Asakura gives us a fascinating glimpse intocontemporary Japanese working culture through a thrilling lens and I can’t wait for The Final Six to be available to English language readers.”

Asakura said: “I am thrilled that my work will be published as The Final Six by Little Brown in 2026. Thank you very much for creating this opportunity. Isincerely hope that this book will be embraced and reach many readers!”

The translator, Trowell, added: “Akinari Asakura’s The Final Six is an intricatelyconstructed, multi-layered mystery, full of shifting dynamics and suspensefultwists that blend psychological tension with a keen exploration of universalmoral dilemmas. I’m incredibly pleased to have the opportunity to translate thisgreat work.”