First novel inspired by CIA's Doctor Zhivago plan nets $2m book deal | Books | The Guardian

Prescott's We Were Never Here tells the story of how the CIA smuggled copies of Boris Pasternak's classic novel Doctor Zhivago into Russia during the cold war in an attempt to seed unrest. Drawing from the voices of Pasternak's mistress and muse Olga, as well the women of the CIA typing pool involved in the mission, the novel provoked a fierce bidding war when it was submitted by Prescott's agent last month.
In the UK, 12 publishers fought for the novel, with Penguin Random House publisher Selina Walker winning the bid with a "high six-figure" offer. In the US, Knopf is reported to have paid a seven-figure sum, beating 13 other publishers to the debut. According to Publishers WeeklyInternational news website of book publishing and bookselling including business news, reviews, bestseller lists, commentaries http://www.publishersweekly.com/, this was not the highest bid, but Knopf's history as the original publisher of Doctor Zhivago helped clinch the deal.