New Hannibal Lecter thriller on way

Readers hungry for a good thriller can get ready to welcome an old friend: A new Hannibal Lecter novel, Behind the Mask, is coming next Autumn.

“Thomas Harris is the premier novelist of psychological suspense of our time,” said Irwyn Applebaum, president and publisher of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group, which yesterday announced the book’s release next year.

“Millions of readers in 25 languages have wondered how Dr Lecter developed his particular appetite for evil. This novel will satisfy their curiosity.”

Film rights for “Behind the Mask” have been acquired by the Dino DeLaurentiis Company, which produced the Hannibal movies “Red Dragon” and “Hannibal”.

Harris has written three previous Lecter books: Red Dragon, Hannibal and The Silence of the Lambs, which was adapted into an Academy Award-winning movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

Harris is also author of the best-selling thriller Black Sunday.