By Ingrid Süßmann

Ullstein Buchverlage in Germany and Bonnier Publishing Fiction UK, both subsidiaries of Sweden’s biggest media corporation Bonnier, are starting a new joint venture together called Manilla. This new digital publishing imprint aims to bring bestselling German commercial fiction to an international audience.

Claiming to be “the home of international bestselling fiction”, Manilla will publish twelve ebooks a year from various genres including crime, thriller, women’s fiction and historical fiction, with the first six ebooks coming out between February and June.

According to the press release, Manilla is inspired by current trends within the media market: “In an age in which quality European TV drama attracts significant audiences in the English-language market, Manilla will offer international readers an opportunity to discover authors who are already bestsellers in their own countries.”

Here are the first six titles planned for 2016:

• February: Emily Bold, One Summer Night (Lichtblaue Sommernächte, 2015)
• March: Elisabeth Herrmann , The Cleaner (Zeugin der Toten, 2012)
• March: Marc Raabe, Cut (Schnitt, 2014)
• April: Inge Löhning, The Wages of Sin (Der Sünde Sold, 2008)
• May: Johanna Geiges, The Apothecary’s Secret (Das Geheimnis der Medica, 2012)
• June: Hanna Winter, Sacrifice (Opfertod, 2012)

For 2016-17, plans include an expansion of the publishing portfolio, offering original titles and eventually out-of-print titles.