Often deliciously dark and humorous, and always global in outlook, Bitter Lemon Press is a publisher with verve and vision. 

Dedicated to publishing exquisitely-written novels in translation from around the world, their top-notch thrillers often uncover the seedier side of society. Their books are written by authors with unique voices, often defying expectation through political page-turners, psychological thrillers, and sexy crime noir.

In addition, Bitter Lemon’s non-fiction list, Wilmington Square, covers a sweeping spread of subjects — the arts, travel, philosophy, history. Though vastly different in topic, these books are always original, and always beautifully-produced.

All that considered, we’ve long been fans of Bitter Lemon Press here at LoveReading, so we were delighted to talk to François von Hurter, Publisher and Co-founder of Bitter Lemon Press, for this Industry Insights feature. 

Read on to find out more about their books, their approach, and the publishing landscape. François also highlights some excellent books you’ll want to add to your reading wish-list.

Describe Bitter Lemon Press in three words.

Independent, eclectic and entertaining

What led you to found Bitter Lemon Press?

This dates back nearly twenty years when eventual BLP co-founders Laurence Colchester, my brother and I were pondering what to do with the rest of our lives. We were shocked to see how small the selection of translated fiction was in Anglophone markets. So much European and Latin American fiction ignored, and the invisibility of so many Asian novels.

What was your personal route into publishing? Was it a long-held career ambition?

I have always been obsessed with recommending books to anyone who would listen. Here was a chance to do it professionally. Albeit at age 55, so late in life.

What’s your editorial ethos for fiction? What lights your literary fire?

Publish only those books that you can wholeheartedly recommend to friends. And this means books that show you the criminal and social underbelly of foreign countries while being suspenseful, occasionally funny and always beautifully written.

Where did your glorious focus on global fiction come from?

Growing up in a family house full of books from all over Europe, English of course but many in French, quite a few in German, often translations from more exotic cultures.

Why are so few books translated by British publishers?

Poor economics: two artists have to be paid, the author and the translator. And the fear of the unknown: beyond some half-forgotten French, very few British publishers read foreign languages.

What are the best and worst things to have happened in publishing during your Bitter Lemon tenure?

The best: a sharp increase in the popularity of translated fiction, aided by a surge in Scandi-noir among readers and watchers of TV series. The worst: the consolidation of the book retailing sector, an activity undermined by online booksellers and unfettered by anti-trust intervention in the UK and the US.

Can you tell us about your non-fiction imprint? What makes a Wilmington Square book a Wilmington Square book?

Intelligent commentary about the arts, philosophy and travel. An eclectic list of beautifully produced books.

Describe your typical working day, if such a thing exists…

Ensconced in our top floor office in Clerkenwell, trying to read submissions, edit manuscripts, prepare marketing materials, and work on covers, all at the same time. Missing the pre-Covid camaraderie of seeing friends in the business and the frequent London visits by our foreign authors.

Which books from the Bitter Lemon Press backlist should everyone read?

The Man Who Loved Dogs by Leonardo Padura. 

A Walk in the Dark by Gianrico Carofiglio. 

The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda. 

The Horseman's Song by Ben Pastor. 

A Jew Must Die by Jacques Chessex.

Beside the Syrian Sea by James Wolff. 

Give us an elevator pitch for some of your upcoming books.

Trouble by Katja Ivar: Helsinki 1953, at the heart of the Cold War, a stubborn private investigator called Hella Mauzer investigates the murder of her father, a member of the WWII Finnish intelligence services, after the Soviet invasion of Finland from the east. So many parallels with the present war in Ukraine.

The Hand That Feeds You by Mercedes Rosende: Murder and mayhem in Montevideo, a failed armoured truck heist story that could have been written by the Cohen brothers. Strong female protagonists running circles around inept male criminals. If you liked "Fargo", you'll love this.

The Translator by Harriet Crawley: A taut, highly topical thriller set in Moscow and centered on a devastating Russian plan to sabotage the undersea communication cables linking the US to the UK. But also a passionate love story between two people determined to stop this cataclysmic act.

Who would you invite to your dream literary party?

Assuming they could all understand each other by some trick of magic: Elmore Leonard, Luigi Pirandello, Joseph Roth, Patricia Highsmith and Aristophanes.

Tell us a secret about books…

If you can't write them, publish them, the second-best profession in the world.

Stay up to date with Bitter Lemon Press:

Website: www.bitterlemonpress.com

Twitter: @bitterlemonpub

Facebook: Bitter Lemon Press

Instagram: @bitterlemonpress

And, to discover more from the people who bring you all those books you love, read the rest of our Industry Insights series.