Viking wins 'The Piano Teacher'

By Matt Thornton -- Publishers Weekly, 10/15/2007 8:52:00 AM

Janice Y. K. Lee’s debut novel The Piano Teacher, one of the hot books at Frankfurt last week, ended up going to Kathryn Court at Viking, whose high six-figure bid for North American rights brought agent Theresa Park’s auction to a close. Additionally, on Park’s behalf, Julian Alexander at Lucas Alexander Whitley accepted a six-figure preempt from Harper for UK rights. Auctions are ongoing in Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland and Brazil, and additional territories will begin bidding this week.

The novel, set in World War II-era Hong Kong, follows a recently married English woman working as a piano teacher to the daughter of a wealthy, connected Chinese family. Unexpectedly, her life becomes intertwined with those of families and friends who guard a secret of national importance.

Lee, a native of Hong Kong, graduated from Harvard and has studied with Chang-Rae Lee.