Cover Stories: Christopher MacLehose

Christopher MacLehose, British publishing's doyen of literature in translation, is to launch a bespoke list under the aegis of Anthony Cheetham's new house, Quercus. MacLehose Press will publish between six and 10 titles a year. Its creator suggests that with conglomerate publishers behaving "rather like army units", there are genuine opportunities for indies. MacLehose, who presided over Harvill for two decades, bringing such figures as Richard Ford (above) to public attention alongside the likes of Peter Høeg and Ismail Kadare, was approached by Cheetham this summer. Cheetham says that MacLehose possesses "impeccable taste", and notes that his passion for international crime fiction will mesh with Quercus' crime list, to which the newly arrived Sue Freestone will add lustre.