Century will publish a new novel by World War Z author Max Brooks in spring 2020.

Century will publish a new novel by World War Z author Max Brooks in spring 2020.

The author returns with Devolution - a part survival narrative and part bloody horror tale.

Century's Ben Brusey acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in print, serial, digital and audio from Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown.

Devolution tells the "first-hand account of an unreported massacre at a secluded and high-tech eco-community in Washington State. When a dormant volcano erupts and cuts residents off from the outside world, the idyllic retreat becomes the hunting ground for a legendary beast the world has long denied even existed: Bigfoot," reads the synopsis. "Not the reclusive missing link of legend, but a predator of terrifying strength, savagery and ferocity which soon hunts the residents down, one by one."

Brooks is an author, public speaker, and non-resident fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point. He has sold just under 401,000 books for £3m, through Nielsen. His bestselling books include Minecraft: The Island (Century) and World War Z (Gerald Duckworth & Co), which was adapted into a 2013 movie starring Brad Pitt.

He said: "This book tackles my childhood fear of staring into the darkened woods and seeing two bright eyes staring back at me."

Brusey added: "We are thrilled and honoured to be publishing Max once again. World War Z was recently named by Forbes magazine as one of the best horror books of all time. In Devolution, Max has written a cinematic and pulsating survival thriller – and another book for the ages. It will be an unmissable fiction publication next year."