A Phantom of the Opera Young Adult Novel Is Coming—And It's Based on the Musical

Gen Alpha, look out: the very The Phantom of the Opera obsession that consumed Millennials and Gen Zers with the release of the 2005 film and 2011 Royal Albert Hall concert film is now coming for you, with the imminent release of a young adult novel adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary musical. 

Part of a publishing partnership between Penguin Random House and LW Entertainment celebrating 40 years of The Phantom of the Opera's reign in the West End—as well as its continued success across the pond with the return of the U.S. tour and the hit immersive NYC production Masquerade—Our Strange Duet, New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig's young adult reimagining of the musical, will hit shelves September 1. 

The novel will be published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. World rights to Erin A. Craig’s novel were secured via Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic by Wendy Loggia, vice president and publisher at Delacorte Press, who is also editing the book. A simultaneous U.K. edition will be released by Penguin Random House Children’s UK September 3 in paperback, and with a special edition hardback available only in theatres and at AndrewLloydWebber.com.

Developed in collaboration with those close to the West End production of Phantom of the Opera, the novel centers on Christine Daaé’s emotional journey and arc within the gothic romance, originally penned by French author and journalist Gaston Leroux. Our Strange Duet will place a closer lens to Christine's ambition and passion, as well as deepen her love triangle with Raoul and the Angel of Music.

Craig, whose acclaimed fantasy novels House of Salt and Sorrows and The Thirteenth Child have earned her a devoted readership, describes herself as a lifelong Phantom fan, citing the musical as what sparked her passion for theatre and led her to work as a stage manager for the Opera Memphis. Lloyd Webber and LW Entertainment specifically selected her to pen the novel for her understanding of the source material in tandem with her flair for emotionally rich gothic romantasy.

“I’m over the moon to announce that I’ve teamed up with LW Entertainment and Delacorte Press to bring readers this iconic story reimagined for a new generation...It’s been the honor of a lifetime to explore the ‘strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera, a mystery never fully explained’ through the eyes of Broadway’s most beloved gothic heroine,” said Craig in a statement.

An immersive companion audiobook recording is also in production from Penguin Random House Audio, with light dramatization voiced by a full cast and enhanced with music from the Phantom musical suite.

Two other books will be released as part of the publishing partnership: a Little Golden Books children's adaptation of the musical written by Christy Webster releasing September 1, as well as a visual anthology book, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera: A Behind-the-Mask Look at the Global Phenomenon, set for release October 27. The volume will offer fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making and evolution of the iconic global musical, including archival sketches, photography, and interviews with cast, crew, and contributors through the years, from Cameron Mackintosh and Sierra Boggess to Michael Crawford and Rachel Zegler. The book also offers a special look at what’s next for Phantom as the franchise continues to evolve.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera explores the tragic tale of the Phantom, a masked musical genius living in the caverns underneath the Opera House, who conceals his face due to a deformity that has cast him out of society. After lending voice lessons to ingénue Christine Daaé, posing as an "Angel of Music" sent by her father, he no longer can resist beckoning her into his world beneath the Opera House. Christine, having recently reunited childhood sweetheart Raoul, begins to fear the Phantom's dark side, sending him on into a spiral of madness and determination to make her—and her voice—belong to him once more.

READ: All the Times Phantom of the Opera Made History on Broadway

The Broadway staging of the London-originated show became Broadway's longest-running musical, running for 35 years from January 26, 1988 to April 16, 2023.

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