What John Murray Press does

John Murray Press is a UK-based trade publishing imprint group, founded in 1768 and currently operating as a wholly owned imprint cluster within Hodder & Stoughton Limited under Hachette UK (itself part of France's Lagardère S.A.). Headquartered in London at Carmelite House, the group encompasses twelve named imprints spanning literary fiction and narrative non-fiction (John Murray, Basic Books, Baskerville, Two Roads, JM Originals), business and professional publishing (John Murray Business), language learning and reference (John Murray Learning, with Michel Thomas, Teach Yourself, Chambers, Sheldon Press), faith and religion (Hodder Faith and the 50-volume Hodder Bible Commentary), academic and professional fields (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Singing Dragon, Handspring Publishing), and diverse-voice fiction (Dialogue Books).

The company's underlying technology is a standard multi-format digital publishing infrastructure supporting ePub3 eBooks, PDFs, and MP3 audio editions, with group-level scale of 47,000+ ePub titles, 3,000+ PDFs, and 9,000+ MP3 audio editions. John Murray Press has invested in accessible publishing through an RNIB Bookshare partnership, adherence to the UK Copyright and Rights in Performances (Disability) Regulations 2014 and the Marrakesh Treaty, signing of the Charter for Accessible Publishing in 2019, and industry-first dyslexia-friendly publishing guidelines developed with the British Dyslexia Association through its Jessica Kingsley Publishers imprint.

The business model is built on one-time unit sales of trade books (hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook) priced between £10.99 and £25, supplemented by rights and permissions licensing (foreign, translation, and subsidiary rights) and digital content licensing across global platforms. Distribution runs through major online retailers (Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles, Blackwell's, Wordery), independent bookstores (Bookshop.org, Hive), digital platforms (Audible, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo), the company's own direct-to-consumer website, and the RNIB Bookshare accessible library. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, relying on standard trade-publishing practices including author tours, review distribution, email newsletters, social media, community building (H is for History, Bookends, Crime Files, The Future Bookshelf), and retail partnerships. Customer segments are predominantly general trade readers, with secondary segments in academic and religious education and readers with print disabilities.

Name

John Murray Press

Legal name

Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Website

https://johnmurraypress.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1768

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

John Murray Press is a London-based trade publishing imprint group operating under Hachette UK, publishing literary fiction, non-fiction, learning, business, faith, and academic content across twelve imprints for general and specialized readers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biography, Memoir & Narrative Nonfiction Publishing (MPAJAAAI), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Business, Personal Finance & Careers Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAK)

Keywords

• Trade book publishing
• Literary fiction publishing
• Narrative non-fiction publishing
• Language learning books
• Religious publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Trade Book Sales: One-time book sales across multiple formats (hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook) through retail and direct channels.
2. Digital Content Licensing: Distribution of digital content including eBooks and audiobooks through various platforms and partnerships.
3. Rights and Permissions: Publishing rights administration including foreign rights, translation rights, and subsidiary rights licensing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

John Murray Press is a UK-based trade book publishing house operating as a multi-imprint division within Hachette UK. It publishes and sells literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, science, history, biography, memoir, travel and nature writing across physical and digital formats (hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook). It also operates specialized imprints covering language learning, business, faith/Bible commentary, academic/professional titles, and diverse voices.

Product overview

John Murray Press is a UK-based book publishing company (part of Hachette UK) founded in 1768, operating as a multi-imprint publishing house with over 50 imprints. The publishing group encompasses core imprint John Murray (literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, science, history, biography, memoir, travel writing) along with specialized imprints including Basic Books (non-fiction/ideas), John Murray Business (business titles), John Murray Learning (language learning via Michel Thomas, Teach Yourself, Chambers, Sheldon Press), Hodder Faith (religious publishing including the 50-volume Hodder Bible Commentary series), Jessica Kingsley Publishers (academic/professional autism and social care titles, with Singing Dragon and Handspring Publishing sub-brands), Dialogue Books (diverse voices), Baskerville, Two Roads, and John Murray One. The portfolio spans literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, reference, language learning, business, faith/religious, academic, and accessible publishing formats including ePub3 eBooks, PDFs, and MP3 audio editions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• John Murray (Literary Imprint) Core literary imprint publishing literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, science, history, biography, memoir, travel and nature writing for general adult readers seeking entertaining, absorbing, surprising and prize-winning content.
• Basic Books (UK) Publishing imprint focused on non-fiction titles covering ideas, culture, and current affairs for general readers.
• Two Roads Publishing imprint under John Murray Press focusing on narrative non-fiction and fiction titles.
• John Murray Learning Learning-focused publishing imprint encompassing language learning and reference brands (Michel Thomas, Teach Yourself, Chambers, Sheldon Press) for self-study and reference buyers.
• Michel Thomas Language learning method and brand under John Murray Learning providing audio-based language courses for self-directed learners.
• Chambers Reference publishing brand under John Murray Learning, known for dictionaries and reference works for students, professionals, and general readers.
• Sheldon Press Health and self-help publishing imprint under John Murray Learning offering accessible titles on wellness and personal development.
• Teach Yourself Self-guided learning brand under John Murray Learning offering books and resources for self-study across a range of subjects.
• John Murray Business Business publishing imprint focusing on business strategy, management, and professional development titles for business readers and professionals.
• Hodder Faith Faith and religious publishing imprint under John Murray Press, including NIV Bibles and the Hodder Bible Commentary series, aimed at clergy, academics, and lay readers.
• Hodder Bible Commentary A comprehensive 50-volume Bible commentary series covering all books of the Bible with the full Anglicised NIV text; doctrinally sensitive, globally aware, and designed for preaching, teaching and personal study.
• NIV Bibles Anglicised New International Version Bible editions published under the Hodder Faith imprint for Christian readers, churches, and study groups.
• Jessica Kingsley Publishers Academic and professional publishing imprint covering autism and social care, mental health, gender diversity, complementary health, and arts therapies for professional and academic readers.
• Singing Dragon Imprint under Jessica Kingsley Publishers focusing on complementary health, Chinese medicine, and martial arts for practitioners and students.
• Handspring Publishing Imprint under Jessica Kingsley Publishers specializing in arts therapies and performing arts medicine for clinicians, therapists, and performing arts professionals.
• Dialogue Books Publishing imprint under John Murray Press focused on diverse voices and inclusive storytelling across fiction and non-fiction.
• Return to the Shack Upcoming sequel to the bestselling book and film 'The Shack', marking the 20th anniversary of the original publication by Wm. Paul Young.

Quantifiable outcome

• Published landmark works including Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, Jane Austen's Emma, Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, John Betjeman's Collected Poems, and Patrick Leigh Fermor's A Time of Gifts
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RNIB (Royal National Institute for Blind People) / BooksharecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to make all books available via the Bookshare platform, an online library of digital books for people with qualifying print disabilities. Ensures accessible distribution for visually impaired readers.
• Accessible Books ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Murray Press parent Hachette signed the Charter for Accessible Publishing (ABC Charter) in 2019, promoting production of eBooks and digital publications in accessible formats.
• British Dyslexia AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJessica Kingsley Publishers (imprint) collaborated with British Dyslexia Association to develop guidelines for producing dyslexia-friendly texts and workplaces in the publishing industry.
• Laurence King Verlag GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEU economic operator for Laurence King imprint products subject to EU harmonisation legislation including Toy Safety Directive.
• Hachette IrelandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEU authorised representative for Hachette UK publishing group products and EU economic operator for Hachette Children's Group imprints.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Oneworld Publications: UK-based independent publisher of literary fiction, non-fiction, and current affairs; comparable to John Murray Press's literary and narrative non-fiction focus, particularly through its distinctive voice and award-winning titles.
• Canongate Books: UK independent publisher known for literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and prize-winning titles — directly comparable to John Murray Press's literary fiction and narrative non-fiction remit, with similar UK-headquartered positioning.
• Bloomsbury Publishing: UK-listed independent publisher with strengths in literary fiction, non-fiction, and academic/professional works; directly comparable to John Murray Press across trade publishing and overlapping with Jessica Kingsley Publishers in academic/professional verticals.
• Profile Books: UK independent publisher focused on high-quality non-fiction, current affairs, business, and ideas — overlapping with John Murray Business and Basic Books UK imprints on non-fiction and current affairs titles.
• SPCK / Lion Hudson: UK faith-based publisher producing Christian books, Bibles, and theological commentary — directly comparable to Hodder Faith's NIV Bibles and Hodder Bible Commentary series within the John Murray Press portfolio.
• Pan Macmillan: UK trade publishing division of Macmillan Publishers; publishes literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, business, and reference across imprints such as Picador, Macmillan, and Bluebird — directly comparable to John Murray Press's literary and non-fiction focus, and a fellow UK-headquartered trade peer within a global group.
• Faber & Faber: Iconic independent UK literary publisher (founded 1929) with a strong list in literary fiction, poetry, non-fiction, drama, and film — directly comparable to John Murray Press's core literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and prize-winning positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Penguin Random House UK: UK arm of the world's largest trade book publisher; publishes literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and reference across dozens of imprints (Vintage, Penguin, Michael Joseph, Jonathan Cape) — directly overlapping with John Murray Press's core trade and literary remit, with much greater scale and global reach.
• Penguin Books (UK): Mass-market paperback and literary imprint within Penguin Random House UK; competes directly with John Murray Press's paperback and audiobook strategy and shares overlap in literary and reference categories.
• HarperCollins UK: Major UK and global trade publisher covering literary fiction, non-fiction, business, and religious titles (HarperPress, William Collins, Fourth Estate, HarperNonFiction); competes with John Murray Press across literary, business (John Murray Business), and faith (Hodder Faith) categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/johnmurrays
• Facebookfacebook.com/johnmurraypress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/john-murray

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about John Murray Press