Manhattan Book Group Announces Gold Win for 'Antheia in the Thorns' in the 2026 Manhattan Book Awards
The Manhattan Book Awards is a year-round literary recognition program honoring outstanding books from independent and hybrid publishers worldwide. Titles are judged by an industry-experienced panel and evaluated on criteria including narrative strength, originality, production quality, and overall impact. Gold honors are reserved for books that exemplify excellence within their genre and demonstrate exceptional craft.
After serving as president of Impression 5 Science Center in Lansing, Michigan, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Marilynne Eichinger founded the Museum Tour Catalog, bringing science kits and educational materials into homes across the country. Her lifelong commitment to science education and environmental stewardship inspired the “Rightfully Mine” series, a collection of environmental thrillers exploring some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet. Today, Eichinger is a sought-after public speaker and an active member of the Community for Earth Committee in Portland.
Drawing on decades of work in science education and conservation, Eichinger combines meticulously researched environmental issues with fast-paced, character-driven suspense. “Antheia in the Thorns” is the second novel in the “Rightfully Mine” series. Its predecessor, “The Water Factor,” explores the corporate takeover of water resources. Readers can look forward to the third installment, “Kingdom of Greed,” scheduled for release early next year, which examines the consequences of sacrificing America's old-growth forests to corporate greed.
To celebrate this Gold award, the Kindle edition of “Antheia in the Thorns” is available on Amazon for a special promotional price of $3.99 (regularly $6.95). The novel is also available in paperback, hardcover, and audiobook editions.
About the Book:
A grieving mother. A poisoned wilderness. A billion-dollar secret.
In the remote wilderness of Oregon, archaeologist Jennifer Russo makes two discoveries that change her life forever: an ancient cave filled with prehistoric remains, and a nearby pond choked with toxic yellow vapors. When a man posing as a sheriff warns her to stay silent, Jen realizes she has uncovered something powerful that people will kill to protect.
Still shattered by the death of her infant daughter, Jen returns home hoping for comfort. Instead, she finds betrayal. Her husband, an environmental attorney, is working for oil tycoon Abdul Hammed Dillinger, whose refinery produces petcoke, a toxic byproduct poisoning land, air, and oceans worldwide.
When clean air, water, and truth become matters of survival, she joins Antheia, a network of young activists led by Brian Adakai. Together, they uncover illegal dumping, corporate corruption, and a conspiracy stretching across continents. Their search leads to murder, kidnapping, and a final confrontation aboard Dillinger’s cargo ship where the fate of a whistleblower, and of the truth itself, hangs in the balance.
From the emotional depth of “Where the Crawdads Sing” to the urgency of “Erin Brockovich,” “Antheia in the Thorns” is a gripping environmental thriller about grief, courage, and the cost of speaking out.
"A fiction-filled, well-plotted yarn of industry vs. nature. The narrative sets up a delightfully conflict-heavy premise: How can Jen fight for the natural world while her husband works for someone who actively seeks to destroy it? Readers will be sufficiently engaged by the central conflict to stick around to see how the (petcoke) dust settles." – Kirkus Reviews
Antheia in the Thorns is the second book in the Rightfully Mine series.
About Manhattan Book Group:
Manhattan Book Group is a New York–based independent publishing organization dedicated to discovering, developing, and promoting exceptional voices across fiction and nonfiction. Through its publishing services, imprints, and literary recognition programs—including the Manhattan Book Awards—the company champions quality storytelling, professional standards, and meaningful visibility for authors worldwide.
Michelle VanSledright
Manhattan Book Group
+1 800-767-0531
email us here
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
