Headline Review acquires two 'thought-provoking' novels from Matt Cain

Headline Review has acquired two more books from Matt Cain, whose fourth novel, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, was published by the imprint earllier this year.

Publisher Eleanor Dryden made the deal for world rights with Sophie Lambert at C+W. The first book – with the working title There’s Something You Should Know About Ted – will be published in e-book and audio in late 2022 and in hardback in spring 2023. The second will follow in 2024. 

Dryden said: "We at Headline Review are over the moon to have signed two more books with Matt Cain, whose The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle has developed a cult following in the UK in a matter of months. It promises to do the same internationally, following auctions and pre-empts in the US, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands to date.

"The way readers have taken our beloved protagonist Albert into their hearts and connected with its themes of isolation, challenging discrimination and celebrating hope (which resonate in these times more than ever) is wonderful testament to Matt’s passion, creativity and the sheer heart and vivacity of his writing. Matt’s centring of older, gay, working-class protagonists and lived experiences is a breath of fresh air and we’re thrilled to be working with him on these two new novels. They’re already promising to delight fans of Albert Entwistle but bring thought-provoking and moving surprises of their own too."

Cain commented: "I’m chuffed to bits to be working once again with Eleanor Dryden and the same team who looked after The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle. It’s great to collaborate with a group of inspired, dynamic professionals who are all committed to building my profile as an author and who understand what I want to achieve creatively. I’m absolutely sure that I’ve found the right home and am thrilled that everyone at Headline is just as passionate as I am about increasing diversity in publishing. I’m so excited about what we’re going to achieve in the future!"

Cain's first two novels, Shot Through The Heart (2014) and Nothing But Trouble (2015), were both published by Macmillan. His third, The Madonna Of Bolton, was Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel ever before its publication in 2018. Cain was Channel 4’s first culture editor and an editor-in-chief of Attitude magazine, and currently presents "Sunday Roast" on Virgin Radio Pride.