Phoenix picks up 'exceptional' piece of creative non-fiction from David Whitehouse

Phoenix has snapped up an "exceptional" piece of creative non-fiction from About a Son author David Whitehouse. Publisher Francesca Main acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Saltwater Mansions from Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown.

The book tells the true story of Caroline Lane, who went missing from her block of flats in Margate and was never seen again. Her home was just as she left it, her bills were paid each month, and no one came looking for 13 years. The synopsis continues: "It’s the story of the community of neighbours who became obsessed with her disappearance, and of the author’s obsession with a trail that had run cold until he followed it in a new and surprising direction. It explores the underbelly of a seaside town, the ongoing impact of austerity and gentrification, and the moral complexities of an age that makes armchair detectives and social media conspiracy theorists of us all. Ultimately, it’s about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people and why their stories need to be told."

Whitehouse is the author of three previous novels and is a judge for this year’s Gordon Burn Prize. His debut non-fiction About a Son was shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction and optioned for TV by Tannadice Pictures.