Saraband wins Graeme Macrae Burnet's latest novel in five-way auction

Saraband is to publish Graeme Macrae Burnet's latest novel, after winning a hotly contested five-way auction. 

Case Study will the fourth of the author's novels to be published by the Salford-based press, including his 2015 Booker-shortlisted His Bloody Project.

Saraband’s m.d Sara Hunt bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada and Australia/New Zealand, from Isobel Dixon at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency, for an undisclosed sum. Michael Heyward of Text acquired ANZ rights, while Ellis Moore of Bolinda secured audio.

Hunt said: "After an epic team effort with the creativity and hard work of my colleagues, I am over the moon that we’ve secured rights to this fantastic book. More than that, I can’t wait to resume our working relationship with Graeme, who is such a wonderful, warm, funny and talented person—a joy to work with in every way."

The novel consists of a series of notebooks sent to the author in 2020 to aid his research into the forgotten 1960s psychotherapist Arthur Collins Braithwaite—a controversial contemporary of R D Laing. 

The synopsis explains: "These notebooks reveal the story of a young woman convinced that Braithwaite is responsible for her sister’s suicide. Determined to get to the bottom of the charismatic therapist’s role in her sister’s death, she assumes an alter ego and presents herself as a client to him. 

"In Case Study, Graeme Macrae Burnet presents these notebooks, interspersed with his own biographical material on Braithwaite, giving readers the opportunity to reach their own conclusions about the truth—or otherwise—of what has occurred."

Hunt said: "We are thrilled that Graeme has also agreed to be our Bookshop Champion for Bookshop Day on 3rd October. He will be visiting bookshops either physically or virtually—as lockdown allows—to highlight the key role booksellers play in the lives of writers and readers.

"Graeme has been a prominent supporter of booksellers throughout his writing career. Next year, when Case Study is launched, we’ll have some special surprises for booksellers (and, of course, readers) to look forward to."

Burnet said: "I couldn’t be more delighted to be teaming up once again with the great teams at Saraband and Text. I was very gratified to receive a number of tremendous offers for the book, but Sara Hunt showed a passion and commitment to Case Study that was simply irresistible. I can’t wait to get to work and look forward to seeing my new novel out in the world."

Case Study will be published in October 2021.