Viking has bagged Dirty Laundry, a “page-turning tale of the dark side of suburbia” from debut writer Disha Bose, in a six-figure pre-empt. Publisher Katy Loftus acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from agent Marianne Gunn O’Connor. American rights were pre-empted shortly after by Andra Miller at Ballantine. It will be released in spring 2023.
The novel is about three mothers who are all part of the same clique, whose secrets and lies lead to the murder of one of them. “It tackles age-old ideas of the face we present to the world, the impossibility of who we fall in love with and the urge to create better versions of ourselves in our children,” the publisher explained.
Loftus said: “Disha’s novel blew me away with its confidence and the sheer pleasure of reading. It brings to mind the best of the novels about the dark side of suburban life and parenthood, from Little Fires Everywhere to Big Little Lies, but with a take that is completely now. Her three women – Ciara, Lauren and Mishti – are not the women you expect to see, and neither are the secrets they keep. I could not put it down, nor could anyone at Penguin General. I am overjoyed that Viking will be launching what is sure to be a brilliant literary career.”