An adventure novel from the 1950s is back in the shops, because a man wanted to keep a promise he made to his daughter 20 years ago.
Harry Whitehouse (58) of Balderton, Notts, borrowed Conon Fraser’s Dead Man’s Cave from a library in Mansfield in 1960, when he was 11.
He enjoyed the book so much that he paid for it instead of returning it, and it inspired him to become a keen potholer.
Years later, his daughter Louise read it when she was at junior school, and asked for her own copy.
Whitehouse promised to find one, but despite a 20-year search of second-hand book shops and regular checks on the internet, another copy has never surfaced.
“I eventually realised that the only answer was to republish it myself,” said Whitehouse.
He knew that Conon Fraser’s later books were about New Zealand, so he guessed that the author had emigrated. He found Fraser’s address in Taupo, on the North Island by checking telephone directories on the internet. Fraser (77) was enthusiastic about the project and signed a publishing contract.
Will Nickless
“Dead Man’s Cave has four brilliant full-page illustrations by Will Nickless, who was very much in demand as an artist for books and The Eagle comic in the 1950s,” said Whitehouse.
“I was very anxious to include his work, but I discovered that he had died in 1977.
“However, I found an article by someone who interviewed Nickless’s son ten years ago, and through that I managed to trace William Nickless junior to Norfolk. He was very supportive, so finally, everything came together.”
Preparations for republishing the book took place in great secrecy so that Whitehouse could surprise his daughter, Dr Louise Whitehouse (30) of Normanton, Yorkshire.
“It was a moment to savour when she opened the wrapping paper and saw the cover,” said Whitehouse.
In February, he will help to launch the week-long national Love Libraries event by handing over a copy of Dead Man’s Cave to the Nottinghamshire library service, to replace the one he kept 48 years ago.
What's it about?
Dead Man’s Cave is about four teenage boys who explore caves in the Mendips and discover a message from a French commando. They follow a trail to France in the hope of solving a wartime mystery.
“Dead Man’s Cave is good, clean honest fun. It’s also fascinating because it’s a period piece, which tells you a lot about the different attitudes and standards of people in the 1950s,” said Whitehouse.
“Although it was written for teenagers, it’s also great entertainment for adults.
“I felt there was an excellent chance that it would prove popular with a 21st Century audience.”
The new Dead Man’s Cave is under the Peaksoft imprint — the name of the firm that Whitehouse founded in the 1980s to produce computer software, including a chart-topping football management game.
Peaksoft has since published music CDs and sheet music and promoted music events.
Dead Man’s Cave by Conon Fraser, ISBN 9780955777905, is available through bookshops or by mail order from Amazon, or from the publisher on peaksoft.co.uk, at £7.99.