Whitney Houston's mother has vowed to go "behind the headlines" and give fans a glimpse into the late superstar's "brightest and darkest moments" in a candid new book about her daughter's life.

Cissy Houston has agreed a deal with publishing house HarperCollins to release a memoir about the singing superstar, who died in February at the age of 48, and she insists the book will tell her daughter's "true story."

Cissy Houston says in a statement, "When I lost my daughter... the world lost one of the most beautiful voices and an extraordinarily beautiful and charitable woman. In sharing our story in this book, I hope to give her fans something to treasure, the way we all treasured Whitney. We are still receiving thousands of letters each day from her fans, and I hope reading this book will provide a deeper understanding into my daughter's true story."

A representative for HarperCollins tells the Washington Post, "She will tell the unabridged and unbelievable story of her daughter's life as well as her own, addressing Whitney's brightest and darkest moments while helping fans around the world understand the complexities of this extraordinary star who died much too soon. Ultimately, Cissy will go behind the headlines to show the true, human side of this strong, successful yet complicated musical icon... along with the pain and heartbreak of a grieving mother as she struggles with impossible loss."

The book is expected to address the struggle with drug abuse which blighted the superstar's career. It is currently untitled, but is scheduled for release in February - exactly a year after Whitney's death.