About me

I trained as an archaeologist, and worked in museums and art galleries before becoming a freelance historical researcher, unravelling mysteries for organisations and individuals, and writing features for the national press.

In 2019, when I was 46, my debut book, The Adventures of Maud West, Lady Detective, was published by Picador and shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction. After a delay caused by ill health, That Dark Spring followed in 2025. I am now happily working on a third.

When not writing, I enjoy watching classic films, making literary automata and preparing specimens for a natural history collection known as The British Looseum. The latter is situated in the downstairs lavatory of the home I share with my husband and cat in a small medieval town in Shropshire. It is not open to the public (except in emergencies).

You won’t find me hugely active on social media. I have bursts of activity when I remember it exists, but generally I prefer real world interactions. If we do bump into each other in person, it may be helpful to know that I am hearing impaired and I lip read. (No need to speak loudly – just make sure I can see your mouth!)

The sloeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea… A little thing I made from Welsh driftwood, Welsh slate, Welsh everything, as a celebration of one of my favourite pieces of literature: Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas.