ABOUT ME
Photo by the inestimable Angela Clarke
Cake by the fabulous Emily Garland/Maid of Gingerbread
I’m a London based writer and science communicator. For many years, and whilst writing my first novel, I worked as a press officer (or, in their words, ‘Earth Science Communicator’) at the Geological Society of London, where I wrote articles on anything from dinosaurs to climate change to incinerator bottom ash. I later edited their membership magazine, Geoscientist.
My first novel, 'Mussolini's Island', was published in February 2017 by Tinder Press, and has since won a Betty Trask Award and been shortlisted for the Historical Writers Association Debut Crown Award and the Polari First Novel Prize. In 2019, I was a Writer in Residence at Gladstone’s Library. My second, Night Climbing, was published in September 2024.
As well as novels, I’ve published two satirical retellings of classic novels reimagined as social media posts with my good friend and fellow novelist Claire McGowan - highly recommended for the niche pun enthusiast in your life.
My academic background is in the history of science and medicine, which I studied at Durham University. I’m particularly interested in fiction rooted in true events, often with a scientific theme, and I’m a strong advocate of the foolhardy research trip. You can read more about my research here - or drop me an email using the contact form!