Essie Fox

Last updated
Essie Fox
Bornc. 1959/1960
Alma mater
Spouse Christopher Fox
Website essiefox.com

Essie Fox (born c. 1959/1960) is an English gothic historical novelist. Her novels include The Somnambulist (2012), which was a More4 TV Book Club pick and shortlisted for a National Book Award, and The Fascination (2023), which became a Sunday Times bestseller.

Contents

Early life

Fox grew up in Leominster, Herefordshire. [1] Fox attended the Minster School, completing her schooling in 1978. She graduated with a degree from the University of Sheffield in 1981. [2]

Career

Fox began her career as an editorial assistant at George Allen & Unwin and The Telegraph, and also worked as an illustrator. [3] She also ran a blog titled Virtual Victorian. [4] Fox's debut novel The Somnambulist was published in 2011 via Orion Books. The novel is a Victorian gothic mystery set around Wilton's Music Hall. The Somnambulist was selected as one of the Best Reads of 2012 on the More4 programme TV Book Club [5] [6] and shortlisted for the People's Book Prize [7] and New Writer at the National Book Awards. [8]

Fox reunited with Orion for the publication of her next two novels Elijah's Mermaid [9] [10] and The Goddess and the Thief. [11] Elijah's Mermaid was a 2013 LoveReading Book of the Month. This was followed by The Last Days of Leda Grey, about an Edwardian actress, in 2016. [12]

In 2022, Orenda Books acquired the rights to publish Fox's gothic novel The Fascination in 2023. [13] [14] The Fascination became a Sunday Times bestseller. [15]

Orenda Books then signed Fox's sixth novel Dangerous, a thriller about the poet Lord Byron, for publication in 2025. [16] [17] Dangerous was named one of the best historical fiction books of 2025 by The Sunday Times . [18]

Personal life

Fox is married to Chris Fox of the Liberal Democrats. [19]

Bibliography

[ ISBN missing ]

References

  1. Fox, Essie (24 September 2011). "My Grandmother's Balleoom". The History Girls. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  2. Moore, Lucy (23 December 2013). "Exclusive Interview with Essie Fox". Female First. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  3. "New writer readings/in conversation pieces: Session III". York Festival of Ideas. 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. Helen (19 July 2011). "The Somnambulist by Essie Fox". She Reads Novels. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  5. Campbell, Lisa (5 January 2012). "Watson joins 10 'unputdownables' for TV Book Club". The Bookseller. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  6. "Enjoy a great read this winter with Specsavers and the TV Book Club". News Shopper. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  7. "Winners 2010/2011". People's Book Prize. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  8. Moore, Lucy (13 November 2020). "A stellar line-up competes for the Specsavers National Book Awards Hosted by Lorraine Kelly". Female First. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  9. "Essie Fox's Secret History". The Bookseller. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  10. O'Connell, John (11 October 2012). "Thrillers - reviews". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  11. Saunders, Kate (4 January 2014). "The Goddess and the Thief by Essie Fox". The Times. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  12. Mountain, Fiona (7 November 2016). "The Last Days of Leda Grey by Essie Fox". Historia. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  13. Fraser, Katie (29 July 2022). "Orenda Books lands Fox's 'glorious' gothic novel". The Bookseller. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  14. Xenos, Natalie (21 June 2023). "Book Review: The Fascination by Essie Fox". Culturefly. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  15. O'Brien, Kiera (29 June 2023). "Fiction: Slaughter cleaves in the Original Fiction number one". The Bookseller. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  16. Fraser, Katie (19 April 2024). "Essie's Fox 'decadent' historical thriller goes to Orenda Books". The Bookseller. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  17. "Book review: 'A riveting historical mystery'". Isle of Man Today. 3 May 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  18. Senior, Antonia; Rennison, Nick (1 September 2025). "The best historical fiction books of 2025". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  19. Essie Fox (19 May 2023). "So proud of my husband and his work on this bill. Carers are too often forgotten" . Retrieved 23 September 2025 via Twitter.