Thomas Mogford (born 10 April 1977, in Oxford) is a British author known for his historical fiction, and for the Spike Sanguinetti series of crime novels. He came up with the character of Spike after reading Law as a postgraduate at City University, London, and travelling to Gibraltar to look into praticising there. [1]
The first novel in the series, Shadow of the Rock, was shortlisted for the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards for best debut writer. [2] The second, Sign of the Cross, and third Hollow Mountain, were both shortlisted for the CrimeFest eDunnit Award. [3] Writing in the Sunday Express, the critic Jake Kerridge hailed the books as 'one of the most enjoyable crime series of recent years'. [4]
Mogford’s 2022 book, The Plant Hunter, marked a move into historical fiction. The novel is ‘a sweeping love story and white-knuckle adventure ride, set in 1867 bringing to life a period in history when real-life Indiana Jones characters risked their lives to find the exotic plants that fill our gardens today,’ according to The Bookseller. [5] It was chosen as a ‘Best Book of the Summer’ by the Daily Telegraph, [6] and was shortlisted for the 2022 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. [7]
Mogford’s next historical novel, The Saffron Thief, will be published by HarperCollins in the summer of 2026. [8]
Thomas Mogford is married to the screenwriter Ali Rea, [9] and they live with their family in London. [10]