Stacey Halls was born in Lancashire and worked as a journalist before her debut The Familiars was published in 2019. It was the bestselling debut hardback novel of that year, won a Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the British Book Awards' Debut Book of the Year. The Foundling, her second novel, was also a Sunday Times top ten bestseller. Mrs England is her third novel.
'Mesmerising, entrancing, a spellbinding novel of emotion and mystery, a heroine caught in an impossible world of twists, turns and lies. Gripping to the very last page' - Kate Williams 'Both dazzling and dark, as beautiful as it is disturbing. A captivating, sensuous novel' - Inga Vesper, author of The Long, Long Afternoon 'In precise and evocative prose, Stacey Halls has conjured a devastating, compelling and utterly real world. I was gripped from start to finish' - Joanna Glen, Costa shortlisted author of The Other Half of Augusta Hope 'Jaw-droppingly brilliant. Exquisitely written, incredibly atmospheric, a masterclass in rising tension. The deliciously addictive love-child of Daphne Du Maurier and Henry James' - Liz Hyder 'BRILLIANT. An utterly gripping exploration of female fortitude in adversity, with a propulsive, atmospheric plot. Ruby is a wonderful protagonist' - Caroline Lea 'Utterly compelling. Menacing and marvellously written, this is a hugely accomplished Edwardian chiller.' - Daily Mail 'Outstanding. Haunting, compelling, atmospheric.' - Emma Stonex, bestselling author of The Lamplighters 'With a desolate setting that shimmers with menace, Stacey Halls' tense novel masterfully tackles issues such as the abuse of power. This enticing and beautifully written story should delight those fans of historical fiction.' - Sunday Express 'Hugely readable with a palpable sense of dread, this is a truly brilliant book.' - The Sun 'The Familiars author has fast become the queen of historical lit and this new offering, set in 1904, might be her best yet... Evocative and captivating.' - Heat Magazine