Stef Penney grew up in Edinburgh. She is the author of the international bestseller, The Tenderness of Wolves, winner of the overall Costa Award; The Invisible Ones and Under a Pole Star, shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award. Stef lives in London.
Hypnotically readable, suspenseful, romantic and humane, Stef Penney is a mesmerising storyteller * AMANDA CRAIG, author of THE GOLDEN RULE * A historical epic that Jessie Burton fans will adore * Grazia * In its balancing of exhilaration and horror, love and terror, despair and resurgence, The Beasts of Paris is a triumph * Guardian * A rich portrait of a city falling apart . . . [Penney] draws her main characters - and Paris - with great skill * TIMES, book of the month * Enthralling , vivid and utterly original * DAISY GOODWIN, author of THE FORTUNE HUNTER * Paris during the siege of 1870 and the Communard uprising are fabulous subjects and Stef Penney has triumphed . . . It's bold. It's beautifully written and totally absorbing * ELIZABETH BUCHAN, author of TWO WOMEN IN ROME * Brilliantly evocative of Paris under siege . . . I knew almost nothing about this shocking slice of history and now I feel I've lived through it * RACHEL BILLINGTON, author of WAR BABIES * An exquisite, relevant and immersive novel of humanity and beasts, self-discovery and survival set amid a Paris in flames * ANNA MAZZOLA, author of THE CLOCKWORK GIRL * A beautifully written story of the best and worst of humanity, of the triumph of love and the human spirit over the degradation and devastation of war . . . the characters will stay with me a long time * S. G. MACLEAN, author of THE BOOKSELLER OF INVERNESS * A thrilling novel . . . She follows the stories of both humans and animals with an eye for telling detail and a deep understanding of the human heart * ADÈLE GERAS, author of DANGEROUS WOMEN * What a stunning read! I was immersed in this epic of love and daring . . . The historical background is wonderfully vivid and thrilling. Stef Penney is one of our most exceptional storytellers * C. J. CAREY, author of QUEEN HIGH * A haunting and immersive novel that weaves together the lives of caged beasts and lost souls against a sweeping backdrop of war and revolution, love and loyalty. . . A tour de force * V. B. GREY, author of SISTERHOOD * Penney examines social class, gender and sexuality against a vividly imagined reconstruction of historic events. Readers will find much to enjoy in this exploration of love, loss and redemption * Daily Record * Intriguing cast of characters ... their fortunes intertwine in a multi-stranded narrative that highlights the lives and loves of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events * Sunday Times *