Magdalen Nabb

Magdalen Nabb was born in Lancashire in 1947 and trained as a potter. In 1975 she abandoned pottery, sold her home and her car, and went to Florence with her son, knowing nobody and speaking no Italian. She has lived there ever since, and pursues a dual career as a crime writer and children’s author.

She has written nine previous crime novels featuring Marshal Guarnaccia of the carabinieri, all set in Florence, which she describes as ‘a very secret city. Walk down any residential street and you have no idea what is going on behind those blank walls. It’s a problem the Marshal comes up against all the time.’

Magdalen Nabb also writes the immensely successful ‘Josie Smith’ books, set in her native Lancashire, which form the basis of the Granada children’s TV series, ‘Josie Smith’, scripted by the author. Her first book, ‘Josie Smith’ was runner-up for the ‘Guardian’ Children’s Fiction Award in 1989, and in 1991 ‘Josie Smith and Eileen’ was the winner of the prestigious Smarties Book Prize for the 6–8 age group.