Antonia Hodgson was born and grew up in Derby and studied English at the University of Leeds. Before she left publishing to focus on her writing, she was Editor-in-Chief at Little, Brown UK. Her first novel, The Devil in the Marshalsea, won the 2014 CWA Historical Dagger and was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Award and the John Creasey First Novel Award. Both of her subsequent novels were longlisted for the Theakston’s award.