Mary Chamberlain
Mary Chamberlain is represented by Juliet Mushens
Mary Chamberlain is a novelist and historian, author of the international best seller The Dressmaker of Dachau (UK)/The Dressmaker’s War (USA). Published in the UK by The Borough Press in 2015 and in the USA by Random House in 2016, rights to this novel sold in nineteen territories worldwide and it was a best seller in France and Italy. Her second novel, The Hidden, was published by Oneworld in 2019 and The Forgotten, was published in June 2022. Her latest novel, The Lie, published in July 2023.
She is the author of many non-fiction books on women’s history and Caribbean history, as well as articles and edited collections. She is Emeritus Professor of Caribbean History at Oxford Brookes University and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Her first book, the highly acclaimed Fenwomen: Portrait of Women in an English Village, was also the first book published by Virago Press, and the inspiration behind Caryl Churchill’s award winning play, Fen. Fenwomen was translated into French, and is now in its third UK edition.
Over the years Mary Chamberlain has contributed to a range of historical programmes on radio and TV, and sat on editorial, advisory and government committees. You can read more about her books on www.marychamberlainbooks.com.
She lives in West London with her husband, the political theorist Stein Ringen.
Praise for The Dressmaker of Dachau:
‘The Dressmaker of Dachau is a thrilling story, brilliantly told. I couldn't put it down. Ada Vaughan is a character to fall in love with: utterly real, flawed and beguiling’ — Saskia Sarginson, author of The Twins and Without You
‘I found myself completely swept up in this tale of love, ambition and vanity’ — Juliet West, author of Before the Fall
‘A powerful and gripping tale of longings and dreams, and how a chance meeting that seems to offer the answers and more, instead comes with devastating consequences.’ — Cecilia Ekbäck, author of Wolf Winter
Praise for Hidden:
‘Beautiful, shocking and utterly absorbing, The Hidden casts light on an episode in our wartime history which is so rarely told... Mary Chamberlain writes beautifully about war, love and survival, brilliantly portraying the struggles of individuals, especially women, forced into desperate acts in order to endure.' — Sarah Day, author of Mussolini's Island
‘Set against the backdrop of the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands, The Hidden is a powerful, heart-wrenching story of deception and guilt, love and loss; I was completely engrossed, seduced by its strong characters and atmosphere, and intrigued by the mystery at the heart of the novel.' — Saskia Sarginson, author of The Twins
‘Hauntingly atmospheric, historian and author Mary Chamberlain takes the reader to the dark days of the Channel Islands under German Occupation, and tells a hugely moving tale of love, survival, and betrayal.' — The Bookbag
‘Recent novels such as The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society have taken the occupation as their subject, but none so potently as Mary Chamberlain’s The Hidden… As Chamberlain’s narrative moves between past and present…the realities of life under a ruthless occupying power are slowly, skilfully revealed.’ — The Sunday Times
‘A heart-breaking yet hope-filled tale.’ — Woman's Own Magazine
‘A powerful story, well told.' — Choice Magazine
‘This compelling and heart-rending novel is a potent reminder that the horrors of war aren’t limited to the battlefields. Nor do they cease when the guns fall silent. There are those who will carry the scars – emotional, physical and psychological – for the rest of their lives. There is scant justice. But in The Hidden, Chamberlain gives them credence and a voice.' — Herald Scotland
Rights sold:
The Hidden: Oneworld (UK), Argo (Czech), Balto (Lithuania), and WF Howes (audio).
The Dressmaker of Dachau: Oneworld (UK), The Borough Press (US), Nova Fronteir (Brazil), Argo (Czech), Livre de Poche (France), Maxim (Hungary), Garzanti (Italy), Hayakawa (Japan), Balto (Lithuania), 2020 (Portugal), Swiat Ksiazki (Poland), Poliron (Romania), Phantom (Russia), Vulkan (Serbia), Fortuna (Slovak), Ucila International Zalozba (Slovenia), Planeta (Spain), Marti Yayin Dagitim (Turkey).
The Forgotten: Oneworld (UK), Argo (Czech), Balto (Lithuania).
The Lie: Oneworld (UK).