Kate Foster (writer)

Kate Foster (born 1974 or 1975) is a Scottish writer. She was a journalist for 25 years before publishing her first novel at the age of 48. [1]

Foster won the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect award in 2020 (when the festival took place online).[2][3] Her first novel, The Maiden, won her the 2023 Scottish Crime Debut of the Year [4] and was longlisted for the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction.[5] Foster describes it as "a feminist retelling of a 17th century Edinburgh murder",[1] and it concerns the murder of Lord James Forrester by Lady Christian Nimmo in Corstorphine in 1679.[6]

Her second novel, The King's Witches, was included by The Herald in "the 10 best new historical fictions" in May 2024.[7] It is set in the context of Anne of Denmark's betrothal to James VI and the North Berwick witch trials of 1590.[8][9]

In January 2024 the publisher Mantle signed a deal for The King's Witches and Foster's next two novels, to be published in 2025 and 2026.[8] It was reported that the 2025 title was to be The Reawakening, but Foster said in June 2024 that it will be The Mourning Necklace.[9] It will tell the story of Maggie Dickson, known as "hauf-hingit Maggie", who survived a botched execution by hanging in 1724.[10]

  1. ^ a b "Author: Kate Foster". Scottish Book Trust. Retrieved 17 October 2024. I became a debut author at the age of 48
  2. ^ McGinley, Shane (2 September 2024). "Why Pitch Perfect is a bloody good start for any debut author". The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 October 2024. 2020 Pitch Perfect winner Kate Foster
  3. ^ "Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect Session Seeks Aspiring Writers". Bloody Scotland. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Winners Revealed for the McIlvanney Prize 2023 and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize". Bloody Scotland. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Announcing the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction longlist!". Women's Prize. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  6. ^ Forbes, Ellie (26 July 2023). "Bloody Scotland: Kate Foster on The Maiden". Scottish Field. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  7. ^ "10 of the best new historical fiction novels to read right now". The Herald. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b Fraser, Katie (23 January 2024). "Mantle signs three 'beautifully realised' novels from Kate Foster". The Bookseller. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bfs2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ MacPherson, Hamish (30 August 2020). "Back in the Day: The legend of Half-hangit Maggie Dickson". The National. Retrieved 17 October 2024.