A perfectly paced and plotted literary mystery with a wonderful heroine at its heart -- Anna James, Literary Editor Elle magazine An absolutely brilliant, fun debut Open Book, BBC Radio 4 Samantha's journey through sorrow and even a little obsessive madness, coupled with the reality of the love story she gets wrapped up in, are stunningly representative of a young woman's path to happiness and peace. Professor James Orville is the perfect Bronte leading man, as complex and passionate as his student. A supporting cast of dark figures enhances the experience. Lowell crafts a first novel that is as enthralling as it is heartbreaking ... Library Journal, starred review Catherine Lowell's debut is a smart and funny literary mystery set among the dreaming spires of Oxford University. Lowell's deft handling of her quirky characters and unpredictable plot twists make The Madwoman Upstairs a charming and memorable read Deborah Harkness, No.1 internationally bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches My pick is this fast-paced, very funny mystery about the (fictional) last-remaining descendant of the Brontes trying to unravel clues that will reveal long hidden secrets about the famous sisters Elle Magazine, Best New Books for 2016 An enjoyable academic romp that successfully combines romance and intrigue, one that benefits from never taking itself too seriously Publisher's Weekly Catherine Lowell's debut is a smart and funny literary mystery set among the dreaming spires of Oxford University. Lowell's deft handling of her quirky characters and unpredictable plot twists make The Madwoman Upstairs a charming and memorable read Deborah Harkness, bestelling author of the All Souls trilogy

Catherine Lowell received her BA from Stanford University in 2011. There she was awarded the Mary Steinbeck Dekker award for Fiction and received two Stanford University Arts Grants. Catherine lives in New York, where she works as VP of Content Creation at IVY, a collaborative online community that brings together top entrepreneurs, innovators, authors, and artists.