Simon Mawer
Simon Mawer published his first novel 21 years ago and has since written seven others and two works of non-fiction. He is a trained biologist and has lived and worked in Italy for the last 30 years. Perhaps these two facts bring a different slant to his approach to writing, which The Economist has described as having ‘an inquisitive and quite un-English interest in history and science’.
Books by Simon Mawer
Tightrope
by Simon Mawer
Winner of the 2016 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction
Tightrope by Simon Mawer is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of Marian Sutro, a young woman who worked as a secret agent for the British during World War II. The book explores the themes of love, loss, and betrayal as Marian struggles to come to terms with her experiences during the war and navigate the challenges of post-war life. Mawer's writing is both evocative and insightful, bringing to life the sights, sounds, and emotions of a tumultuous period in history. With its compelling characters, rich historical detail, and poignant themes, Tightrope is a masterful work of fiction that will stay with readers long after they turn the last page.
Ancestry: A Novel
by Simon Mawer
☆ Shortlisted for the 2023 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction
Mawer won the 2016 Walter Scott Prize for his novel Tightrope—the story of a female secret agent for the British during World War II. He returns to the shortlist with a new historical novel that delves into the stories from the author's own family tree. As the 2023 Walter Scott Prize judges observed: "he refuses to choose between fiction and fact," melding his archival research with imagined elements that takes us from poverty-stricken London to the Crimean War. It's an "ambitious novel" and a "memorable family odyssey that takes the reader into a fictional realm."
The Glass Room
by Simon Mawer
Shortlisted for the 2010 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.
Shortlisted for the 2009 Booker Prize.
Interviews with Simon Mawer
The best books on Forgiveness, recommended by Simon Mawer
Novelist Simon Mawer picks his favourite books on forgiveness.
Interviews where books by Simon Mawer were recommended
The Best Historical Fiction: The 2023 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Cal Flyn
Every year, the judges for the Walter Scott Prize highlight the best new historical fiction. In 2023, the shortlisted books include a slow-burn mystery set in colonial Australia and a thrilling new novel from the author of Fatherland. Cal Flyn, our deputy editor, takes us through the seven books that are set 60+ years in the past and yet speak to the present.
