Julie Bindel has reviewed Queens of the Underworld for The Spectator: ‘A rollicking account of all kinds of crime committed by women…Neither sentimental nor judgmental, Davies presents these characters as important examples of criminological history. The case studies are prime examples of women who have not only been forgotten or ignored, but who put their… Continue reading
Queens of the Underworld was launched at the Great Scotland Yard Hotel – on the site of the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. This is where the Detective Department was based in late Victorian times, and its officers were very familiar with some of the queens – including Emily Lawrence, the diamond thief who… Continue reading
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine has reviewed Queens of the Underworld, and concluded that ‘many of them were simply thugs’. It’s illustrated with a picture of Chris Tchaikovsky, the antithesis of a thug, who co founded Women in Prison. Continue reading
I chatted to Robert Elms about Queens of the Underworld, listen here (1 hour, 39 minutes into the show). ‘Gangsters and robbers and blaggers and dippers…..these are extraordinary stories. A fantastic book,’ Robert Elms. Continue reading
I chatted to Paul Ross about Queens of the Underworld on Overnights, talkRadio. ‘An amazing book and a brilliant read….a great slice of social history,’ Paul Ross Listen here Continue reading
I chatted with Selina MacKenzie on her Lifestyles show, TRE Talk Radio Europe, about the women who inspired Queens of the Underworld. Listen here, begins 22 minutes into the show. Continue reading
How do writers deal with rejection? Vox is a series of bite-size audio recordings in which Royal Literary Fund Fellows explore topics around writing. In this episode, we were asked to discuss rejection. Listen here. Continue reading
Nottingham Evening Post, November 1923 The Crime Readers’ Association has run a piece on one of the women from Queens of the Underworld, Diamond Dolly, in their October newsletter. Continue reading
‘Who owns the legacy of a women’s prison?’ The New Yorker has run a feature on the history and future of the site of Holloway Prison, and the need for a proper Women’s Building. Full article here. Continue reading
Vox is a series of bite-size audio recordings in which Royal Literary Fund Fellows explore topics around writing. In this episode, we were asked to discuss the best writing advice we have ever received. Listen here. Continue reading
I’ll be talking about Queens of the Underworld at Borderlines Carlisle Book Festival on Sunday October 3rd – Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, CA3 8TP, 10.30-11.30am. Tickets available here. Continue reading
London Live have covered The View magazine’s upcoming photo exhibition ‘Someone’s Daughter’ which opens at Photo London, Somerset House, in September. It features my portrait – and Bailey’s – taken by Carol Allen Storey. Update: My involvement in the project was to have my picture taken, and to contribute excerpts from Bad Girls. I am… Continue reading
Queens of the Underworld is a ‘season highlight’ in the Bookseller Non-Fiction Buyer’s Guide for autumn. Continue reading
I’m excited to be returning to the Hurst to tutor on a residential Tutored Retreat: Fiction course, with Jacob Ross, on November 8th-13th. Working on a novel or a collection of short stories? Fire up your Fiction will provide support and feedback for whatever issues you’re facing with your writing – whether you need to… Continue reading
The winners of the Make Space for Women competition have been announced – a stunning selection of bold and inspiring artwork. It took the judges hours of discussion to decide on the final winners – with 90 entries, ranging from paintings, photography, drawings, crochet and multimedia, to poetry and prose. The competition was run by… Continue reading
I’ll be giving a free online illustrated talk on the history of Thames swimming – and how the act of swimming connects us to nature and creates community – on July 2nd at 2pm. Booking link here. The talk is part of Ben Judd’s fellowship project, The Origin, at Stanley Picker Gallery at Kingston University,… Continue reading
I’m looking forward to teaching an Autobiography into Fiction course for City Lit on April 24th, where we will be learning how to turn real life experiences into fiction. What are the problems – and benefits – of using personal material in fiction? Where should we start, what techniques can we use, and how… Continue reading
I’m excited to be launching a new mentoring service with author and journalist Caroline Brothers. We’re offering support, guidance and manuscript feedback for every stage of the writing process, and to writers of all levels. If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel or a family history, or if you need a fresh perspective on… Continue reading
I’m delighted to be joining City Academy, and look forward to teaching Online Blogging (July 8-Aug 12), Online Creative Writing for Beginners (Sept 1-Oct 6), and a one day Blogging for Beginners in June. Course details here Continue reading
Author and poet Leslie Tate runs weekly interviews on the creative life, this week I chat about Bad Girls and Queens of the Underworld. Continue reading
The Women’s Equality Party book club in York will be discussing Bad Girls: the Rebels and Renegades of Holloway Prison on March 18th. I’ll be joining them on Zoom at 6.30pm, to talk about the background to the book and answer questions. Guest speaker Dee Sheehan will be talking about WEP policy on women in… Continue reading
Holloway Prison, the most infamous jail for women in Europe, closed in 2016. Campaigners have been working tirelessly ever since to make sure the site is developed for the community, and that includes a proper Women’s Building. BUT there is not enough space allocated to the building at the moment – there needs to be… Continue reading
The Royal Literary Fund’s ‘In Focus’ presents short films featuring RLF writers. In the latest film, we respond to the question ‘What’s Your Desert Island Book?’ I chose Rebecca. Watch the film here. Continue reading
Singer Katy Carr is about to release her new album Providence, which includes a wonderful song on the Hampstead Ladies’ Bathing Pond – capturing the adventure, joy and freedom of swimming. The album can be pre ordered here and the official release date is October 30th. Katy Carr, The Ladies’ Pond The CD features… Continue reading
I’m looking forward to tutoring an online Arvon fiction week, ‘Take your writing to the next level’, from November 23rd to the 27th, with Adam Handy. More info here Continue reading
BBC Radio 4 has aired a programme on Chris Tchaikovsky, leader of The Happy Firm fraud gang in the late 1960s and early ’70s. Her experiences inside Holloway led to the formation of Women in Prison, and she became one of the UK’s leading penal reform campaigners for women. Her story is told by some… Continue reading
I joined a discussion on wild swimming, its history and benefits, hosted by Georgina Godwin, with Ruth Rose of the Seaford Mermaids and Isabel Hardman, on Times Radio Continue reading
I’ve been working with volunteers at Dorich House Museum, the studio home of sculptor Dora Gordine & Richard Hare, on The Squatter Years: Recovering Dorich House Museum’s Recent Past. The project launched last summer, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Volunteers have been busy during lockdown, researching and investigating the extent of the couple’s… Continue reading
The hit film The Ponds will be aired on BBC Four tonight, July 22nd. It was previously aired last May, under the title Swimming through the Seasons: The Hampstead Ponds. Continue reading
Photographer Ruth Corney has published a book celebrating 20 years of photographing the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath in London. All proceeds go to the Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation, and the book can be bought via their website. Ruth has been capturing scenes at the pond since 2000, and some of the photos… Continue reading