Frances Osborne is the author of two biographies and is working on the first of two historical novels for her publishers, Virago.

Her latest book is The Bolter: Idina Sackville – the woman who scandalised 1920’s society and became White Mischief’s infamous seductress published by Virago in the UK in May 2008. It will be published in the US and Canada by Knopf on 2nd June, 2009. In the UK, The Bolter has been selected for the Richard and Judy Bookclub, shortlisted for the Best Read in Britain prize, and has held the Number One position in several paperback non-fiction lists, including The Sunday Times, where it has been in the Top Ten for almost three months.

Her first book is Lilla’s Feast: A True Story of Love, War and a Passion for Food. It is published by Doubleday and Black Swan  in the UK and Commonwealth and Ballantine and Random House in the US. It was listed as a Kiriyama Prize Notable Book and has been translated into five languages.

Frances worked as a barrister and investment research analyst before becoming a full-time writer. Both as Frances Osborne and under her maiden name, Frances Howell, she has written for Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Independent and Moneyweek. She has also written for Sunday Times, The Daily Mail, The Spectator and Vogue.

She is now working on the first of two historical novels for Virago, which have been inspired by the historical research she undertook for her earlier books. They will chart the rise and fall of an industrial family dynasty through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in Britain and America

Interviews

Allison Pearson on The Bolter

"Most families have a skeleton or two in their closet. Few, however, can have jumped out in quite such shocking style as Frances Osborne's great grandmother..." - click here to see the full article

Bookseller Interview by Benedicte Page

"Most families have black sheep of one kind or another, and Frances Osborne's is no exception." - click here to see the full article