Mary Paulson-Ellis

Mary Paulson-Ellis is an award-winning novelist writing across the genres of crime, historical and literary fiction. Her critically acclaimed debut, The Other Mrs Walker was a Times bestseller and Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year. The Inheritance of Solomon Farthing was longlisted for the McIlvanney prize for best Scottish crime novel and a Historical Writers Association Gold Crown. In 2023 Mary was awarded the Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship by Edinburgh City of Literature Trust to write a multilayered novel about her home city of Edinburgh. Author Liz Jensen describes her as having ‘the verve and panache of a true storyteller’.

Mary’s short fiction and nonfiction have featured in The Guardian, various anthologies and on BBC Radio 4. She has a particular interest in the world of those who die with no next-of-kin and belongs to DeathWrites, a Glasgow University network exploring how literature helps us approach this profound subject. In 2019 Val McDermid selected her as one of ten exciting LGBTQ+ writers working today.

Mary enjoys teaching and has been a writing mentor, workshop leader, tutor and writer-in-residence for many organisations including the National Centre for Writing, the National Galleries of Scotland and the Edinburgh International Festival. She loves TV drama and was previously a script editor for BBC television. She regularly reviews what’s current in the arts for BBC Radio Scotland. As a committee member for the Society of Authors in Scotland, Mary believes in solidarity and connection amongst authors everywhere.