Job:- Author and Consultant Solicitor
Website:- https://annamazzola.com
Facebook:- AnnaMazzolaWriter
X @anna_mazz
Instagram:- @annamazzolawriter
Introduction
Anna Mazzola is the author of as well as being a human rights and criminal justice Solicitor. Her debut novel, The Unseeing, won an Edgar Allan Poe award. Her fourth novel, The House of Whispers, set in 1930s Rome, won a Fingerprint Award for Best Historical Crime novel. Her bestselling third novel, The Clockwork Girl, was shortlisted for the Gold Dagger and the Historical Dagger for the 2023 awards. It was also nominated for the Dublin Literary award. Her fifth novel, The Book of Secrets, is based on a real case from 17th century Rome and was a Times Historical Novel of the Month and has been shortlisted for the 2025 Gold Dagger and Historical Dagger. Her first legal thriller under the name of Anna Sharpe Notes on a Drowning, was published earlier this year.
Current book? (This can either be the current book that you are reading or writing or both)
Reading: I’m on a Tana French binge. I’m reading The Wych Elm at the moment. Her writing is pin-sharp and her characters are so flawed, complex and plausible. Her most Gothic novel is probably Broken Harbour, which, unsurprisingly, is my favourite.
Writing: I’ve just handed in my second Anna Sharpe book, a courtroom thriller called Lie For Your Life, and am now waiting for my editor to give me the verdict.
Has any gothic book spooked you and if so which one and why?
Little Sister Death by William Gay. It’s in the Southern Gothic tradition and inspired by the 19th Century Bell Witch haunting of Tennessee. I’m not easily scared by books, but this one sure got me. I dare you all to read it.
Which two gothic writers would you invite to dinner and why?
Shirley Jackson, because she was sharp, witty and imposing, and Mary Shelley, as she was rebellious and super-smart. I think they’d make for an interesting evening, though they might of course have a fight.
How do you relax?
Running, writing, reading, swimming, listening to music, ritual sacrifice.
Which gothic book do you wish you had written and why?
Rebecca by Du Maurier. A Gothic classic and a huge bestseller which very much gave the finger to the critics who said that Du Maurier was just a mediocre romance writer.
If you were to write a gothic book where would you set it and why?
I’d like to set a story on Poveglia Island, located near Venice. It’s supposedly one of the most haunted places in the world, with a very dark history involving plague quarantines and a lunatic asylum. You’re not officially allowed to go to the island, but that just makes it more appealing.
How would you describe your latest published book?
My most recently published novel, Notes on a Drowning, isn’t a Gothic one – it’s a legal/political thriller about two determined women on the trail of a scandal involving death, corruption and misogyny. But it has jokes. My most recent historical novel is The Book of Secrets, which is a tale of sorcery and survival based on a real ring of women accused of making and selling poison in 17th century Rome.
With Detecting the Gothic: Tales from the Dark Heart of Crime Fiction the theme at St Hilda's this year, which are you three favourite gothic authors or books
My top three Gothic gems are:
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (or is My Cousin Rachel better??)
Perfume by Patrick Süskind
Which 3 gothic films would you rewatch and why.
Pan’s Labyrinth, my favourite Guillermo Del Torro film – I love its dark, fairytale-like quality. Picnic at Hanging Rock, as it had a strong impression on me and I think is part of the reason I ended up writing Gothic fiction. The bigger reason, though, was David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, the series as well as the film. Bob continues to stalk my dreams.
What are you looking forward to at St Hilda's?
The play! I’m not sure what my role is yet, but I hope it will require me to wear a wig.
Notes on a Drowning by Anna Sharpe (Orion) Out Now
Alex knows she risks getting fired from her law firm if she takes on another unpaid case, but when she hears Rosa's desperate voice at the other end of the phone, she knows she has to help: the body of Rosa's shy teenage sister, Natalia, has been dragged, lifeless, from the Thames. Alex can't help but think of her own missing little sister. She knows how a lack of answers can eat you alive. Kat has worked hard to become Special Adviser to the Home Secretary, and is eager to finally put the dark and tragic part of her past behind her. But when she discovers a series of cover-ups, she begins to wonder whether her seemingly perfect new boss could be involved. Then she's shocked to discover a letter that raises worrying questions about a girl found drowned in London... Natalia. There are complex and painful reasons for Alex and Kat not to work together, but when it becomes clear that there are powerful people involved in Natalia's death, and that other girls are at risk, Alex and Kat must overcome their differences to find answers. Will they save the girls and discover the truth? Or will the high-powered players in this game stop Alex and Kat for good?
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