{{Short description|English novelist (born 1983)}} {{use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox person | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1983|1|6}} | birth_place = | alma_mater = University of Oxford | occupation = Novelist, children's writer and editor | years_active = 2017–present | notable_works = ''In the Deep End'' (2019)
| awards = Polari Prize | website = {{url|https://katedavieswriter.com/}} }}
'''Kate Davies''' (born 6 January 1983) is an English novelist, children's writer and editor. Her debut novel ''In the Deep End'' (2019) won the Polari Prize.
==Early life== Davies is donor conceived.<ref name="bv feb 24">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/sperm-donor-family-viewpoint|title=I Found My Donor Family – Then I Had My Own|work=British Vogue|first=Kate|last=Davies|date=24 February 2024|access-date=12 June 2025}}</ref> She grew up in north-west London. She graduated from the University of Oxford.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenovelry.com/team/kate-davies|title=Meet the Team: Kate Davies|work=The Novelry|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=21 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321211852/https://www.thenovelry.com/team/kate-davies|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career== Davies began her career working as a children's book editor. She penned a middle-grade trilogy called ''The Crims'', described by Amanda MacGregor of ''Teen Librarian Toolbox'' as "''The Addams Family'' meets ''Despicable Me''".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2018/05/17/post-it-note-reviews-of-elementary-and-middle-grade-books-8/|title=Post-it Note Reviews of Elementary and Middle Grade Books|work=Teen Librarian Toolbox|first=Amanda|last=MacGregor|date=17 May 2018|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=19 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219011232/https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2018/05/17/post-it-note-reviews-of-elementary-and-middle-grade-books-8/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first installment was published in 2017, followed by ''Down with the Crims'' in 2018 and ''The Crims at Sea'' in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://granitemedia.org/2019/10/the-year-we-fell-from-space/|title=Down with the Crims|work=Granite Media|first=Dana|last=Valencia|date=1 October 2019|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=9 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250209012014/https://granitemedia.org/2019/10/the-year-we-fell-from-space/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Through a five-way auction in 2018, Borough Press acquired the rights to publish Davies' debut adult novel ''In the Deep End'' in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/borough-scoops-davies-debut-following-five-way-auction-788841|title=Borough scoops editor's debut following five-way auction|work=The Bookseller|first=Heloise|last=Wood|date=18 May 2018|access-date=3 February 2023}}</ref> The novel is inspired by Davies' own coming out experience in her 20s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/mar/07/in-at-the-deep-end-by-kate-davies-review-a-sapphic-sexual-odyssey|title=In at the Deep End by Kate Davies review – a Sapphic sexual odyssey|work=The Guardian|first=Stephanie|last=Theobold|date=7 March 2019|access-date=3 February 2023}}</ref> ''In the Deep End'' won the Polari Prize for Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize.
In the interim, Davies wrote the children's picture book ''The Incredible Hotel'', illustrated by Isabelle Follath.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whisperingstories.com/the-incredible-hotel-kate-davies-book-review/|title=The Incredible Hotel by Kate Davies - Book Review|work=Whispering Stories|date=3 June 2020|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=9 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209232809/https://www.whisperingstories.com/the-incredible-hotel-kate-davies-book-review/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/25/childrens-and-teens-roundup-the-best-new-picture-books-and-novels|title=Children's and teens roundup: the best new picture books and novels|work=The Guardian|first=Imogen|last=Russell Williams|date=25 January 2020|access-date=12 June 2025}}</ref> The book was published in 2020 via Frances Lincoln Children's Books and had a sequel titled ''A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel'' in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twirlingbookprincess.com/2024/09/review-a-mystery-at-the-incredible-hotel/|title=Review: A Mystery at the Incredible Hote|work=Twirling Book Princess|author=Mehsi|date=3 September 2024|access-date=12 June 2025}}</ref>
Davies reunited with the Borough Press for the publication of her second contemporary adult novel ''Nuclear Family'' in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/borough-press-acquires-hilarious-and-touching-second-novel-from-davies|title=Borough Press acquires 'hilarious and touching' second novel from Davies|work=The Bookseller|date=1 April 2022|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=1 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401163116/https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/borough-press-acquires-hilarious-and-touching-second-novel-from-davies|url-status=live}}</ref> The novel is about twins who discover they were donor-conceived, following how the two sisters react to the news.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/books/nuclear-family-kate-davies-review-2892491|title=Nuclear Family by Kate Davies is as gripping as any thriller|work=The i Paper|first=Marianne|last=Levy|date=16 February 2024|access-date=12 June 2025}}</ref> ''Nuclear Family'' was named one of the best novels of 2024 by Johanna Thomas-Corr of ''The Sunday Times'' and a ''Good Housekeeping'' spring 2025 Good Books selection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/best-fiction-books-2024-tdzhd5x0n|title=The 18 best novels of 2024|work=The Sunday Times|first=Johanna|last=Thomas-Corr|date=29 November 2024|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=12 April 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250412074854/https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/best-fiction-books-2024-tdzhd5x0n|url-status=live}}</ref>
The Borough Press also acquired rights to publish Davies' first historical novel ''Good Books for Bad Children'' about the children's publishing industry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/katie-davies-writes-mad-men-inspired-love-letter-to-childrens-publishing-for-borough-press|title=Kate Davies writes 'Mad Men'-inspired love letter to children's publishing for Borough Press|work=The Bookseller|first=Heloise|last=Wood|date=15 February 2024|access-date=12 June 2025|archive-date=15 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215090109/https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/katie-davies-writes-mad-men-inspired-love-letter-to-childrens-publishing-for-borough-press|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Personal life== Davies came out as a lesbian in her mid-20s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/books/2019/07/01/kate-davies-in-at-the-deep-end/|title=Kate Davies' In at the Deep End tells the truth about coming out later in life|work=Entertainment Weekly|first=Kerena|last=Cadenas|date=1 July 2019|access-date=3 February 2023}}</ref> She lives in East London with her wife and their son (born 2021).<ref name="bv feb 24"/>
==Bibliography== ===Novels=== * ''In the Deep End'' (2019) * ''Nuclear Family'' (2024) * ''Good Books for Bad Children'' (TBA)
===Children's books=== ====''The Crims''==== * ''The Crims'' (2017) * ''Down with the Crims'' (2018) * ''The Crims at Sea'' (2019)
====''The Incredible Hotel''==== * ''The Incredible Hotel'' (2020) * ''A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel'' (2023)
==Accolades== {| class="wikitable sortable |+ !Year !Award !Category !Title !Result !{{Ref heading}} |- | 2019 | colspan="2" | Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize | rowspan="2" | ''In the Deep End'' | {{sho}} | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/entertainment/wodehouse-prize-for-comic-fiction-returns-with-six-nominees/|title=Wodehouse prize for comic fiction returns with six nominees|last=Press Association|date=2019-04-17|website=Evening Express|access-date=2019-04-18}}</ref> |- | 2020 | Polari Prize | Book of the Year | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/sexuality/polari-prize-winners-for-lgbtq-literature-announced-as-amrou-al-kadhi-and-kate-davies-301819/|title=Polari Prize winners for LGBTQ literature announced as Amrou Al-Kadhi and Kate Davies|work=Attitude|first=Jamie|last=Tabberer|date=14 October 2020|accessdate=23 October 2020|archive-date=26 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326143325/https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/sexuality/polari-prize-winners-for-lgbtq-literature-announced-as-amrou-al-kadhi-and-kate-davies-301819/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:davies, kate}} Category:Living people Category:1983 births Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford Category:English lesbian writers Category:English women children's writers Category:English children's writers Category:English women editors Category:English women historical novelists Category:English historical novelists Category:LGBTQ people from London Category:Novelists from London Category:21st-century English women novelists Category:21st-century English novelists