Kate Summerscale is an English writer and journalist. Born on 2 September 1965, she is renowned for her bestselling narrative nonfiction works. Among these, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher stands out, having been adapted into a television drama. Other notable works include The Wicked Boy and The Haunting of Alma Fielding.

Her literary prowess has been acknowledged with several awards. In 2008, she won the prestigious Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction. Earlier, in 1998, she received the Somerset Maugham Award and was shortlisted for the 1997 Whitbread Awards for biography for her book The Queen of Whale Cay, which explores the life of Joe Carstairs, "the fastest woman on water."

Kate's career in journalism includes work for The Independent and The Daily Telegraph. Her articles have appeared in acclaimed publications such as The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, and The Sunday Telegraph. Her fascination with the story behind The Suspicions of Mr Whicher was sparked by an 1890s anthology of unsolved crime stories, prompting her to leave her position as literary editor at The Daily Telegraph.