Celebrating Our Alumnae in Literature
Celebrating Our Alumnae in Literature
Our Guild community continues to achieve outstanding success in the literary world, showcasing the breadth of skill, talent and ambition that define CLC.
We are proud to celebrate the richness and diversity of their storytelling and the impact they continue to make.
From children’s mystery fiction and psychological thrillers to forensic psychiatry, feminist and socio-cultural nonfiction.
Robin Stevens
Robin Stevens is the author behind the internationally award‑winning, bestselling children's book series – Murder Most Unladylike. Her work has been translated into 21 languages and has sold over 3.1 million copies worldwide.
Her series is now being adapted for television by StudioCanal, Strong Film & TV, and her own company, Unladylike Productions. The adaptation will be written by Emmy Award winner Anna McCleery and directed by James Strong.
Most recently, her beloved characters, Daisy and Hazel, are set to feature in The Story Museum's latest exhibition – Mystery Academy, opening in Oxford this July.
CLC 2001-2006, Bellairs and Elizabeth
Dr Gwen Adshead
Dr Gwen Adshead is a leading forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, trained at St George’s, the Institute of Psychiatry and the Institute of Group Analysis, who has spent the past three decades working across the NHS in prisons and secure hospitals such as Broadmoor.
She has published over 100 academic works, holds an MA in Medical Law and Ethics and an honorary doctorate, and has held roles including Visiting Professor at Yale and Gresham College Professor of Psychiatry. Dr Adshead is also the co‑author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Devil You Know: Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry.
Thursday 26th February marked the publication of her latest book, Unspeakable: Survival and Transformation After Trauma, a powerful new work that draws on her decades of clinical experience, inviting readers into the consulting room and illuminating the profound journeys of healing and resilience that unfold after trauma.
CLC 1971 – 1978, Farnley Lodge and Eversleigh
Tamara Makoni
Tamara Makoni is the author of Amazon #1 bestseller Women, Intersectionality & Europe, which explores what it means to be a woman in 21st-century Europe by bringing together research, personal stories and case studies from across the continent.
She is also the founder of Kazuri Consulting. Through her work, Tamara supports multinational organisations in embedding inclusion and cultural insight into their processes and systems, empowering diverse workforces and driving growth. Her work has been recognised by the World Economic Forum.
CLC 2002-2006, Sidney Lodge and Elizabeth
Emily Koch
Emily Koch is an award-winning journalist and writer of If I Die Before I Wake, Keep Him Close and What July Knew. Her books have been shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award, longlisted for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award, and selected as a Waterstones Thriller of the Month.
Last month, her short story Lane Seven aired on BBC Radio 4's Short Works.
CLC 1996 - 2003, St Clare and Bayshill
Zing Tsjeng
Zing Tsjeng is a journalist and the author of the Forgotten Women book series, which shines a light on the lives of over 190 women who have shaped and revolutionised their societies from Neolithic times to the present day.
She has also written for Vogue, the Guardian and the Sunday Times, and is the former Editor-in-Chief of VICE.
Most recently, her work was featured in Elle magazine, where she interviewed author Douglas Stuart.
CLC 2005 - 2007, St Hilda's
Emily Elgar
Emily Edgar is the author of several psychological suspense thrillers, including If You Knew Her, Grace Is Gone and The Herd.
Her latest novel, Private Lives, was published in 2025.
CLC 1993 - 2000, Glengar and Bayshill