©Anna McCarthy

Emma Burstall had seen it all in her local gym which provided inspiration for her debut novel GYM AND SLIMLINE.  A product of St Paul’s Girls’ School with an English degree from Cambridge University, Emma has written extensively for national newspapers and magazines, including the Guardian, Independent on Sunday, Daily Mail, Sunday Express, Red, Good Housekeeping and Woman.

She gave up features editing to concentrate on writing her warm, wise and witty first novel about female friendship and families amidst the posing and perspiring. GYM AND SLIMLINE was published by Preface Publishing in 2008 to high praise – ‘I really loved this book. I couldn’t put it down … and felt quite bereft when I’d finished it’ (Fiona Phillips) and ‘Funny and warm … at last a buddy book about real women … I thought it was fab’ (Amanda Platell).

Emma’s second novel, NEVER CLOSE YOUR EYES, a slightly more chilling story of more than one woman’s dangerous liaison, was published by Preface in 2009 and was described as ‘a tense, fast-paced thriller’ by the Daily Telegraph. Emma’s third novel, THE DARLING GIRLS, an Amazon Kindle Top Ten Bestseller, was published in paperback by Head of Zeus in 2014. In 2016 Emma’s fourth novel, STARTING OVER IN CORNWALL, published by Head of Zeus, marked the beginning of a series of five books set in the quaint, fictional Cornish fishing village of TREMARNOCK.  CHRISTMAS AT THE CORNISH GUEST HOUSE followed in October of the same year,  A CORNISH SUMMER, was published in October 2017, A CORNISH SECRET in summer 2018 and the final book in the series, THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME TO CORNWALL, in March 2020 .

In September 2022, Emma ‘s latest book THE HOUSE ON ROCKAWAY BEACH was published by Head of Zeus.  It is a gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance, set against the backdrop of New York’s sizzling urban beach.

“I couldn’t put it down…  I loved this honest, absorbing story; every word rang true and I really cared about the characters.  A terrific read.” (Lorraine Kelly)

Emma has three children and lives in Kingston Upon Thames, London.

Website: www.emmaburstall.com

Twitter: @EmmaBurstall 

Facebook: @Emma Burstall Author

Instagram: @emmaburstall