A book signing event featuring Grimsby author Dr. Zoë Marriott will take place at Waterstones in Grimsby on January 24, 2024, from 11:00 to 15:00. This signing celebrates the release of her debut novel for adults, The Moonlit Maze, which has garnered significant acclaim since its publication by Headline Review in the summer of 2023. The book quickly became a bestseller, ranking in the top five on Amazon’s charts in its genre and achieving bestseller status in the Apple Fiction Chart in Germany.
The novel, described by Marriott as a “historical mystery with a hint of a haunting,” has captivated readers, with many reviews praising its evocative and gripping narrative. The paperback edition is being released following the success of its hardback version, marking a significant milestone in Marriott’s literary career.
Dr. Marriott has been a prolific author since her early twenties, primarily focusing on children’s fiction. Despite her success, she candidly admits to experiencing feelings of imposter syndrome, often reflecting on her journey as a “working class girl from a council estate.” She expressed, “I am lucky enough to have an academic job now, and I am lucky enough to be published now. I think at a certain point I have to stop saying, ‘I don’t belong here.'”
The inspiration for The Moonlit Maze emerged from a deeply personal place, following the death of her father, which parallels the protagonist’s own experience of loss. Initially, Marriott tried to write the story as a young adult novel, but after feedback from publishers, she decided to set it aside. “It stayed there in the drawer, kind of throbbing at me,” she shared, reflecting on her determination to bring the story to life.
After taking a break from young adult writing, Marriott enrolled in a master’s degree in creative writing, despite not having an undergraduate degree. This academic pursuit reignited her passion for storytelling. She later developed The Moonlit Maze as part of her doctoral studies at the Open University. “At the end of three years, I had a new book, my thesis, and I got my PhD and a publishing deal – so it all worked out brilliantly,” she noted.
In addition to her current work, Dr. Zoë Marriott is known for her young adult titles, including The Swan Kingdom, Daughter of the Flames, Shadows on the Moon, Frostfire, and The Name of the Blade series, among others. As she embarks on this new chapter with her adult fiction, her upcoming signing presents an opportunity for fans to connect with her and celebrate her literary achievements.
