Cassandra Clark is a highly regarded author, best known for her Abbess of Meaux series of mystery novels set in medieval Europe. Clark's love for the medieval period began in her childhood, as she grew up near a medieval church and a castle built by King Richard's father, the Black Prince. This early exposure to medieval architecture and history left a lasting impression on Clark and provided her with a wealth of inspiration for her writing.
Clark earned her master's degree from the University of East Anglia and went on to become a professor of religion, music, philosophy, and history at the Open University. In addition to her academic pursuits, Clark has written contemporary romances, plays, and scripts for chamber operas. She has also run a theatre in York and worked on several freelance projects for street theatre groups. Clark's diverse background and wide-ranging interests in history, politics, and music are evident in her writing and lend an air of authenticity to her novels.
Cassandra Clark is passionate about writing her series of medieval whodunits featuring nun sleuth Hildegard of Meaux. When she started writing the series with "Hangman Blind," Clark had no idea that Hildegard would become a prioress instead of an abbess, as the Cistercians only allowed women to hold the latter position. Despite this unexpected twist, Clark has continued to develop Hildegard's character and the enigmatic Abbot Hubert de Courcy, who often accompanies Hildegard on her quests.
Clark is known for her meticulous research and attention to detail, which bring medieval England to life in her novels. She is committed to creating authentic historical fiction and avoids adding excessive violence to her stories, as she believes there is already enough violence in the world. Clark has expressed a desire to write a book for every year of Richard II's reign, featuring Hildegard as the sleuth solving a different mystery each time. However, she acknowledges that Hildegard will be quite old by the time Richard is murdered, leaving open the question of whether she and Abbot Hubert will ever be together.