Rosemary Simpson is an American author, best known for her Gilded Age Mystery book series and her historical contemporary romance novels. She was born in New York and had a nomadic childhood, traveling through many parts of the United States, South East Asia, Japan, and Europe before settling down in France. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in French language and literature, she now lives near Tucson, Arizona.
Simpson's love for historical fiction began at a young age, with her favorite novel being Anya Seton's classic work, KATHERINE. She enjoys the challenge of creating stories that are based on a few verifiable historical facts, and wandering through the byways of time and geography to recreate the past. Her debut novel, What the Dead Leave Behind, is the first book in the Gilded Age Mystery series, set in Gilded Age New York City and featuring a wealthy and unconventional heroine. The second book in the series, Lies that Comfort and Betray, was published in January 2018. Simpson has also written two stand-alone historical novels, The Seven Hills of Paradise and Dreams and Shadows. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Historical Novel Society.
Simpson's novel "What the Dead Leave Behind" is the first mystery in a series set in Gilded Age New York City. It begins with one of many deaths in the Great Blizzard of 1888 and ends with the promise of a uniquely independent future for its wealthy and unconventional heroine. Real life historical figures lend authenticity and a sense of familiarity to this bygone era of extravagant wealth and widespread political corruption. The second volume, "LIES THAT COMFORT AND BETRAY," takes protagonists Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter deeper into the underworld that lies beneath society's glittering facade. Before turning to the world of historical mysteries, Rosemary wrote two standalone novels of straight historical fiction. "THE SEVEN HILLS OF PARADISE" is the story of the Fourth Crusade, told from the dual perspectives of two men who survived the sack of Constantinople in 1204 and returned to France to record their epic adventures. Geoffroi de Villehardouin was one of the leaders of the crusade, while Robert de Clari was among the poorest of the knights who took the cross. "Absorbing, convincing, graphic and accurate...this novel belongs alongside those of Maurice Druon and Zoe Oldenbourg." (The Atlanta Constitution) "DREAMS AND SHADOWS" is a sweeping historical novel set in colonial Morocco, New York in the Roaring Twenties, and wartorn Paris during the Nazi Occupation. Based on stories told by family members who remained in Paris throughout the war, the novel seamlessly weaves together fact and fiction. Publishers Weekly said, "Simpson's hauntingly graceful, dignified prose makes this tale unforgettable, as do its unflagging intensity, realism and chilling conclusion."