Maggie O’Farrell

Maggie O’Farrell’s novels are generally standalone works, and readers can begin with any of her adult fiction. Her historical novel Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her debut novel, After You’d Gone, was published in 2002 and received the Betty Trask Award. The Hand That First Held Mine won the 2010 Costa Novel Award. For a different kind of reading experience, her memoir I Am, I Am, I Am reached number one on The Sunday Times bestseller list.

A good starting point for Maggie O’Farrell’s fiction is Hamnet, the historical novel that won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Another accessible option is The Hand That First Held Mine, which received the 2010 Costa Novel Award. Her debut novel, After You’d Gone, published in 2002, offers an entry into her earlier work and won the Betty Trask Award. Her memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am, is also a notable work.

Maggie O’Farrell’s novels are not written as a series, so they do not need to be read in a specific order. Each novel tells a self-contained story. Readers can choose to start with her debut novel, After You’d Gone, or pick up any of her later works. Hamnet, a historical novel, or The Hand That First Held Mine, a Costa Novel Award winner, are also popular entry points. Her memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am, offers a different perspective on her writing.

Maggie O’Farrell primarily writes standalone novels. She has also written a memoir and children’s books. Her adult fiction does not follow a continuous narrative or characters across multiple books. Readers can approach any of her novels without needing prior knowledge of others. Her standalone novels include Hamnet, After You’d Gone, and The Hand That First Held Mine.

Maggie O’Farrell has written at least 10 adult novels, one memoir, and two children's books. Her novels include After You’d Gone, My Lover’s Lover, The Hand That First Held Mine, The Distance Between Us, and Hamnet, among others. Her memoir is I Am, I Am, I Am. The children's books are Where Snow Angels Go and The Boy Who Lost His Spark. Her works have been translated into more than 30 languages.

The first book Maggie O’Farrell wrote was her debut novel, After You’d Gone, published in 2002. This novel received the Betty Trask Award. Following her debut, she continued to write fiction, including My Lover’s Lover in 2003. Her other early works include The Hand That First Held Mine, which won the Costa Novel Award in 2010, and The Distance Between Us.

Maggie O’Farrell’s most recent book is The Boy Who Lost His Spark, a children's book published in 2025. Her latest adult novel is The Marriage Portrait, published in 2022. Prior to that, Hamnet was published in 2020 and won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am, was published in 2018 and became a Sunday Times number one bestseller.

Maggie O’Farrell writes fiction and historical fiction novels for adults. She has also authored a memoir and written two books for children. Her adult novels often explore historical settings and complex family relationships. Examples of her genres include historical fiction with Hamnet and contemporary fiction with The Distance Between Us. Her memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am, delves into personal experiences.