Alison Moore (born 1971) is an English writer. Born in
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, she lives in Leicestershire. She is an honorary lecturer in the School of English at the University of Nottingham.
Work
Moore's 2012
debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...
, ''
The Lighthouse'', was shortlisted for the
2012 Man Booker Prize.
In reaction to the announcement, Moore commented: "Reaching the shortlist is ridiculously exciting. I keep feeling like I ought to stop daydreaming and get on with something, but it's all real." Chair of the Booker jury, Sir
Peter Stothard
Sir Peter Stothard (born 28 February 1951) is a British author, journalist and critic. From 1992 to 2002 he was editor of ''The Times'' and from 2002 to 2016 editor of ''The Times Literary Supplement'', the only journalist to have held both role ...
, described the jury's decision in the following words: "The judges admired ''The Lighthouse''s bleak inner landscape, a temperature control set low and an impressively assured control." ''The Lighthouse'' went on to win the 2013 McKitterick Prize.
Before ''The Lighthouse'', Moore had written and published several short stories, including 'Static', shortlisted for the inaugural Manchester Fiction Prize, and 'When the Door Closed, It Was Dark', published as a chapbook by Nightjar Press and included in ''Best British Short Stories 2011''. Much of this work is collected in ''The Pre-War House and Other Stories'', whose title story won first prize in the novella category of the New Writer Prose and Poetry Prizes 2009.
Her second novel, ''He Wants'', was published in 2014. Both ''The Lighthouse'' and ''He Wants'' were ''Observer'' Books of the Year. In 2018, Moore published her fourth novel, ''Missing'', and a chapter book for children, ''Sunny and the Ghosts'', which became the first in a trilogy, illustrated by Ross Collins.
Reviews
''The Lighthouse''
"A haunting and accomplished novel." (Katy Guest, ''The Independent on Sunday)''
''He Wants''
"The best novels are the ones that leave you with a sense of yearning, and in ''He Wants'', Alison Moore proves her mastery of the medium." (Lynsey May, ''The List)''
''Death and the Seaside''
"Moore masterfully dials up the tension throughout, leading to an unexpected finale that feels both inevitable and deliciously satisfying." (Colette Maitland, ''The New Quarterly)''
''Missing''
"There are books which, when you finish reading them, force you to stop everything for a moment to acknowledge their excellence, to mark a personal encounter with something special. ''Missing'' is one of those books" (Nina Allan, ''The Spider's House)''
''Sunny and the Ghosts''
"There is humour and kindness alongside the mischief and mystery. A delightful and satisfying read for any age." (Jackie Law, ''Never Imitate)''
References
External links
Author home page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Alison
1971 births
Living people
English women novelists
People from Leicestershire
Place of birth missing (living people)