author
Alice Askew
1874–1917
A prolific British novelist and journalist, she wrote popular fiction with her husband Claude Askew and helped bring supernatural and adventure stories to a wide audience. Her life ended tragically during the First World War, giving her story an unforgettable historical edge.
1 Audiobook
The sporting chance
by Alice Askew, Claude Askew
About the author
Born in London in 1874, Alice Askew was a British writer who worked in close partnership with her husband, Claude Askew. Together they produced a remarkably large body of fiction, with more than ninety novels and stories appearing in the early 20th century. Their work ranged across popular genres, including mystery, adventure, romance, and supernatural fiction.
The AskeWs were especially known for writing accessible, entertaining books for a broad reading public. Alice is often remembered today in connection with the occult detective Aylmer Vance stories, which blend ghostly atmosphere with skeptical investigation. She also worked as a journalist, adding to a career that was both busy and versatile.
During the First World War, Alice and Claude volunteered in Serbia, where she served as a nurse. In 1917, while traveling in the Mediterranean, both were killed when the ship they were on was torpedoed. That dramatic ending has become part of the lasting interest in her life, alongside the energy and range of the fiction she helped create.