Sarah Dunant

Sarah Dunant is a British novelist, broadcaster and cultural commentator best known for historical fiction set in Renaissance Italy. She began her career writing contemporary thrillers and crime novels, including the Hannah Wolfe series, before turning to historical fiction. Her work combines detailed research with a particular interest in women’s lives, examining how art, religion, sexuality and social convention shaped their experiences.

Dunant achieved international recognition with The Birth of Venus, set in Florence during the political and religious turmoil surrounding Savonarola. Her other historical novels include In the Company of the Courtesan, Sacred Hearts, Blood and Beauty and In the Name of the Family. Through artists, courtesans, nuns and members of the Borgia court, she explores the contrast between the cultural brilliance of the Renaissance and the restrictions imposed on women within its society.