Firefinch bags playwright Katherine Tozer’s debut novel

By Lauren Brown — The Bookseller, February 2, 2026

Firefinch Publishing has acquired world rights to The Art of Poison, the debut novel by actor and dramatist Katherine Tozer, with publication scheduled for February 2027. A dramatic retelling of one of the most notorious murder cases of the Victorian era, the novel explores love, scandal, and revenge through a chilling historical lens.

Kate Parkin, Publisher at Firefinch, said: “This dramatic retelling of one of the most notorious murder cases of the Victorian era offers an ingenious and chilling solution to a devious killing that has baffled armchair detectives for 170 years. Katherine Tozer’s ability to get under the skin of these real historical figures is truly compelling. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Firefinch list.”

Katherine Tozer said: “When I came across the story of Glasgow socialite Madeleine Hamilton Smith, whose trial for the murder of her lover, Pierre Emile l’Angelier, scandalised mid-Victorian society, I was rapt. Delving through her erotically charged letters, I was transported to the murk of the second city of the Empire to unspool the half-life of the heinous events that led to Emile’s horrific death. I am thrilled that Kate and the hugely experienced team at Firefinch have put their faith in my first book.”