Magdalen Nabb facts for kids
Magdalen Nabb (born January 16, 1947 – died August 18, 2007) was a British author. She was famous for her detective novels about Marshal Guarnaccia. She also wrote popular books for children.
Magdalen Nabb was born as Magdalen Nuttal in a village called Church, near Accrington in Lancashire, England. She went to school in Bury and then studied art and pottery at college in Manchester. She even taught art for a while.
In 1975, Magdalen moved to Florence, Italy, with her son, Liam. She didn't know Italian at first, but she soon made Florence her home. She continued to work with pottery in a town near Florence. It was there that she started writing her books. She met a real-life police officer in Montelupo Fiorentino who inspired her famous character, Marshal Guarnaccia.
Her first book, Death of an Englishman, came out in 1981. All her detective stories are set in Florence, a city she called "very secret." She lived close to a Carabinieri (Italian police) station. She would often visit and chat with a marshal there. He helped her learn about crimes in the city, which gave her ideas for her books.
Magdalen Nabb also wrote the much-loved Josie Smith books for children. In 1991, she won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for Josie Smith and Eileen. This was a big award for children's books. She also wrote articles for newspapers in English, German, and Italian.
Her last book in the Marshal Guarnaccia series, Vita Nuova, was published after she passed away in 2008. Magdalen Nabb died in Florence in 2007, at the age of 60.
Books for Adults
Magdalen Nabb wrote several books for adult readers. Many of these were part of her popular detective series.
- The Prosecutor, 1986 (co-written with Paolo Vagheggi)
- Cosimo, 2004
The Marshal Guarnaccia Series
This series features Marshal Guarnaccia, a detective solving mysteries in Florence, Italy.
- Death of an Englishman, 1981
- Death of a Dutchman, 1982
- Death in Springtime, 1983
- Death in Autumn, 1985
- The Marshal and the Murderer, 1987
- The Marshal and the Madwoman, 1988
- The Marshal's Own Case, 1990
- The Marshal Makes His Report, 1991
- The Marshal at the Villa Torrini, 1993
- The Monster of Florence, 1996
- Property of Blood, 1999
- Some Bitter Taste, 2002
- The Innocent, 2005
- Vita Nuova, 2008
Books for Children
Magdalen Nabb also wrote wonderful stories for younger readers.
- The Enchanted Horse (Illustrated by Julek Heller), 1993
- Twilight Ghost, 2000
The Josie Smith Series
The Josie Smith books follow the adventures of a young girl named Josie.
- Josie Smith, 1989
- Josie Smith and Eileen, 1991 (won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize)
- Josie Smith at Christmas, 1992
- Josie Smith at the Seaside, 1993
- Josie Smith at School, 1994
- Josie Smith in Hospital, 1995
- Josie Smith at the Market, 1996
- Josie Smith in Summer, 1997
- Josie Smith in Winter, 1998
- Josie Smith in Spring, 1999
- Josie Smith in Autumn, 2000
