Fiona Erskine

Engineer. Writer. Swimmer.

News & events

Phosphate Rocks – do engineers read fiction?

Posted on May 1, 2025

May 2025 sees the start of a 52-part serialisation of my 3rd novel – Phosphate Rocks: A Death in Ten Objects. The Chemical Engineer, (TCE), the monthly magazine of the …

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Audiobook Loosing Control

Posted on May 1, 2025

I’ve been listening to the audiobook of Losing Control and I’m absolutely delighted with what voice actors Melanie Crawley and Mike Hayley have done with the story – they bring it …

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Visiting Cambridge University 6&7 May 2025

Posted on April 23, 2025

I’m delighted to be visiting my old university to give a couple of talks in early May, always a lovely time to be in Cambridge The first talk is as …

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Review of Losing Control

Posted on April 3, 2025

The Chemical Engineer (TCE) published a glowing review of Losing Control in the April 2025 issue, pairing the book review with recent TV shows (Toxic Town, Last Breath) and a …

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Losing Control Audiobook

Posted on March 28, 2025

I’m delighted to share the news that WF Howes have acquired the UK and Commonwealth audio rights to Losing Control through my wonderful agent Juliet Mushens. Voiced by the fabulous …

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Phosphate Rocks to be serialised

Posted on March 24, 2025

Exciting news. The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) have acquired the rights to serialise my novel about a fertiliser factory in their member magazine (TCE) and website. Phosphate Rocks: A Death …

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TV Interview – Is it Safe?

Posted on March 18, 2025

I was interviewed as part of a DW News report about the incineration of toxic waste from the former Union carbide factory in Bhopal. Macleod is my maiden and professional …

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Toe tag podcast featuring the book cover of The Chemical Detective

Authors on Location and Mysteries to Die For

Posted on February 6, 2025

This week, The Book Trail – now celebrating ten years of mapping the locations in works of fiction, a sort of literary travel agency – ran a #Authors on Location …

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Reviews that made me cheer then weep

Posted on January 30, 2025

I had two reviews appear on social media this week that provoked strong reactions Let me explain. I  seem to bump into Andy Wormald at every crime festival  – Capital …

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Author Interview – Fiona Erskine talks to Gina Holt from Partners in Crime

Posted on January 21, 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2ZEF3oH5f4

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Crime Writer’s Association Magazine – Red Herrings – Losing Control

Posted on January 6, 2025

A Toxic Legacy I wrote an article about my visit to the former Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, India for the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) magazine – RED HERRINGS – …

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Photo of narrator Paul Burke

New podcasts to tickle your ears

Posted on January 4, 2025

Podcast 1: Process Safety Meets Nancy Drew, James Bond and MacGyver Listen here In this episode of Process Safety with Trish and Traci we interview Fiona Erskine, an engineer and …

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I swam 24km in 5 days. Hard work?

Try tuna canning, salt drying or sulphur mining...

https://fionaerskine.substack.com/p/sulphur-and-salt


Goodbye #egadiislands and thank you @swimtrek for an amazing week - 24 kilometres with wonderful guides, fellow swimmers and multicoloured fishes!


This week #PhosphateRocks e-book is only £0.99 in UK

Who doesn't love a story about a demolition gone wrong? @raine_clouds_writes @lesleykellyauthor 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phosphate-Rocks-Death-Ten-Objects-ebook/dp/B0CTRRXKNY

PS: The audio book narrated by @rain.goblin is pretty special too


A quarter of my sales this month were overseas for the very first time!

Massive thanks to all those fine Canadians for topping the list. Say Hi if you see this.

https://fionaerskine.com/


On my way to Harrogate today

https://open.substack.com/pub/fionaerskine/p/harrogate

Say hello if you'll be there


What makes the perfect handbag and how much is it worth?

https://fionaerskine.substack.com/p/the-perfect-handbag


https://fionaerskine.substack.com/p/i-have-some-news

Goodbye @oneworldpublications and thank you for everything - it was such an honour to be published by you and I loved working with the team.

Now, like #JaqSilver I'm going solo

Big thanks to @kidethic for my beautiful new covers


Such a treat to interview #TerryDeary about his first adult crime book #ActuallyImAMurderer (it’s great!) at @backofthebeyondbooks


Happy International Women in Engineering Day! 
Thanks to @Chem_Processing for highlighting #TheChemicalDetective!
 #INWED2025 #INWED25 
https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/voices/women-in-chemistry/podcast/55298245/celebrating-international-women-in-engineering-day


More canine readers in @forumbookscorbridge #winter #losingcontrol


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Oh @adrianmckinty - where have you been all my life? Loving Sean Duffy’s adventures read by Gerard Doyle

Huge thank you to every person and bookshop that's ordered Ravenglass and made it stonking success so far 😍

This gripping and powerful tale of gender-fluid Kit/Stella traversing the world in the 1700s is very relevant in today's climate!

Order here: https://share.google/i6inpiZ7vDgHK3mMh

Delighted to celebrate International Week of Happiness at Work with a 99p deal in UK. Jaq Silver has found the perfect job in Brazil. Or has she?

The Chemical Cocktail (Jaq Silver Thriller) eBook : Erskine, Fiona: : Kindle Store https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chemical-Cocktail-Silver-Thrillers-Book-ebook/dp/B0FG8X59MT

The Chemical Cocktail goes right back to Jaq’s childhood and can be read first - only £0.99

Trust me, you won’t regret reading this. Exquisite prose and a rollicking, propulsive, deeply moving story. @novelcarolyn is a fearless writer who wears her deep research so lightly that you are instantly immersed into the booming north of the 1720s

Trust me, you won’t regret reading this. Exquisite prose and a rollicking, propulsive, deeply moving story. @novelcarolyn is a fearless writer who wears her deep research so lightly that you are instantly immersed into the booming north of the 1720s
Northodox Press 📖 @northodoxpress

🚨PUBLICATION DAY🚨

Ravenglass is available everywhere now! A tender and powerful tale of a gender fluid character trying to make their way in the 1700s, we can't recommend this incredible adventure novel enough 🏳️‍🌈

Order yours here: https://share.google/bfWyYAWWNBHLr9rB6

I was today years old when I learned I’ve been eating my favourite biscuits all wrong

Chocolate digestives: How do you eat them? Choc side up or down? - CBBC Newsround https://www.bbc.com/newsround/articles/cvg7lnp19n0o

Ravenglass by @novelcarolyn is the most beautifully written exploration of how we once lived and worked and lived and loved and fought in the north. A cracking good read, I cannot recommend it strongly enough - a complete breath of fresh air.

Ravenglass  by @novelcarolyn is the most beautifully written exploration of how we once lived and worked and lived and loved and fought in the north. A cracking good read, I cannot recommend it strongly enough - a complete breath of fresh air.
Northodox Press 📖 @northodoxpress

🚨RELEASE WEEK🚨

One of the biggest and most ambitious Northodox books to date is out this Thursday!

Join Kit Ravenglass on his seafaring journey in this swashbuckling, gender fluid, historical fiction novel!

It is incredible 😍

Preorder now: https://share.google/9lT4pFxkL9DOMypUR

🚨RELEASE WEEK🚨

One of the biggest and most ambitious Northodox books to date is out this Thursday!

Join Kit Ravenglass on his seafaring journey in this swashbuckling, gender fluid, historical fiction novel!

It is incredible 😍

Preorder now: https://share.google/9lT4pFxkL9DOMypUR

Big and lusty! Spot on. #Ravenglass is my book of the year so far.
I'm so looking forward to talking with @novelcarolyn this week on her northern tour!
Who is coming along ?

Big and lusty! Spot on. #Ravenglass is my book of the year so far.
I'm so looking forward to talking with @novelcarolyn  this week on her northern tour!
Who is coming along ?
Carolyn Kirby @novelcarolyn

6 days till #RavenglassNovel goes live and the first press review is a "big and lusty" 9/10!!! 🤩😁Thank you @peterboroughtel 😍

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