Syrie James

“The queen of nineteenth century re-imaginings.”
—Los Angeles Magazine

 

Syrie: pronounced like the App, but spelled better.

SYRIE JAMES is the author of fourteen critically acclaimed novels of historical fiction, mystery and suspense, and romance that have been international, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers and won numerous awards. Her books are published in more than twenty languages. A research and story structure maven, Syrie is committed to taking her characters on challenging journeys of growth and discovery.

The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire series are page-turning historical murder mysteries about intrepid amateur sleuth sisters in Victorian England. The series begins with The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall and will soon be followed by The Secrets of Thorndale Manor and Danger at Darkmoor Park.

A member of the Writers Guild of America, Sisters in Crime, Historical Novel Society, Dramatist’s Guild, and Jane Austen Society of North America, Syrie has sold many scripts to film and television and her plays have been produced across North America and off-Broadway in New York City. Her comedy Jane Austen in 89 Minutes, which she wrote, directed, and costumed, played to packed houses at Theatre Forty as well as the historic Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, received rave reviews and 5 nominations in the Broadway World L.A. 2024 Awards including Best New Play and Best Director. An in-demand speaker, Syrie often performs as Jane Austen and has addressed dozens of organizations and conferences across the U.S. and in Canada, Australia, and England.

Syrie’s novel The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen sold at auction to HarperCollins in a bidding war between three major publishing houses, became an instant bestseller, and was a Library Journal Editor’s Pick of the Year (starred review). Syrie explores Jane Austen’s real-life romance as a teenager in Jane Austen’s First Love (Library Journal Editor’s Pick) and her novel The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen (starred review, Kirkus) offers the ultimate Janeite fantasy: the discovery of a long-lost Jane Austen novel.

Syrie’s novel The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë won the Audiobook Audie Award and was named a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Read. Syrie’s love of all things English and 19th century led to her Victorian historical romance trilogy The Dare to Defy series including the #1 Amazon bestsellers Runaway Heiress and Duke Darcy’s Castle, and her new series of Victorian romance murder mysteries is due out this year.

Syrie’s interest in paranormal suspense inspired her romantic thrillers Dracula, My Love and the award-winning Nocturne (an Amazon bestseller, Barnes and Noble’s Romantic Read of the Week, Best Novel of the Year by Suspense Magazine and Romance Reviews, and Bookbub’s Best Snowbound Romance). She also writes contemporary romance (Floating on Air and Two Week Deal) and co-wrote the young adult paranormal romance series Forbidden with her son Ryan James.

Syrie lives in Los Angeles where she is working on her next book.