Debbie Young


Debbie Young is a British writer of 16 cozy mystery novels, former advice blog editor for Alliance of Independent Authors, course tutor for Jericho Writers' Simply Self Publish course, and founder in 2015 of the now annual Hawkesbury Upton Literary Festival. Her debut novel, Best Murder in Show, a cosy mystery set in the Cotswolds, was published in 2017. She also writes short stories and non-fiction.

Published books

Young's first nine novels were self-published under her own imprint, Hawkesbury Press. She has since licensed these novels and been contracted to write 10 more by Boldwood Books. The lists below show her original publication dates and titles, with a note of revised titles applied to the Boldwood Books editions.

Sophie Sayers Cosy Mystery Novels, set in the Cotswold village of Wendlebury Barrow

  1. Best Murder in Show
  2. Murder at the Vicarage
  3. Murder in the Manger
  4. Murder at the Well
  5. Springtime for Murder
  6. Murder at the Mill
  7. Murder Lost and Found
  8. Murder in the Highlands
  9. ''Driven to Murder''

Gemma Lamb Cosy Mysteries, set at St Bride's School

  1. Dastardly Deeds at St Bride's ''
  2. Sinister Stranger at St Bride's ''
  3. Wicked Whispers at St Bride's
  4. ''Artful Antics at St Bride's''

Cotswold Curiosity Shop Cosy Mysteries, set in the Cotswold village of Little Pride

  1. Death at the Old Curiosity Shop
  2. Death at the Village Chess Club
  3. ''Death at the Village Christmas Fair''

Novellas & Novelettes

  1. Mrs Norris Changes Lanes
  2. The Clutch of Eggs
  3. ''The Natter of Knitters''

Short Story Collections

  1. Quick Change
  2. Marry in Haste
  3. Stocking Fillers
  4. ''Christmas with Sophie Sayers''

Books for Authors

How To Get Your Self-Published Book into Bookstores: Volume 4, Font Publications, 2017How to Work More Effectively with the Book Trade with Dan Holloway, Font Publications

Books about Type 1 Diabetes

Coming to Terms with Type 1 Diabetes: One Family's Story of Life After Diagnosis, Hawkesbury Press, 2014

Collected Columns and Essays

Since 2010 Young has written monthly columns for two local magazines, the Tetbury Advertiser and the Hawkesbury Parish News. These articles and columns have since been republished in four books.All Part of the Charm: A Modern Memoir of English Village Life: Volume 1 , Hawkesbury Press, 2016Still Charmed: A Modern Memoir of English Village Life: Volume 1, Hawkesbury Press 2021Young By Name: Whimsical Columns from the Tetbury Advertiser Volume 1, Hawkesbury Press, 2016Still Young By Name: Whimsical Columns from the Tetbury Advertiser Volume 2 Hawkesbury Press, 2021

Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival

Young was for many years involved in the UNESCO-led World Book Night as one of thousands of volunteer "book givers". In 2015, she set up a local event on the evening of 23 April in The Fox Inn in Hawkesbury Upton. This grew into an evening event with authors, poets and illustrators, celebrating reading with panel discussions and public readings.
In 2016, the festival returned, this time for a full day's programme in multiple venues. The festival will have its tenth anniversary on Saturday 27th September 2025.