Historical fiction writer Sharon Kay Penman has died

Historical fiction lovers received incredibly sad news on Friday night: that Sharon Kay Penman had died.

The bestselling author of novels set in medieval England and Wales passed away January 22 at age seventy-five.

Penman established a reputation for attention to detail and accuracy — and readability — in her novels, beginning with 1982’s The Sunne in Splendour and continuing through 2020’s The Land Beyond the Sea.

Her obituary notes that she was equally beloved by her fellow authors, who could rely on her for critiques and blurbs.

Learn more about Penman's journey to becoming a writer in the New York Times.

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