Tasha Alexander is the author of four Victorian-era historical mysteries following the career of Lady Emily Ashton, whose exploits include tracking down art stolen from the British Museum, unmasking a jewel thief targeting royal treasures, and investigating murders as an agent for the British Empire. In the latest installment, Tears of Pearl, Alexander explores a vividly depicted Constantinople in the waning years of the Ottoman Empire with particular attention given to its treatment of women.

She also wrote the novelization of the Oscar-winning film Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Alexander signed on as an English major in order to have a legitimate excuse for spending all her time reading. A passage from the Dorothy Sayers classic Gaudy Night inspired her to write her first novel, which became the initial installment in the Lady Emily series.