Catherine Webb (born 1986) is a British author. Under the pseudonym Kate Griffin, they write fantasy novels for adults. As Claire North, they write science fiction and novels based upon the work of Homer.
Life and career Webb was educated at the Godolphin and Latymer School, London, and the London School of Economics.
They were 14 years old when they completed Mirror Dreams, which was written during their school holidays. Their father is author and publisher Nick Webb, and he suggested they should send the manuscript to an agent he knew, who eventually offered to represent them. The book was published in 2002 by Atom Books,Atom Books and Webb was named Young Trailblazer of the Year by the magazine CosmoGirl UK. They have published eight young adult novels, all with Atom Books, and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, from which they graduated in 2010.
They appeared in CosmoGirl in 2006/7 in an interview. They also appeared in online interviews with CBBC and nzgirl when they were 15, and also with The Daily Telegraph, which described them as a teen queen.
Personal life
In a 2025 interview with The Fantasy Hive, Webb stated that they are non-binary and use "she/they" pronouns with a preference for "they". Webb is autistic.
Works As Catherine Webb Mirror Dreams (2002) Mirror Wakes (2003) Waywalkers (2003) Timekeepers (2004) The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle (2006) The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle (2006) The Doomsday Machine: Another Astounding Adventure of Horatio Lyle (2008) The Dream Thief: An Extraordinary Horatio Lyle Mystery (2010)
As Kate Griffin
A Madness of Angels (2009) (Matthew Swift series, book 1) The Midnight Mayor (2010) (Matthew Swift series, book 2) The Neon Court (2011) (Matthew Swift series, book 3) The Minority Council (2012) (Matthew Swift series, book 4) Stray Souls (2012) (Magicals Anonymous series, book 1) The Glass God (2013) (Magicals Anonymous series, book 2)
As Claire North The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (2014) Touch (2015) The Gameshouse (2015) The Sudden Appearance of Hope (2016) The End of the Day (2017) 84K (2018) The Pursuit of William Abbey (2019) Sweet Harmony (2020) (Novella) Notes from the Burning Age (2021) The Songs of Penelope trilogy Ithaca (2022) House of Odysseus (2023) The Last Song of Penelope (2024) Slow Gods (2025)
Awards and nominations 2005, Timekeepers nominated for the Carnegie MedalCarnegie Press Desk : 4 March 2005 2006, The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle nominated for the Carnegie MedalCarnegie Press Desk : 20 November 2006 2014, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (as Claire North) nominated for the BSFA Award for Best Novel 2015, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (as Claire North) nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2015, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (as Claire North) won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award 2017, The Sudden Appearance of Hope (as Claire North) won the World Fantasy Award—Novel 2026, Slow Gods (as Claire North) was shortlisted for the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize.
References
External links
Catherine Webb at Little, Brown Book Group
'Young Adult' – an Interview with Catherine Webb