Susie Dent

Author

Susie Dent is a British lexicographer, etymologist, and author best known as the resident word expert in Dictionary Corner on the Channel 4 game show Countdown, where she has appeared since 1992 — over five thousand episodes and counting. She has parlayed her extraordinary love of and knowledge about words into a bestselling career as a... crime novelist. Born in 1964, Dent studied Modern Languages at Somerville College, Oxford, and did postgraduate work at Princeton University. Her academic background in languages and her decades of professional work with dictionaries give her an unmatched understanding of how words work, where they come from, and the surprising stories they carry. For years, Dent was primarily known for her non-fiction — books about language including Larpers and Shroomers, What Made the Croissant Croissant, and Word Perfect: Etymological Entertainment for Every Day of the Year. She has also compiled various dictionaries and reference works. Guilty by Definition (2024) was a delightful surprise — her debut crime novel, featuring Martha Thornhill, an Oxford lexicographer who finds herself drawn into a murder investigation when cryptic clues point to her expertise in language. The book was a Sunday Times bestseller and launched the Clarendon Lexicographers mystery series. Death Writ Large continues the series, with Martha investigating mysterious runic symbols appearing across Oxford's streets. Dent's novels combine the warmth and wit of her public persona with genuine mystery plotting and a unique hook — the idea that words themselves can be weapons, clues, and keys to understanding human behaviour. The audiobook editions of Dent's novels are charming and engaging. Her books and audiobooks are essential for anyone who loves words, mysteries, or the delightful combination of both — crime fiction for lexicophiles. Read more Show less