The Unexpected Success of Labyrinth
It’s been nearly 20 years since Kate Mosse’s bestseller, Labyrinth, was published. The Sussex author reflects on two decades of literary adventure.
Kate and I share a connection to July 7, 2005 – a day etched in UK history due to one of the worst terrorist attacks. While I was working near Russell Square during the bombing, Kate was traveling to London from Chichester, excited about her new novel’s publication.
A Challenging Launch
“It was a very weird experience,” Kate recalls. “People forget mobile phones and 24-hour news weren’t ubiquitous then. I got off the train and walked from Victoria as usual, noticing many people on the streets. At my publisher’s office, they were shocked to see me. Publication day? Oh, you haven’t heard…”
Despite initial setbacks, Labyrinth’s success was unprecedented. “It did something books never do,” Kate says. “When it was picked for the Richard and Judy Show, it sold 55,000 copies the next day and was number one for 7 months.”
From Publishing to Writing
Kate’s journey to becoming an “overnight success at 44” was anything but conventional. After years in publishing, she made a life-changing decision.
“I realized books were my passion,” she explains. “I wanted to be excited every day at work. When offered a big publishing job, I asked myself if that’s what I truly wanted. It wasn’t. I left to set up the Women’s Prize for Fiction and write the book I’d always wanted to read.”
The Birth of Labyrinth
Labyrinth, a gripping dual-timeline novel set in Carcassonne, France, thrust Kate into the spotlight. “The second I set foot in Carcassonne, I thought, ‘This is my place,'” she says. “It was serendipity that dropped me in a place that liberated my imagination.”
The Joubert Family Chronicles
Fast forward 20 years, and Kate’s latest work, “The Map of Bones,” concludes the Joubert Family Chronicles.
Exploring South African History
“The Map of Bones is set in Southern Africa,” Kate explains. “It’s about women pioneers and adventure, colonization, Europe turning to the rest of the world, and the birth of South Africa. I discovered the Huguenot history in the Western Cape and fell in love with the idea of these refugees fleeing to the Cape in the 1680s.”
Sussex: Kate’s Heart and Home
Kate’s deep connection to Sussex is evident. “I have lived here for 45 of my 63 years. I’m a Chi girl, as they say,” she grins. “I still have that feeling when we pass the ‘Welcome to West Sussex’ sign – I always think ‘ah’… This is just where I belong.”
Favorite Sussex Spots
- The Downs
- Fishbourne Marshes
- Chichester Cathedral
- Chichester Festival Theatre
Looking Ahead
With “The Map of Bones” published and several projects in the pipeline, Kate shows no signs of slowing down. “I probably work harder now in my 60s than I did in my 40s,” she admits. “But when writing is tough, I remind myself how extraordinary it is that this is my career. I never take it for granted.”
“The Map of Bones” by Kate Mosse is published by Mantle on October 10. For more information, visit katemosse.co.uk. Tickets for the Labyrinth tour can be purchased at labyrinthlive2025.com.
