W.M.
Rhodes
Historian, Writer & Author
Biography
A Life Shaped by Hidden Histories
Born in Bradford, Wendy developed an early interest in the lives of ordinary people, particularly women, the poor, and the socially marginalised — those whose stories are often missing from traditional historical accounts. That interest has shaped her work ever since and led to a growing collection of books rooted in careful archival research and written with warmth, clarity, and accessibility.
Drawing on a background in English Literature and Creative Writing, Wendy combines meticulous research with an accessible narrative voice, making complex historical and legal territory readable for anyone with a curiosity about the past.
Now based in Spain, she continues to research, write, and develop new historical projects, bringing the same rigour and humanity to her work that has earned her a loyal readership across the UK and beyond.
Three Subjects, One Passion
Wendy’s work spans three subjects she cares deeply about — each one united by a commitment to telling the stories that have been overlooked, forgotten, or deliberately set aside.
True Crime
The Bloody Yorkshire series and Dr Pritchard bring some of history's most compelling criminal cases back to vivid life through forensic archival research.
Women's History
Desperate Women examines the harsh realities faced by Victorian women driven to impossible choices, and the legal and social systems that failed them.
Local History
Her books on Filey and Scarborough offer richly detailed portraits of those communities, their people, and the deep history beneath the surface.
Books & Writing
Writing for Readers Who Love Real History
Wendy writes for readers who enjoy history that feels vivid, human, and relevant. She believes that the best historical writing does not simply convey facts, but brings people to life — their circumstances, their choices, and the forces working against them.
Her Bloody Yorkshire series explores some of the county’s most gripping historical crimes, while her local history books on Filey and Scarborough offer richly detailed portraits of those communities and their past. Her most recent work, Desperate Women, examines the harsh realities faced by Victorian women driven to desperate choices, and the legal and social systems that failed them.
Across all nine books, the same qualities are present: thorough research, a compassionate perspective, and prose that carries the reader forward without ever losing the human detail.
Explore the Full Collection
Nine books spanning true crime, women’s history, and the hidden histories of Yorkshire and the British coast.
Influences & Approach
Shaped by a Love of Story and Place
Wendy’s influences reflect her dual commitment to storytelling craft and historical rigour. Writers like Sarah Waters and Lynda La Plante have shaped her sense of how narrative can illuminate lives that history overlooked, while her academic foundation in English Literature and Creative Writing gives her work its structural precision and clarity of voice.
Her research is rooted in primary sources — court records, newspaper archives, parish registers, and official documents — and she brings those materials to life with the kind of storytelling instinct that makes history feel immediate and alive.