The English Chemist

The Story of Rosalind Franklin: A Novel

Jessica Mills

The controversial story of one of the twentieth century’s most famed scientists, Rosalind Franklin, who discovered the two-chain helical structure of DNA in 1952—but was then cheated out of the Nobel Prize.

Rosalind Franklin knows that to be a woman in a man’s world is to be invisible. In the 1950s, science is a gentleman’s profession and in the years after WWII there are plenty of scientists who want to keep it that way.

After being segregated at Cambridge, then ignored and criticized in the workplace, she has no intention of being seen as a second-class scientist and throws everything into proving her worth. But despite her success in unlocking the very secret of life, the ultimate glory is claimed by the men she left in her wake.

Inspired by the true story of a woman so many tried to silence, The English Chemist is a tale of hope and perseverance, love and betrayal.

Jessica Mills is a journalist and author. She has written for publications such as the Independent, the Wall Street Journal, and Business Insider, and she was an editor at Dow Jones and a member of the Women at Dow Jones steering committee. She lives in England.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"Rosalind Franklin, biochemist and researcher, is a heroine and tragic figure to many. This fictionalized account of her life depicts the massive discrimination that she dealt with in the educational institutions and laboratories of post–World War II Europe. It was Franklin's work in micro-x-ray photography that led the way to the discovery of the double-helix shape of DNA, earning a Nobel Prize for the men who drew from it. It is readable, informative, and relatively accurate despite being fictionalized and will be enjoyed by readers who seek the deeper truth behind history's victors." Booklist

"Mills debuts with an insightful look at the personal and professional struggles of Dr. Rosalind Franklin, whose contributions to the study of DNA went uncelebrated during her lifetime. Mills dramatizes Rosalind’s scientific prowess in intricate details and delivers insightful character work, exploring how Rosalind’s dedication to her research led to her solitary life." Publishers Weekly

“In Jessica Mills’s absorbing biographical novel The English Chemist, the scientist responsible for discovering the illusive structure of DNA is denied recognition due to the duplicity of her colleagues. Rosalind Franklin, a scientist with a sharp wit and a conflicted inner world, narrates. In an intimate way, she covers her life and studies, culminating in her pivotal contribution to DNA research. Along the way, she experiences exclusion, belittling, and embarrassment as a woman working in what many considered to be a man’s world.” Foreword Reviews

"One of the best novels I have read this year." Iris Costello, author of The Secrets of Rochester Place

“A poignant, compelling novel that takes us into the heart and mind of Rosalind Franklin as she struggles for recognition in a man’s world.” Louisa Treger, author of Madwoman and The Dragon Lady

“Loved this immersive journey into the life of a woman who changed the world’s understanding of what makes us who we are.” Emily Chung, author of The Rangoon Sisters

“An engaging novel that intertwines the personal and the universal like braided strands of DNA.” Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros

“Paints a shocking and necessary portrait of institutional misogyny in mid-century science.” Nikki Marmery, author of Lilith: A Novel 

“A luminous, pin-sharp portrait of a true trailblazer.” Zoë Howe, author of Barbed Wire Kisses: The Jesus and Mary Chain Story and Stevie Nicks: Visions, Dreams & Rumors