"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