Elizabeth Macneal is a British author and former antiques dealer. She is best known for her debut novel, The Doll Factory, which was published in 2020 and was a Sunday Times bestseller. The novel was also longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and was shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize. Macneal was born in London and studied English Literature at the University of Edinburgh. She has worked as an antiques dealer, a bookseller, and a freelance journalist. She has written for publications such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times. Macneal's writing is often described as atmospheric and lyrical, and her work has been compared to that of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry. Her debut novel, The Doll Factory, is set in Victorian London and follows the story of two characters, Iris and Silas, as they navigate the city's dark underbelly. Macneal is currently working on her second novel, which is due to be published in 2021. She is also a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken publicly about her own struggles with depression.