A revolutionary book. When Spark published her first novel, The Comforters, in 1957, it was recognised as unique – something that quite simply had never been done before. Wilson's achievement in Electric Spark is equally remarkable: an entirely original method of life writing which leaves conventional biographical techniques gasping in the dust . . . Electric Spark heaves with ghosts and furies, burglaries and blackmail. It is disquieting and absolutely mesmerising. I was possessed by this book in the same way that I suspect its author was possessed by Spark. It still hasn't put me down

Lisa Hilton, Spectator

Wilson is not any old biographer. Her books are intense, eclectic and wildly diversionary, her intelligence rising from their pages like steam – and in Spark, the cleverest and the weirdest of them all, she may have found her ultimate subject

Rachel Cooke, Observer

I raced through Frances Wilson's whip-smart Electric Spark

Ali Smith, Guardian

Electric Spark is a darting, innovative example of the form – perhaps more Ouija board than book . . . [Wilson's] own surveillance is through a magnifying glass and her book is a fire-starter

Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times

Excellent . . . focuses on the early years of the author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie . . . Skilfully weaves together numerous intriguing strands to flesh out this portrait of a truly enigmatic writer

Martin Chilton, Independent, Books of the Year

Biography, then – which Frances Wilson attempts in this beautifully written book – is the closest readers can get to Spark . . . "Sparkian" has not entered common parlance but, by the time you finish this brilliant book, you think it probably should

Economist