Press Release
For immediate release
Billericay, Essex (UK) — 12 March 2026 — Former NHS midwife and award-winning storyteller Karen Lawrence announces the breakout success of her debut novel, The Last Midwife, which has sold thousands of copies in its first three months and attracted hundreds of five-star reviews from readers.
Set in a near-future society where women’s bodies and choices are tightly controlled, The Last Midwife follows a midwife navigating a world of coercive medicine, fear, and moral compromise — and the quiet courage required to keep telling the truth. Drawing on Lawrence’s frontline experience in maternity care, the novel delivers a page-turning story with an unmistakable ring of authenticity.
“The Last Midwife was born from what I’ve seen, what I’ve feared, and what I’ve loved about women’s strength,” said Karen Lawrence, former NHS midwife, health visitor, and pregnancy yoga teacher. “I wanted to write a novel that honours the dignity of mothers and babies, and asks what happens when compassion is replaced by policy.”
Readers have responded strongly to the novel’s emotional intensity, moral clarity, and immersive medical detail — praising its compelling plot, vivid characters, and the way it opens up urgent conversations about women’s autonomy, childbirth, and the ethics of healthcare.
About the author
Karen Lawrence is a former NHS midwife and health visitor, a mother of seven, and the author of fiction and memoir exploring women’s health, faith, and resilience. She holds three degrees in English Literature, including a PhD, and writes from Billericay, Essex. Her work blends lived experience with literary craft, offering stories that are both gripping and deeply human.
Media enquiries, interviews, and review copies
To request an interview with Karen Lawrence, a review copy of The Last Midwife, or additional information, please contact:
Press contact: Karen Lawrence Email: mail@karenlawrenceauthor.com
Telephone: 00 44 7981 286767
Website: karenlawrenceauthor.com
Amazon(UK)
Amazon US
Notes to editors
• The Last Midwife has sold thousands of copies in its first three months. This is exceptional for a self-published book.
• The novel has received hundreds of five-star reviews.
• Available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook.
• Karen Lawrence is available for interviews on: women’s health and maternity care, the ethics of medicine, writing from lived experience, self-publishing, and faith-informed storytelling.