(b. 12 August 1966), she is the author of seven novels. Her most recent is The Dark Days Deceit, the third and final book in the Lady Helen historical dark fantasy trilogy. The first book in the series, The Dark Days Club, is a 2017 CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers, a 2017 Bank Street Library Best Book and an NPR Best Book of 2016. The second book, The Dark Days Pact, won the 2016 Aurealis Award for Best YA Novel.

Alison is also the author of the New York Times bestselling duology Eon (2008) and Eona (2011). Her award winning debut novel, Singing the Dogstar Blues, was first published in 1998 and is still in print, and her very adult thriller, A New Kind of Death, was a Davitt Award finalist under its original title Killing the Rabbit.

Eon (aka Eon: Dragoneye Reborn) was also published under the title The Two Pearls of Wisdom. The sequel Eona (aka Eona: The Last Dragoneye) was also published under the title The Necklace of the Gods.