Katya Upcott is the representative of Josh Blay and also runs a crafting supplies business from home. She is the wife of Inigo Upcott and mother of Gus and Flavia. The family of four live on Lisburne Road. She is also a maternal figure to Josh, being old enough to be his mother.

She is described as a thin woman with “mousey and sparse” hair. Robin thinks that the exhausted-looking Katya was probably attractive once and could be again with enough sleep. She has warm eyes and a full-lipped mouth.

Katya met Josh and Edie at the North Grove Art Collective, where she attended evening classes. Having previously worked in PR, she could give Josh and Edie advice on how to handle themselves when the cartoon started gaining more popularity. Katya is first mentioned in chapter 14 as being a friend of Josh and Edie’s who had encouraged them to do an interview in June 2010 answering people’s comments on the first two episodes of their cartoon. Katya had advised them not to swear during the interview, which Josh ignores.

On 8th June 2012, Edie “ditched” Katya for a “real” agent: Allan Yeoman. Anomie tweeted about this news within hours of Edie telling Katya.

When Strike and Robin first meet Allan Yeoman at the Arts Club, he tells them that he didn’t invite Katya to the meeting because she’s “fiercely protective” of Josh.

When Robin goes to the toilet in the North Grove Art Collective, she notices a portrait drawing of Gus Upcott pinned to the ceiling, which she guesses was drawn by Katya. Robin is surprised by Katya’s talent. However, on another occasion, she sees one of Katya’s drawings in Josh and Edie’s old room at North Grove and thinks it’s rubbish.