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Kate Thompson is an award-winning former actress who is the author of a dozen internationally bestselling novels. Her fourth novel – The Blue Hour – was shortlisted for the Parker award in 2003. Kate has also had a novel – Hard to Choos – published as Pixie Pirelli. She is happily married with one daughter, and she divides her time between Dublin and the West of Ireland, where she swims off some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

James Thompson, eastern Kentucky born and raised, has lived in Finland for the past dozen years. Before becoming a full-time writer, Thompson studied Finnish (in which he is fluent) and Swedish and worked as a bartender, bouncer, construction worker, photographer, rare-coin dealer, and solider.

Lisa started her career teaching English and Drama, and when she had her family, combined all three to write novels about family drama. Originally from Yorkshire, she now lives in a London suburb with her husband and two teenage daughters, so expects there’s plenty more drama to come.

Gracie Taylor grew up in rural West Yorkshire. After university she spent time in several different cities, but eventually returned to settle in the Dales. Gracie Taylor is a pen name for Lisa Firth, who also writes award-winning contemporary romantic comedies as Mary Jayne Baker and uplifting women’s fiction as Lisa Swift. Edie’s Home for Orphans is her first historical novel.

Beth Thomas wrote her first book at the age of six. It was a short social commentary about ethnicity and fear of being different, incorporating magic, travel, adventure and ultimately, murder. The death at the end was an unexpected shock and came about as she had no idea how else to end the story. She thinks she’s improved since then, and hope that now her endings are a little more planned and satisfying. She lives in Kent with her family.

C.L. Taylor is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her psychological thrillers have sold over a million copies in the UK alone, been translated into over twenty languages, and optioned for television. Her 2019 novel, Sleep, was a Richard and Judy pick. C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and son.

Liz worked for many years as a journalist for national and regional newspapers, and for BBC radio and television news, and is now a full time writer.