Margaret Dumas holds a Master's Degree in English Literature, which led her unsuspectingly into a career as a technical writer and computer software executive. She eventually came to her senses, and turned her attention to the murderous pleasures of crime writing. Her first novel, Speak Now, was short-listed for the 2003 CWA Debut Dagger award. Dumas lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she thoroughly enjoys researching Charley's lavish lifestyle.