Patricia Elliott was born in London, but grew up in Europe and the Far East. A voracious reader since childhood (where she had the resources of ten different school libraries), she also made up ghost stories to scare her friends! As an adult, she worked in publishing in London and in a children's bookshop in New York. She now teaches a course in children's literature at an adult education college, and is writing further novels. She lives in Barnes with her husband, two sons and a yellow labrador called Fingal. Her first book, The Ice Boy, won the Fidler Award for a first novel, was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award and the West Sussex award. Her second novel, Murkmere, has recently been longlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.