Lesley Howarth was born in Bournemouth, where she also grew up and went to school. She has worked in garden nurseries, a pottery, pubs, and looked after old people. Her first published work was The Flower King. Published by Walker Books (it was only the second time in the firm's experience that an unsolicited novel had been considered good enough for publication) it went on to be shortlisted for the Whitbread Award. Subsequently, MapHead won the 1995 Guardian Award, and Weather Eye the 1996 Smarties Prize. She now lives in The Tamar Valley, Cornwall.