Kathleen Rowntree grew up in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and studied music at Hull University. She has written nine novels: The Quiet War of Rebecca Sheldon, Brief Shining, Between Friends, Tell Mrs Poole I'm Sorry, A Prize for Sister Catherine, Outside, Looking In, Laurie and Claire, Mr Brightly's Evening Off and An Innocent Diversion. She and her husband live in Northamptonshire.