Dr Mara Ellingham spent fifteen years working in forensic psychology, specialising in criminal behaviour and interview analysis. Her career took her from clinical units to police advisory work, helping to unpick the motives behind violent and high-profile crimes.

Mara’s move into fiction came as a surprise even to her — what began as a coping mechanism during difficult cases became the bones of her breakout novel, The Silent Threshold. Her books now explore the blurred lines between truth, trauma and the stories people tell to survive, all grounded in her deep knowledge of the human mind.

Known for her calm manner, incisive commentary and slightly wicked sense of humour, Mara is a sought-after speaker on how psychology shapes modern crime writing. She currently lives in Yorkshire with two elderly cats who insist on editing her manuscripts.