Carolyn Kirby’s debut The Conviction of Cora Burns is a thriller about the origins of psychology set in 19th century Birmingham. The Sunday Mirror called it  “a great historical novel with bite,” and the book was long-listed for the HWA 2019 Debut Crown Award. Her new novel, When We Fall, is a dark love story inspired by the Katyn massacres of 1940. The book was chosen by the Times as one of the ten best historical novels of 2020.

Before being a full-time writer, Carolyn worked in social housing and as a teacher. She has two grown-up daughters and lives with her husband in Oxfordshire.