Bernardine Kennedy was born in London but spent most of her childhood in Singapore and Nigeria before settling in Essex, where she still lives with her husband Ian. She also has a son, Stephen, and daughter, Kate. Her varied working life has included careers as an air hostess, a swimming instructor and a social worker. She has been a freelance writer for many years, specialising in popular travel features for magazines. Her previous novels, Everything is Not Enough, My Sisters' Keeper, Chain of Deception, Taken, Old Scores and Past Chances, are also available from Headline.