Catherine O'Flynn, the youngest of six children, was born and raised in Birmingham, where her parents ran a sweet shop. She worked in a variety of jobs including teacher, postwoman, retail assistant, journalist and mystery shopper before becoming a novelist. Her debut novel, What Was Lost, won the Costa First Novel Award, was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, and was longlisted for the Booker Prize and the Orange Prize. She was named Waterstone’s Newcomer of the Year in 2008 at the Galaxy British ... Learn more