Paula Hawkins (author)
Paula Hawkins (born 26 August 1972) is a British author, best known for her 2015 novel The Girl on the Train.[1][2]
Hawkins was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe. Her father was an economics professor and financial journalist. She moved to London in 1989[3] at the age of 17, and later studied philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Oxford. She worked as a journalist for The Times, reporting on business. She then worked for a number of publications on a freelance basis, and wrote a financial advice book for women, The Money Goddess.[2]
Around 2009 Hawkins began to write romantic comedy fiction under the name Amy Silver, writing four novels including Confessions of a Reluctant Recissionista. She did not achieve commercial breakthrough until she challenged herself to write a darker, more serious story. Her best-selling novel of 2015 The Girl on the Train, was a complex thriller with themes of domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse.[2] The novel took her 6 months writing full time to complete at a time when she was in a difficult financial situation and had to borrow from her father to be able to complete it.[1] She lives in South London.
References
- ^ a b Saner, Emine (21 April 2015). "The Girl on the Train: how Paula Hawkins wrote 'the new Gone Girl'". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ a b c Alter, Alexandra (30 January 2015). "Welcoming the Dark Twist in Her Career". New York Times. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "Author: Paula Hawkins". Random House. Retrieved 17 July 2015.