In Farleigh Field (Bowen) - Author Bio

Author Bio
• Aka—Janet Quin-Harkin
• Birth—September 24, 1941
• Where—Bath, England, UK
• Education—B.A., University of London
• Awards—2 Agatha Awards: Best Novel and Best Historical Novel
• Currently—lives in San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA


Janet Quin-Harkin is a British-born novelist who writes under her own name, as well as the nom de plum, Rhys Bowen (pronounced "Reece"). Her works are legion — children's books, a young adult series, and three mystery series totalling some 40 books and short stories. All told, Harkin-Quin has written more than 50 books and stories. In 2017 she published her first stand-alone mystery thriller, In Farleigh Fields: A Novel of World War II.

Quin-Harkin was born in Bath, England, educated at the University of London, and worked as a drama studio manager for the BBC. Producing plays by others, she decided, at 22,  to try her hand at writing her own. When she finished, she dropped her newly penned script on her boss's desk, only to be called in the following day and told they had decided to produce her play.

Driven by England's cold and rainy climate, Quin-Harkin took off for Australia where she met her husband to be, also an expat Brit, who was on his way to California. She joined him, married him, and raised four children with him, all in the San Francisco area where they remain to this day.

In 1976 Quin-Harkin began writing children's books, winning awards with her first, Peter Penny's Dance. That was followed by short stories published in Parents Magazine. Then in 1982 she moved up in age to write teen romances: eight books in all, including the well-known Boyfriend Club series.

Starting in the late 1990s, Quin-Harkin turned to writing her favorite genre as a reader — mysteries. She began with the Constable Evan Evans series in 1997, then the Molly Murphy series, and the Lady Georgiana series.

Honors
2000 - finalist, Agatha and Anthony Awards, "The Seal of the Confessional"
2001 - Agatha Award for Best Novel, Murphy's Law
2002 - finalist, Agatha Award for Best Novel, Death of Riley
2004 - finalist, Anthony Award for best short story, "Doppelganger" –
2011 - Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel, Naughty in Nice
2016 - RT convention: career achievement award

As well as novels, Rhys has written many short stories, including an Anthony winner. She is an ex-chapter president of Mystery Writers of America. When not writing she loves to travel, sing, hike, paint, play her Celtic harp, and spoil her grandchildren. (Adapted from Wikipedia and the author's website. Retrieved 5/26/2017.)