Sophie Hannah

Sophie Hannah is a British author and poet best known for her psychological crime fiction and for continuing Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series. Her novels have been translated into forty-nine languages and sold in fifty-one territories, achieving bestseller status on the Sunday Times, New York Times and Amazon Kindle UK charts.

Her notable works include Little Face (2006) and The Couple at the Table (2022). At the request of the Christie estate, Hannah has written five Poirot novels, with Hercule Poirot's Silent Night becoming an Amazon UK #1 bestseller.

Born in Manchester, England, Sophie Hannah grew up in a literary environment; her mother, Adèle Geras, is a well-known author. Hannah was educated at Beaver Road Primary School in Didsbury before attending the University of Manchester. From 1997 to 1999, she was a Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, followed by a Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford. Hannah now lives in Cambridge with her husband and two children and holds an Honorary Fellowship at Lucy Cavendish College.

Hannah published her first book of poetry, The Hero and the Girl Next Door, at age 24. Praised for her sharp wit and surrealist style, she is often compared to Wendy Cope and Lewis Carroll. Her poems, such as Rubbish at Adultery and Your Dad Did What?, are studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level throughout the UK. In 2004, she was selected as one of the Poetry Book Society's Next Generation Poets.

In 2006, Hannah's debut, Little Face, introduced readers to her signature psychological thrillers. Her novels, including The Carrier (2013) and The Mystery of Mr E (2023), explore the darker side of human nature with intricate plots and complex characters. "I like to come up with unique and provocative reasons to commit murder," Hannah has said, emphasising her fascination with psychological motives rather than ordinary ones such as jealousy or blackmail.

In 2014, Sophie Hannah began writing sequels to Agatha Christie's beloved detective, Hercule Poirot. These novels have been internationally successful.

"I feel very lucky to have been entrusted with Poirot by the Christie family," she remarked, discussing her approach to preserving the essence of the iconic detective.

Outside of fiction, Hannah has explored self-help with books such as How to Hold a Grudge (2018) and The Double Best Method (2022), which offer her insights into personal development. She also founded Dream Author Coaching, an initiative to help writers improve their skills.

In 2023, Sophie Hannah was awarded the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library for her outstanding contribution to crime fiction.

Photo credit: sophiehannah.com