Heather Critchlow grew up in rural Aberdeenshire and trained as a business journalist after studying history and social science at Cambridge University. She spent ten years writing and editing B2B magazines, before becoming a freelance writer and media consultant. Her work has appeared in The Times and Dow Jones Financial News as well as a range of specialist titles. In 2020 and 2021, her short stories ‘Drowning in Debt’, ‘Heavenly Peace’ and ‘Meme Girl’ were published in Afraid of the Light, Afraid of the Christmas Lights and Afraid of the Shadows, collections of stories written by crime writers. Heather’s debut crime novel, Unsolved, was published in 2023 and shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year. There are now five books in the series, following true crime podcaster Cal Lovett, the third and fourth of which were longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize (Scottish Crime Book of the Year). Writing as H. Critchlow, Heather published her first standalone, a speculative thriller called The Tomorrow Project, in 2025. Her second standalone, Sea Glass, publishes in 2027.

Website: Heather Critchlow

Instagram: @heather.critchlow

Photo (c) Helen Rosemier

‘A remarkable debut.’ – AJ Finn

‘Prowls like a big cat with grace and purpose. [An] elegant, reflective cold case mystery with a thriller’s pace, beautifully written to boot.’ – Dom Nolan

‘A tense and gripping tale that explores the complexities of motherhood.’ – Heather Darwent

‘Exquisite prose, an exhilarating case and expertly crafted. A perfect follow up to a brilliant debut.’ – Sam Holland

‘A series that just keeps getting better! Heather Critchlow’s writing is razor sharp, with not a word wasted. All the pace of a podcast, set against the backbone of a book that propels you through a history of heartache, and spits you out the other side in a way you’ll not forget in a hurry.’ – Robert Rutherford

‘An old mystery, past secrets and characters that jump off the page, including turns of phrase that are quite exquisite, Heather Critchlow has pulled out another cracker of a book .’ – James Delargy

‘A deeply moving and beautifully written novel about loss and hope with a propulsive plot that will keep you turning the pages.’ – Victoria Selman