Lucinda Riley  

Born in Ireland but whisked away to England by her family at the age of six, Lucinda Riley would always take refuge in her imagination. She wrote her debut novel, Lovers and Players, whilst bedridden with Epstein Barr syndrome and a further eight books followed in as many years. Mainstream success arrived in 2010 with Hothouse Flower before Riley unveiled the first volume of her magnum opus, The Seven Sisters, four years later. Modelled on the constellation of the same name the series follows the globe-trotting fortunes of six adopted sisters and has proved a bestselling phenomenon.