Ann Swinfen is a bestselling author, known for her historical mystery and literary fiction novels. She has written numerous standalone books and several novel series, including the Chronicles of Christoval Alvarez and the Oxford Medieval Mysteries. Swinfen was educated at Somerville College, Oxford, where she studied Classics and Mathematics. She later went on to earn a postgraduate MSc in Mathematics and a BA and PhD in English Literature. During her time at Oxford, she also met her husband, David Swinfen.
Swinfen has had a varied career, including working as a university lecturer, translator, freelance journalist, and software designer. She also served for nine years on the governing council of the Open University and worked for five years in the technical author division of an international computer company. In 1995, she founded Dundee Book Events, a voluntary organization that promoted books and authors to the general public. Swinfen now lives on the northeast coast of Scotland with her husband, a cocker spaniel, and two Maine Coon cats.
Swinfen's writing career began in earnest after her youngest child joined university and she quit her academic teaching job. Her first published work was the standalone nonfiction novel In Defence of Fantasy. Since then, she has written over five standalone books and three novel series. Her writing is characterized by its historical depth and richly detailed settings, which are often based on her own extensive research.
In addition to her work as a novelist, Swinfen is also an advocate for literature and the arts. She founded Dundee Book Events to promote books and authors to the general public, and she continues to be an active participant in the literary community. Through her writing and her advocacy, Swinfen has made a significant contribution to the world of literature and continues to be a vital voice in the field.