Heather Young is an accomplished American author, best known for her historical fiction novels. She was born in Maryland but has called San Francisco home since 1991. Her parents, both Iowa natives, met at the University of Iowa, and she spent many of her childhood summers in Minnesota. This Midwestern upbringing is reflected in the settings, events, and characters of her work, which often has a distinct Midwestern feel.
Before becoming an author, Young practiced law in San Francisco for over a decade. She found that her legal career helped hone her writing skills, but it was her professional training and certifications that enabled her to transition from writing in a factual manner to the more creative style of storytelling. In pursuit of her new career, she earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the Bennington Writing Seminars and attended the Tin House Writers Workshop and the Squaw Valley Writers Workshop.
Young is the author of two novels. Her debut, The Lost Girls, won the Strand Award for Best First Novel and was nominated for an Edgar Award. Her second novel, The Distant Dead, was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel and named one of the ten best mystery/suspense books of 2020 by Booklist. She currently resides in Mill Valley, California, with her husband and two teenage children, where she spends her time writing, biking, hiking, and reading books by other authors that she wishes she had written.