Lynne Hinton is an accomplished American author, known for her Hope Springs series and the Divine Private Detective Agency Mysteries series. She was born and raised in North Carolina, and later moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she currently resides with her husband. In addition to her work as a writer, Hinton is also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.
Hinton has had a diverse career in ministry, serving as a hospice chaplain and senior pastor in Guilford County and Asheboro, North Carolina. She is a graduate of UNC Greensboro and earned her Masters of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. Before attending seminary, Hinton studied at Wake Forest University and the NC School of the Arts, with a focus on filmmaking.
As an author, Hinton has written a number of successful books, including the New York Times bestseller Friendship Cake. Pie Town, another of her novels, was nominated for New Mexico book of the year in 2011 in the drama category, and also won the national federation of press women’s book of the year in 2011. Hinton has also written a series of books under the title Jackie Lynn-Detective Agency Mystery Series, and has penned a collection of essays. In addition to her work as a writer, Hinton is also the pastor of St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. She continues to write and minister in Albuquerque, New Mexico.