Mari Hannah, a British author, was born in Westminster, London, but spent her formative years in North East England. The region, with its diverse landscapes and rich literary heritage, greatly influenced her to become a writer. Currently residing in Northumberland, Hannah's love for writing was sparked during her undergraduate studies at Teesside University, where she was sponsored by the Home Office.
Before becoming a successful author, Hannah's career as a Probation Officer was cut short due to an injury on duty. This transition led her to explore writing, and she fell in love with scriptwriting. Hannah submitted speculative original dramas to the BBC Writersroom and even wrote a romantic comedy feature film. In 2010, she won the Northern Writers' Award for her second novel, 'Settled Blood.' Her debut novel, 'The Murder Wall,' won the Polari First Book Prize in 2013 and was initially written as a TV pilot for a BBC Drama Development Scheme.
Hannah's body of work has been well-received, and she has won several prestigious awards. In 2017, she won the CWA Dagger in the Library, and in 2019, she was awarded DIVA Wordsmith of the Year. She has also served as the Programming Chair of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Festival in 2019. In 2020, Hannah was named DIVA 'Wordsmith of the Year' and won Capital Crime's 'Crime Book of the Year' award. Her notable works include the Stone & Oliver crime series, the Ryan & O'Neil series, and the DCI Kate Daniels series. Hannah lives in Northumberland with her partner, a former murder detective.