Stephen Booth is a critically acclaimed English novelist, best known for his crime fiction. Born in the Lancashire mill town of Burnley and raised by the sea in Blackpool, Booth worked as a journalist for various newspapers and magazines, including the Wilmslow Advertiser, Huddersfield Examiner, and Worksop Guardian. In 2001, Booth retired from journalism to focus on his writing career full-time.
Booth's work is primarily set in Derbyshire, and he has created a popular series featuring Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, two young police detectives. The series, known as the Cooper and Fry series, consists of 15 novels, all of which are set in the Peak District of Derbyshire. The series has been well-received, earning Booth nominations for the Gold Dagger Award and the Anthony Award, as well as winning the Barry Award for Best Crime Novel in England. Additionally, Booth was shortlisted for the Theakston's Novel of the Year Award in the crime genre.
In addition to the Cooper and Fry series, Booth has also written a standalone novel, "Drowned Lives," which was published in August 2019. The novel is a historical thriller that explores hidden family secrets among the inland waterways of South Staffordshire. Booth is a strong supporter of libraries and has been a Library Champion in the UK's "Love Libraries" campaign. He has also appeared at various literary festivals, taught crime writing courses, and visited prisons to talk to prisoners about writing. Booth currently lives in Nottinghamshire.