Susan Howatch is a highly regarded British novelist, known for her mystery and family saga novels. She was born on July 14, 1940, in Leatherhead, Surrey, England, and was the only child of a stockbroker. Howatch's childhood was described as happy and satisfying, despite the loss of her father during the Second World War. She attended Sutton High School and later went on to study law at King's College in London, where she earned her degree in 1961.
After completing her education, Howatch began writing as a teenager and published her first book after moving to the United States in 1964. She found global success with her five sagas, which depicted the lives of characters over a long period of time. Howatch is also well-known for her Church of England series and the St. Benet's Trilogy series. These works are characterized by their philosophical and religious themes, which have become a signature of Howatch's writing.
Howatch's writing career has been marked by a focus on historical fiction and literature fiction, with a particular emphasis on family sagas. She was born and grew up in Surrey, but later moved to the United States for a time before returning to her home country. Howatch now resides in Leatherhead, Surrey, where she continues to write and publish her highly regarded novels.