Vicky Newham is a British author, teacher, and psychologist, who is well-known for her DI Maya Rahman novel series. The series, which features a police procedural set in a multi-cultural background in East London, has gained significant popularity. Newham's experience of living in East London for four years, while working in the Tower Hamlets region, has greatly influenced the setting and characters in her novels.\n \nNewham was born in Chichester and raised in Sussex. Before becoming a novelist, she worked as a psychology teacher in London and spent several years practicing as a psychologist. Eventually, she moved to Kent to pursue her writing career. Newham has a fascination with the motivations behind violent and criminal behavior, which is evident in the dark and gritty themes of her novels.
In addition to the DI Maya Rahman series, Newham also writes cozy mysteries under the pen name Izzie Harper. These novels, known as The Wootton Windmill Mysteries, are set in a small Kent town and feature a windmill that is located near Newham's home. The first book in the series, "Murder at the Christmas Carols," will be released on November 21, 2022. Newham's writing is inspired by her love of Golden Age crime and her interest in the secrets, gossip, and small-town dynamics of rural communities.