ANNA DOWNES was born and raised in Sheffield, UK, but now lives just north of Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children. She worked as an actress before turning her attention to writing. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before turning her attention to writing. Her internationally bestselling debut novel, The Safe Place, was published in 2020 and was short-listed for the 2021 Davitt Award for Best Crime Debut. The Shadow House is her keenly anticipated second book.