Lucinda Riley

Author

Lucinda Riley was an internationally bestselling author whose sweeping, emotionally rich novels captivated millions of readers and listeners worldwide. Best known for her Seven Sisters series, she became one of the most popular fiction writers of her generation before her untimely death in 2021. Born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland in 1965... as Lucinda Edmonds, she grew up in the English countryside and trained as an actress at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. She performed in several television productions before a bout of glandular fever in her early twenties left her bedridden and turned her toward writing. Her first novel was published when she was just twenty-four. After a period of writing under the name Lucinda Edmonds, she relaunched her career under the name Lucinda Riley and found her greatest success with The Seven Sisters series, beginning in 2014. The seven-book saga follows the adopted daughters of a mysterious billionaire known as Pa Salt, each discovering the story of their origins across different countries and time periods. The series — including The Storm Sister, The Shadow Sister, The Pearl Sister, The Moon Sister, The Sun Sister, and The Missing Sister — blends historical fiction, family saga, and romance with an addictive narrative drive that kept readers coming back. The books have sold over 30 million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Riley became a particular phenomenon in continental Europe, where she regularly topped bestseller lists in countries including Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Her other novels, including The Midnight Rose, The Angel Tree, and The Light Behind the Window, share the same hallmarks: richly researched historical settings, dual timelines, vivid characters, and deeply romantic storytelling. The audiobook editions of Riley's novels have been enormously popular, with narrators capturing the emotional depth and sweeping scope of her stories. The Seven Sisters audiobooks in particular have attracted a huge listening audience, with many fans choosing to experience the series in audio form for its immersive quality. Lucinda Riley died in June 2021 at the age of fifty-six after a four-year battle with cancer, a diagnosis she kept private from all but her closest family and friends. The final book in the Seven Sisters series, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, was completed by her son Harry Whittaker and published posthumously in 2023. Her books and audiobooks continue to be discovered and loved by new readers around the world. Read more Show less