Author of the Stephens & Mephisto novels, Elly’s real name is Domenica de Rosa. She came up with Elly Griffiths after developing the idea for her Dr Ruth Galloway character while on holiday in Norfolk. Her agent told her: ‘This is crime. You need a crime name.’
London-born and Brighton-raised. She wrote her first book aged 11, a mystery set in Rottingdean near to where she still lives. After reading English at King’s College, she rose from publicity assistant at HarperCollins to become the company’s Editorial Director for children’s books.
While on maternity leave in 1998, her first novel, The Italian Quarter, was published. Three more books about Italy, families and identity followed before she came up with Ruth Galloway (and Elly).