Elizabeth Edmondson was born in Chile, brought up in Calcutta and educated at Oxford. She is the author of eight novels, including The Villa in Italy, The Villa on the Riviera, Voyage of Innocence, and The Frozen Lake, which have been translated into several languages. She has a particular fascination for the Cold War era and the mysteries it suggests to her as a novelist; above all she has a desire to enchant and entertain. Elizabeth lives in Oxford, where she writes, rings church bells, and enjoys vigorous walks in the University Parks, avoiding lacrosse balls and Quidditch players on their broomsticks.