Anne Maeve Binchy Snell was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist, and speaker. Born on 28 May 1939 in Dalkey, County Dublin, Ireland, she was the eldest child in a family of four. Her parents fostered a positive and happy childhood, instilling in her the confidence to accept herself.

Maeve Binchy attended University College Dublin and initially worked as a teacher. However, her love for travel led her to discover her niche as a writer. Her travels took her to diverse places, including a Kibbutz in Israel and a camp in the United States. She sent chatty letters home which her parents, impressed by her writing, submitted to a newspaper for publication. This marked the beginning of her journalism career.

She married Gordon Snell, a fellow writer. Despite financial struggles, her debut novel, Light a Penny Candle, turned her into an overnight success. Her novels, often set in Ireland, revolve around relationships and family dynamics, presenting characters with whom readers can empathize. Her works were translated into 37 languages, selling over 40 million copies worldwide. Some of her later novels adapted to modern settings.

Maeve Binchy was celebrated for her "total absence of malice" and generosity towards other writers. Her death on 30 July 2012, at the age of 73, marked the loss of one of Ireland's most beloved and recognizable writers. She left an indelible mark on the literary world, achieving recognition in the US by featuring on The New York Times Best Seller list and in Oprah's Book Club. In a 2000 World Book Day poll, she ranked ahead of literary giants like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Stephen King.