Susan Lillian Townsend (née Johnstone) was an English writer and humorist, widely celebrated for her novels, plays, and journalism. Best known for creating the iconic character Adrian Mole, Townsend began her writing journey in secret at the age of 14. Her early success came with her plays, notably her signature character Adrian Mole, first introduced in a radio drama.

The 1980s marked her rise to fame as the Adrian Mole series became the best-selling fiction in Britain for the decade. The series, consisting of nine books, is crafted as the diaries of a teenage boy navigating life during the Thatcher era and eventually his middle age.

Another significant work, The Queen and I (1992), is noted for its republican sentiments and sympathetic portrayal of the Royal Family. This book, along with the first Adrian Mole book, was successfully adapted for the stage in London's West End.

Her life experiences, including enduring poverty until her thirties, heavily influenced her writing. Later in life, Townsend faced significant health challenges, including diabetes which led to blindness in 2001 and other severe sight and mobility issues.