Susanna Kearsley is a New York Times best-selling Canadian novelist known for her works in historical fiction and mystery. She also writes thrillers under the pen name Emma Cole. Born on January 17, 1966, she has made a significant impact in the literary world.

In 2014, she was honored with the Romance Writers of America's RITA Award for Best Paranormal Romance for her novel The Firebird. Her novels have been translated into more than 20 languages and have won numerous awards, including the Catherine Cookson Fiction Prize, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and National Readers’ Choice Awards. They have also been finalists for prestigious awards such as the UK’s Romantic Novel of the Year and the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel.

Before becoming a full-time author, Kearsley worked as a museum curator. She is passionate about restoring the lost voices of real people into her stories, seamlessly interweaving romance and historical intrigue with modern adventure. She currently resides near Toronto, Ontario, Canada.