Tom Rob Smith is an English author, screenwriter, and producer. He was born on February 19, 1979. Smith is best known for his novel Child 44, which delves into the investigation of child murders during the Soviet Union. The novel gained significant acclaim and was adapted into a film of the same name. Smith extended the story with two sequels: The Secret Speech and Agent 6. His first standalone novel, The Farm, was published in 2014.

Raised in London by a Swedish mother and an English father, Tom Rob Smith pursued his education at Cambridge University, graduating in 2001. He further honed his craft in Italy, studying creative writing. After his studies, he embarked on a career as a scriptwriter.

His debut novel, Child 44, released in early 2008, was translated into 17 languages and received the 2008 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of the year by the Crime Writer's Association. The novel was also recognized by Barnes & Noble and made it to the long list for the 2008 Man Booker Prize.