Sarah Haywood was born in Birmingham. After studying Law, she worked in London and Birkenhead as a solicitor, in Toxteth as an advice worker, and in Manchester as an investigator of complaints about lawyers. She lives in Liverpool with her husband and two sons. Her debut novel, The Cactus, was a Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick, a Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, and was shortlisted for the Author's Club Best First Novel Award.