Paula Hawkins ​

Paula Hawkins is a British author best known for her bestselling novel, "The Girl on The Train". The novel was adapted into a film in 2016. Hawkins also wrote "Into the Water", which became a popular hit. Her works often fall under the category of psychological thriller and crime fiction.

Quick Facts ​

• Wrote the popular psychological thriller, The Girl on the Train, which was a #1 New York Times Bestseller.
• Her debut novel was adapted into a movie in 2016.
• Before becoming a novelist, she worked as a journalist for 15 years.
• Her books have been translated into over 40 languages.
• She was born and brought up in Zimbabwe and moved to London in 1989.
• Her second thriller, Into the Water, became a global bestseller.

Background ​

Hawkins was born in 1972 in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) before moving to London in 1989. She attended Oxford University and graduated with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. She worked as a journalist for The Times and moved into writing fiction in 2009. Her early novels, written under the pseudonym Amy Silver, were primarily romantic-comedies and were commercially successful, but it wasn't until her first thriller, The Girl on the Train, was published in 2015 that she gained major international recognition. The novel was a #1 New York Times bestseller and was later adapted into a movie. She continues to write psychological thrillers and her novels have been translated into over 20 languages.

Writing Style and Impact ​

Hawkin's writing is often characterized by her use of unreliable narrators, allowing for complex and often surprising plot twists. Her engaging writing style immerses readers into the psyches of her characters, reflecting on their deepest secrets, fears, and motivations. Her suspenseful storytelling and strong character development have helped her novels like 'The Girl on the Train' achieve great commercial success.

Notable Works ​

• The Girl on the Train (2015)
• Into the Water (2017)
• A Slow Fire Burning (2021)