Penny Avis trained as an accountant and until 2009 was a corporate finance partner at Deloitte, specialising in consumer products and hostile takeovers. She led deals in everything from pregnancy testing kits to incontinence products, having previously survived the collapse of Arthur Andersen during the Enron crisis. After years of juggling a diary from hell with bringing up two young children - regularly resulting in her running the mums' race in a trouser suit and her nanny's trainers - she took a career break and started writing. She is married and lives in London.