Born March 26, 1937, in Hanover, Pa., Sarah Dreher attended Wellesley College and went on to earn her doctorate in clinical psychology from Purdue University. She moved in 1965 to Amherst, MA where she established her private practice. She was the co-founder of Sunrise-Amanecer Inc., a nonprofit organization, serving as president and clinical director for seven years. She was a member of the Welsh Society of Western New England and an activist during the women's movement.
Dreher was the author of the Stoner McTavish lesbian detective series. The seventh in the series, Shaman's Moon, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery for 1998. Dreher was also the author of several plays and a romance novel Solitaire and Brahms. She was the recipient of the 2005 Alice B. Readers' Award.