Rita Bradshaw's passion for the North East grew on visits to family in the area as a child, which inspired her gritty sagas set around Sunderland. Each new book is a bestseller, enthusiastically promoted by book shops and supermarkets. A committed Christian and passionate animal lover, Rita's life is always full and busy - the way she likes it!

Her latest novel A Woman of Courage (November 2023, Macmillan) is set in 1890. Innocent and beautiful 15-year-old Josie Grey falls for the charms of Adam McGuigan, the youngest son of a dangerous crime family. But as the fairy-tale turns to a nightmare, she flees with her baby son to a different country. Josie fights to make a good life for her child and then love beckons again but the McGuigan family’s power is far reaching. When the day of reckoning comes, can Josie survive it?