Elisabeth Gifford studied French literature and world religions at Leeds University. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway College. Secrets of the Sea House (The Sea House in the US) is shortlisted for the HWA Crown debut. Her second novel Return to Fourwinds is set around the Second World War and explores the cost of having to keep secrets from those you love. Her third novel will follow some of the 1% who escaped the Warsaw Ghetto. She is married with three children. She has written a non fiction book about Chinese Orphanages.