Denise Mina
Denise Mina was born in Glasgow in 1966, moving frequently across Europe during childhood due to her father's engineering career in the north sea oil industry.
Leaving school at sixteen, she worked various jobs, including in a meat factory, as a barmaid, and as a nurse specializing in geriatric and terminal care.
At twenty-one, she pursued Law at Glasgow University before researching a PhD at Strathclyde University on mental illness ascription to female offenders, while teaching criminology.
She famously wrote her debut novel, Garnethill, instead of completing her thesis, launching a celebrated crime-writing career spanning over 25 years.
