Sarah Pekkanen

Sarah Pekkanen, born in New York City and raised in Maryland, is an internationally bestselling author and journalist. She began writing at a young age before pursuing a career in reporting. In her early 20s, she worked as a journalist covering Capitol Hill, conducting an 18-month investigation into the practices of a U.S. congresswoman that prompted inquiries by the House Ethics Committee, the Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission. She later joined the Baltimore Sun as a feature writer, earning a Dateline Award for her Washingtonian magazine article “Saving Dorothy,” which chronicled a congressman and his wife’s efforts to find a cure for their daughter’s cancer.

After leaving journalism to raise her three sons, Pekkanen turned to fiction. Her debut novel, “The Opposite of Me,” was published by Simon & Schuster and praised by People magazine as “engaging, fresh … with lovable characters.” She went on to publish “Skipping a Beat,” “These Girls,” “The Best of Us,” “Catching Air,” “Things You Won’t Say,” “The Perfect Neighbors” and “The Ever After.” Her novels have been published in multiple countries and translated into several languages.

Pekkanen also co-authored four New York Times bestselling psychological thrillers with Greer Hendricks: “The Wife Between Us,” “An Anonymous Girl,” “You Are Not Alone” and “The Golden Couple.” Several of the works have been optioned for film or television, and the authors collaborated on the screenplay for “The Wife Between Us” for Amblin Entertainment.

Her solo thrillers include “Gone Tonight,” described by Colleen Hoover as “riveting, original and powerful,” and praised by Harlan Coben as “jaw-dropping.” The audiobook was narrated by Emmy-nominated actress Kate Mara. Her 2024 release, “House of Glass,” was selected as an Amazon Best of the Month, an Apple Books staff favorite, a Book of the Month top pick, and the No. 1 LibraryReads choice for August. Her next novel, “The Locked Ward,” will be published Aug. 5, 2025.

Beyond her writing career, Pekkanen is the founder of India Street Paws, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and treating street dogs in India. She also serves on the board of International Thriller Writers.