Stephanie Gaunt

Born in Dublin, Stephanie spent thirty years in Birmingham, and after a career in the voluntary sector, now lives in Hastings with husband Nick and overweight tabby cat Digby. She is a mother, grandmother, and step-mother.

She also writes poems, and has published 'Lines and Wrinkles', a collection of her poetry, for charity. One of her poems won the Lady Denman Cup, a national Women’s Institute competition. She was presented with the cup by HM Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Albert Hall in 2015.

She was President of Hastings Ore WI for five years, and is still an active WI member. 'Write about what you know' says Stephanie - Her novels have a WI flavour!

Stephanie is known to many Hastings locals via her blogging alter-ego, Hastings Battleaxe.

Although she has written all her life, ‘Death, Deceit and Cake’ was Stephanie’s debut cosy crime novel. The second, 'Death is a Desirable Property' in what will be a series of three Caroline and Olga mysteries, was published in February 2026. The third novel, 'Death is a Dog's Dinner' is now under way!