She began her career as a journalist, and rose to become editor of the County Down Spectator before resigning in order to devote all her time to her writing . She has had over 30 novels published both in English, and translated into several other languages.Most of these belong to five series, while nine (at present) are standalone novels.Her books are well reviewed, with the New York Times, for example, referring to her "solid series of British police procedurals" , and praising the Castlemere novels for their "superb character work" in the context of a "deeply satisfying series" .