About Rowan J Harcourt

Rowan J. Harcourt writes coastal mysteries where art, deception, and the echoes of the past intertwine.

Drawn to the rugged beauty of England’s south-west coast, Rowan’s fiction explores what lies beneath the surface — the quiet tensions of small communities, the secrets preserved in paint and paper, and the redemptive power of uncovering the truth.

The Tidecombe Bay Mysteries series began with The Forger’s Palette, a story inspired by forgotten artists’ studios, faded gallery ledgers, and the idea that a single brushstroke might reveal everything someone meant to hide. Each book combines the intimacy of a cosy mystery with the lingering atmosphere of gothic fiction — candlelight on sea-worn glass, whispered confessions in the galleries of a harbour town, and characters who find courage in the most unexpected places.

Before turning to fiction, Rowan spent years exploring the world of art, history, and storytelling — experiences that now shape the texture and authenticity of each novel.

When not writing, Rowan can often be found walking along tide-washed paths, browsing second-hand bookshops, or sketching ideas for future stories in a notebook that always seems to smell faintly of sea salt.

“I write mysteries about people who search for truth — even when it changes everything they thought they knew.”