Biography
The author of YA thrillers, Jennifer Lynn Barnes combines a writing career with her work as an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma.
A keen writer from a young age, Jennifer Lynn Barnes wrote her first book while still in high school; she is adamant that no one will ever read it. Aged 19, while studying cognitive science at Yale University, she wrote a novel, Golden, which was published in 2006. She went on to write and publish 4 more books, all while earning advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry and cognitive science from Yale and Cambridge Universities; she earned a PhD from Yale University in 2012.
It was in 2020 that she published her breakout hit, The Inheritance Games, that propelled her into the mainstream. Featuring a high school girl who unexpectedly receives an inheritance from a man she’s never heard of, she finds herself pitted against her disgruntled family members who are determined to do anything to reclaim what’s theirs. It reached the top spot in the New York Times bestsellers list, and 3 more books in the series quickly followed.
With strong female leads, intricate plotting, relatable characters and slow-burn romance, Jennifer Lynn Barnes writes compelling thrillers for young adults that will challenge them to solve puzzles, search for clues and see beyond first impressions. Exploring issues of class, family, poverty and aspirations, Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ action-packed, thought-provoking novels will keep you guessing until the last page.
