Sandra Lessmann


Biography



I was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1969 and I also grew up there, but I always wanted to get out into the world.
When I was sixteen I regularly travelled to Paris; as soon as I came of age, I moved to London and worked there (as a chambermaid) in a four-star hotel on Piccadilly for five years.
I have been writing as long as I can remember, whenever I had time.
 
Actually, I only left London for Germany again to study history. I wanted to write historical novels, but I was well aware that I needed to acquire the tools of the trade first.
My attachment to London, however, remains and England will always be the favourite setting for my novels. There I spent some of the most important years of my life and learned to become independent. It is not surprising then that in my studies at university I specialised in English history.
In 2003 I got my M.A. in history, English and history of arts. As a research assistant at the Institute for the History of Medicine at the Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf I discovered how exciting this area of history can be, even for someone who is not in the medical profession.
I am a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Catholic Record Society and the Syndikat (Society of German Crime Writers).




As you can see in these photos I like to live the periods I write about.





Here I'm making the acquaintance of King Charles II at Madame Tussaud's.