Petronella McGovern

Bestselling Author

Petronella McGovern writes twisty page-turners focusing on everyday characters
and contemporary issues. Her four best-sellers, The Last Trace, The Liars, The
Good Teacher and Six Minutes, have been nominated for a number of awards. They
cover hot-button topics and are popular with book clubs. Her new novel, Every Time
She Wakes, is a taut, time-bending thriller about family, identity and defying fate.
Petronella is fascinated by what makes us tick, the lies we tell and the secrets we
keep. She is a member of the Australian Crime Writers Association and Sisters in
Crime Australia, and has a Masters of Arts in Creative Writing. Petronella tutors in
creative writing, presents workshops and speaks at literary events. She also judges
literary awards.
Her first novel, Six Minutes, debuted on the Australian best-seller list and was
nominated in the 2020 Ned Kelly Awards, the Davitt Awards, and the Australian
Independent Bookseller Awards. The Good Teacher was also listed in the Davitt
Awards and The Liars was selected in the Top 100 Big W / Better Reading list for
2023. Petronella’s fourth novel, The Last Trace, is a gripping family thriller, partly
inspired by her travels in eastern Africa and her experience working at an American
summer camp. Her newest book, Every Time She Wakes, will be released in July
2026. It has been described as original and propulsive—a family drama blended with
high octane stakes.
Petronella has co-written two non-fiction books: an Olympic memoir, Trailblazers:
Australia's First Olympic Equestrians, and a travelogue, For Love and a Beetle. She
grew up on a farm in central west NSW and now lives in Sydney on Gadigal Country.

Web: https://www.petronellamcgovern.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PetronellaMcGovern
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