Elaine Watson was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Maryland, Kentucky and Delaware, as a preacher's child, along with an older brother and younger sister. She has her Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Delaware Technical & Community College and attended the University of Delaware for two years. She is the author of 15 children's picture books and two colouring books, plus numerous magazine and newspaper articles. She lives in Gettysburg with her sister. Together they own an on-line Lego business. Her hobbies include cross-stitch, enjoying the local battlefield, shooting bow and arrow and BB guns.

"Watson gives a thorough account of what happened on the fateful morning of August 4th 1892 and the subsequent trial, but in the final chapters puts forward her theory and describes how the crime might have occurred – I won’t spoil it by telling you what those chapters contain, but the theory is quite reasonable and should please any number of armchair detectives!" - www.ittakesawoman.co.uk