Tracy Chevalier was born in 1962 in Washington D.C. and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. She graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and received her M.A. in creative writing from the University of East Anglia in 1993. Chevalier lives in London with her family and writes historical fiction novels that often focus on the experiences of women in history during times when their abilities were not fully recognized. Some of her most well-known novels include Girl with a Pearl Earring, which was adapted into a film, and Falling Angels, set in London's Highgate Cemetery. Chevalier finds inspiration for her stories from various works of art and people throughout history.