Dreda was awarded the CWA’s John Creasey dagger in 2005 for her critically acclaimed novel ‘Running Hot’, making her the first black female writer to receive this honour. She grew up on a tough council estate in the heart of London’s East End. Her parents migrated to Britain from the Caribbean in the 1960s. Her dad was a factory worker and her mum a cleaner at Mile End hospital. Although both her parents left school before they were sixteen they made sure that she and her siblings visited Whitechapel library and this is where her love affair with books started.

Some of the people she grew up with drifted into crime and the fringes of the Underworld and it’s this and the changing nature of London that she writes about. She does this in an honest and authentic way, without sentimentality.

She is a frequent reviewer on Radio 4’s Front Row and has appeared as a guest on many other radio shows, including The Simon Mayo and The Saturday Review shows. Her recent guest appearance on Woman’s Hour was extended with Dreda receiving many emails after saying how inspirational her life story and journey was. She has written articles for The Guardian, The Independent and Observer and last year presented a Radio 3 documentary about life on housing estates. Also an education consultant she has a passion for raising the life chances for all working class children. Her work on these issues has been described as inspirational and life changing. She is currently being interviewed by the TES who will produce a large profile about her in their magazine.

She continues to live in the east end.

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