Picture a fearless Scottish storyteller who traded newsrooms for novels, weaving gritty tales of corruption and justice—meet Anna Smith! A former chief reporter for the Daily Record, Smith’s pulse-pounding Rosie Gilmour series brings her journalistic edge to crime fiction, tackling human trafficking, corruption, and social injustices with unflinching courage.
From Glasgow’s underbelly to global conflicts, Smith’s life as a journalist shaped her storytelling. Her novels don’t just entertain—they shine a light on the voiceless, blending real-world grit with heart-racing narratives. Ready to dive into her world?
The Making of Anna Smith
Born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, Anna Smith’s working-class roots fueled her drive to uncover truth. Starting at the Daily Record in 1980 at age 22, she rose to chief reporter, covering everything from local crime to wars in Somalia, Rwanda, and Kosovo. Her frontline experiences—facing ambushes and heartbreak—honed her knack for spotting stories others missed. A near-fatal car crash in 2012 pushed her to leave journalism, but she channeled that fire into fiction, creating Rosie Gilmour, a journalist as tenacious as Smith herself.
Anna Smith’s Unforgettable Stories
Smith’s Rosie Gilmour series, launched with The Dead Won’t Sleep in 2011, follows a Glasgow journalist who risks everything to expose corruption. In this debut, Rosie investigates the death of a 14-year-old prostitute, uncovering a web of abuse and power. Its raw authenticity, drawn from Smith’s reporting, hooked readers and sold over 40,000 copies.
To Tell the Truth, the second novel, sees Rosie tackling a child abduction in Spain, diving into human trafficking and corrupt politicians. Screams in the Dark explores refugee exploitation in Glasgow, while Kill Me Twice (2025) follows a supermodel’s mysterious death, exposing sexual abuse tied to Westminster. Smith’s style is fast-paced, her dialogue crackling with Glasgow’s cadence, and her themes—justice, resilience, morality—resonate deeply.
With nine books and counting, Smith’s series blends crime thriller pacing with social commentary, earning praise for being “as gripping as Ian Rankin” (Daily Mail). Her novels don’t shy away from tough topics, reflecting her career-long fight for the marginalized.
Why Anna Smith Matters
Anna Smith’s impact lies in her fearless storytelling. As a journalist, she gave voice to victims of war and crime; as a novelist, she amplifies those stories through Rosie Gilmour’s crusades. Her work bridges fiction and reality, sparking conversations about human trafficking and systemic corruption. Fans love her for crafting a strong female protagonist who’s flawed yet heroic, inspiring readers to question power and seek justice.
Smith’s transition from reporting to fiction proves storytelling can change perspectives. Her legacy endures in every reader who picks up her books, stirred by her call to look beyond the headlines.
- Born: Lanarkshire, Scotland
- Key Works: The Dead Won’t Sleep, To Tell the Truth, Screams in the Dark, Kill Me Twice
- Awards: Multiple journalism awards for frontline reporting
- Fun Fact: She splits her time between Scotland, Ireland, and Spain to dodge dreary weather!
Snag The Dead Won’t Sleep and dive into Anna Smith’s thrilling crime world—Rosie Gilmour’s waiting to take you on a wild ride!