Jemima Norton started writing when her children went to school. She wrote every afternoon in bound journals, and eventually the Hal Westwood Restoration Mysteries series was born.

Jemima lived in a tiny village on the edge of the Cotswolds of England with her husband and several cats. Her study overlooked the Malvern Hills and fields of sheep, and she drew inspiration from the surrounding landscape. There are English Civil War battlefields scattered throughout the region and the Battle of Worcester took place nearby, so the towns and villages in her books are based on real places in the Cotswolds. Her house was built in the 16th century and was visited by, amongst others, Sir Walter Raleigh. William Shakespeare is reputed to have staged his plays in a barn in the grounds of her manor house. Her family spent many years lovingly restoring the house and gardens.

Jemima had a passion for social history. She was fascinated by the details of everyday life in the past, and she strove to capture the voices of her characters as authentically as possible. Jemima was also an avid gardener and enjoyed visiting country house gardens around England.