Cathryn Kemp

Cathryn Kemp is a bestselling writer of memoirs, both her own and as a ghostwriter.

Her first book was PAINKILLER ADDICT (Piatkus, 2012), a gripping memoir that offers a deeply personal window into one of the biggest medical scandals of the century - drug addiction aided by hospitals and doctors. The book is a love story, a horror story, a survival story and a battle for dignity and freedom that has become a classic of its kind. Unlike the vast majority of addicts, Cathryn has chosen not to remain anonymous and has talked publicly about her addiction. She was awarded the Peter Wilson award for journalism and her book won the Big Red Read for non-fiction in 2013. It was re-released as COMING CLEAN in February 2017. In 2019, COMING CLEAN was included on the Thames Valley GP Training Resource lists, and Cathryn has been asked to speak to Hastings and Rother GPs about her journey through addiction to prescribed opioids.

Cathryn also wrote the life story of her grandmother Hilda Kemp in two volumes, WE AIN'T GOT NO DRINK, PA and A FISH SUPPER AND A CHIPPY SMILE (Orion), both of which hit the Sunday Times top 20 in 2015 and chronicle the life of a spirited and determined fish and chip shop lady from South East London in the 20th century. JAM BUTTIES AND A PAN O' SCOUSE (Trapeze, 2016), written with 96 year old Liverpudlian Maggie Clark, tells the story of a life of much hardship set against the tight-knit community of 1930s Liverpool. Other ghosted books not listed here for confidentiality reasons have hit the bestseller lists. Her most recent titles are three books written in conjunction with the Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary, published in 2018. She is now working on a series of novels.
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Cathryn continues to work as a journalist and ghostwriter. She also runs the charity Painkiller Addiction Information Network (PAIN) and is much in demand as a spokesperson on issues around painkillers.

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Praise for Cathryn Kemp
'A brave, heartfelt and extraordinary book.' Corinne Sweet

'A deeply moving book about recovering from loss on many levels. This story gripped me at gut level from page one.' Gael Lindenfield

'Compelling and highly topical.' Bookseller

Frankly written and courageous.' Big Issue

Praise for other titles:
'What a fantastic read, but not for the faint-hearted!' Martina Cole

'True crime has never been more female - or more deadly.'  Kimberley Chambers