Katie Tallo was born in Toronto, Ontario, and grew up in the suburbs of Ottawa. From a young age, she had a love for swimming and movies, often dreaming up plays for her friends to act out. This early interest in storytelling led her to attend movie camp and participate in theatre workshops. Although she landed the role of the spinster librarian in a grade eight school play, which was the highlight of her acting career, Tallo's passion for storytelling eventually led her down a different path.
After studying Film and English literature, Tallo married a bartender, had a daughter, and spent several decades writing screenplays and making films and TV shows. She still works in video production as a writer and director. In 2013, Tallo decided to try her hand at novel writing, and her first attempt won her the top prize in a UK writing competition. However, it wasn't until 2020 that she made her publishing debut with the thriller "Dark August," which became an international bestseller and inspired a sequel, "Poison Lilies." In the follow-up, Tallo brings back her feisty female protagonist, Gus, and trusty canine sidekick Levi for another creepy cold case. Tallo is currently writing the third installment in the series.