Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Bernard MacLaverty received his education at the Holy Family Primary School, and then at St. Malachy's College. As an adult, he worked as a medical technician, and attended Queen's University. MacLaverty lived in Belfast until 1975, when he and his wife moved to Scotland, along with their four children, where the family still reside.
In 1977, MacLaverty published his first work, Secrets & Other Stories, and has continued to write consistently in the ensuing decades. His notable works include his first novel Lamb, and Cal, the latter of which explores how love and family have been affected by the violence between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland. His...