Harry Potter and the hint of death

As a single mother struggling to make ends meet, JK Rowling began her writing career in a small caf� where she lingered for hours over a single cup of coffee.

JK Rowling inscription in Balmoral hotel - Harry Potter
The scrawl on the Balmoral bust

The rest, as they say, is history. Around 325 million book sales later, she has underlined her extraordinary success by finishing the Harry Potter series in rather more upmarket surroundings.