Thomas Archbold Cotterell (born 12 May 1963) is an English former cricketer and a novelist.

Cotterell was born at Marylebone in May 1963, and was educated at Downside School, before going up to Peterhouse, Cambridge.^[1] While studying at Cambridge, he made his debut in first-class cricket for Cambridge University against Glamorgan at Fenner's in 1983. He played first-class cricket for Cambridge until 1985, making 29 appearances.^[2] Playing as an all-rounder, he scored 617 runs in his 29 appearances for Cambridge, at an average of 19.28 and a high score of 69 not out.^[3] With his slow left-arm orthodox bowling, Cotterell took 41 wickets at a bowling average of 62.78. Though largely ineffective with the ball, he did take a five-wicket haul against Essex in 1983, with figures of 5 for 89.^[4][5] In addition to playing first-class cricket while at Cambridge, he also made seven List A one-day appearances for the Combined Universities cricket team, making four appearances in the 1984 Benson & Hedges Cup and three appearances in the 1985 Benson & Hedges Cup.^[6]

After graduating from Cambridge, Cotterell worked in the City of London as an equities salesman for broking firm Hoare Govett and the investment bank Morgan Stanley.^[7] He left his job in the City in 2000 to pursue his ambition to become a novelist, later writing the psychological thriller What Alice Knew, as well as contributing pieces to The Daily Telegraph. He is married to Emily, they have three children.^[8]