Hammesfahr was born in Immerath (Erkelenz), North Rhine-Westphalia.[3] Her first novel was published in 1991, followed by more than a dozen more and significant popular success by the middle of that decade.
She published over 40 novels in German. Her novel The Sinner was published in English by Bitter Lemon Press in 2007 and again in 2017 in the United States by Penguin Books, translated from the original by John Brownjohn.[4][5][6]The Sinner has been adapted for television by USA Network as an eight-episode limited series starring Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman, and premiered on 2 August 2017. Despite initially being a limited series, the show would be renewed for three more seasons, finally ending on December 1, 2021.
A second translated novel, The Lie, was published by Bitter Lemon Press in 2010.[7]
Hammesfahr, Petra (2006). Am Anfang sind sie noch Kinder Roman (in German). Reinbek bei Hamburg. ISBN3-8052-0818-9. OCLC181495251.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Hammesfahr, Petra (2007). Zum Sterben schön die spannendsten Weihnachtskrimis (in German). [Reinbek bei Hamburg]. ISBN978-3-8052-0847-5. OCLC188153292.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Hammesfahr, Petra (2000). Der stille Herr Genardy Psychothriller (in Danish). Bergisch Gladbach. ISBN978-3-7857-2023-3. OCLC76199513.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Hammesfahr, Petra (2000). Die Mutter : Roman (in German). Reinbeck bei Hamburg: Wunderlich. ISBN3-8052-0673-9. OCLC45218262.
Hammesfahr, Petra (2008). Erinnerung an einen Mörder Roman (in German). [Reinbek bei Hamburg]. ISBN978-3-8052-0860-4. OCLC244078823.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^"The Lie/Petra Hammesfahr". Publishers Weekly. 22 March 2010. Translated from the German by Mike Mitchell; release date (U.S.): 1 April 2010. Retrieved 2017-08-02.