Kate Atkinson

Kate Atkinson was born in York and now lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, won the Whitbread Book of the Year in 1995. Her critically acclaimed second and third novels, Human Croquet and Emotionally Weird are also published by Black Swan as is her collection of short stories, Not the End of the World. Her most recent novel is the acclaimed bestseller Case Histories.

Alex Barclay

Alex Barclay is the author of Darkhouse, a dark and gritty thriller set in the U.S. and in Ireland. Alex studied journalism at university and went on to pursue a successful career as a journalist and copywriter. She is published in the U.K. by HarperCollins and in the U.S. by Bantam Dell, who are releasing Darkhouse in hardback in May '06. On publication in the UK, it went straight into The Sunday Times hardback top ten bestseller list.

www.alexbarclay.co.uk

Mark Billingham

Mark Billingham is a stand-up comedian, appearing regularly at the Comedy Store.  He has been awarded the 2003 Sherlock Award as the creator of the Best Detective created by a British writer and in 2005 won the first Theakston's Old Peculiar Award for the Best Crime Novel of the Year with LAZYBONES.

www.markbillingham.com

Simon Brett

Simon Brett worked as a light entertainment producer in radio and TV before taking up writing full time in 1979. As well as the Charles Paris and Mrs Pargeter detective series, Simon is also the author of the radio and television series After Henry, the radio series No Commitments and the best-selling How to be a Little Sod. His novel A Shock to the System was made into a film, starring Michael Caine. His recent TV credits include the ROSEMARY AND THYME series for ITV1 starring Felicity Kendall and Pam Ferris. Married with three children, he lives in an Agatha Christie-style village on the South Downs.

Ann Cleeves

As a member of the 'Murder Squad', Ann works with other Northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann has published five novels of psychological suspense: The Crow Trap, The Sleeping and the Dead, Burial of Ghosts, Telling Tales and, most recently, Raven Black. She is also the author of the Inspector Ramsay novels. Ann lives in West Yorkshire.

www.anncleeves.com

Barbara Cleverly

Barbara Cleverly was born in the north of England and is a graduate of Durham University. Her first novel The Last Kashmiri Rose, was named by the New York Times 'as a notable book of 2002,' and in 2004 she won the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger for Damascened Blade.

www.barbaracleverly.com

Martina Cole

Martina Cole first made headlines in 1992, when her debut novel Dangerous Lady was bought by Headline for a then record-breaking advance and became an overnight bestseller. Fourteen years on and twelve outstanding novels later Martina Cole is one of the UK's best known and most successful crime authors. Her most recent novel The Take was No. 1 on the Sunday Times hardback bestseller list for several weeks and total sales of her novels now exceed four million copies. As Martina says: "I come from a bit of a rough place in Essex, the sort of place where people go to prison. I didn't play any part in this, but I knew all about it. If I hadn't been tough, I wouldn't have survived. I am writing about what I know, and what I don't I find out about."

John Connolly

John Connolly was born in Dublin, and since the success of his first thriller, EVERY DEAD THING, each of his novels have been Sunday Times bestsellers. He is a winner of the US Shamus Award for detective fiction.

www.johnconnolly.co.uk

Natasha Cooper

An ex-publisher, past Chair of the Crime Writers' Association, and lifelong Londoner, Natasha Cooper writes for a variety of newspapers and journals, including Crime Time and The Times Literary Supplement. She contributes to many radio programmes such as Woman's Hour and Saturday Review, and regularly speaks at crime-writing conferences on both sides of the Atlantic.

www.usualsuspects.co.uk

Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver was born outside of Chicago in 1950. After receiving a degree in journalism, Deaver worked as a magazine writer before enrolling at Law School. After graduation he practiced law for a time and worked for several years as an attorney for a large Wall Street firm. It was during his long commute to and from the office that he began writing the type of fiction he enjoyed reading: suspense novels. In 1990 he started to write full time. Since then Deaver has now written 21 novels, sold over 20 million books worldwide and has been a Sunday Times Bestseller in this country with the last 8 books.

www.jefferydeaver.com

Stella Duffy

Stella Duffy has written ten novels, Parallel Lies (Virago) and Mouths of Babes Serpent’s Tail) were both published in 2005. State of Happiness was long listed for the 2004 Orange Prize, and is in development with Fiesta Productions for whom she is also writing the screenplay. She was co-editor of the anthology Tart Noir, from which her story Martha Grace won the 2002 CWA Short Story Award. She has written over thirty short stories and many feature articles. With the National Youth Theatre she adapted her novel Immaculate Conceit for the Lyric Hammersmith, most recently writing and directing Cell Sell for the NYT at the Soho Theatre. She also writes and performs for theatre and radio. Stella was born in South London, grew up in New Zealand, and has lived in the UK since 1986. She is married to the writer Shelley Silas.

www.tartcity.com

Frances Fyfield

Frances Fyfield is a criminal lawyer, a trade she has used to huge success in many of her novels.  She lives in London and in Deal, by the sea which is her passion.  She has won several awards, including the Silver Dagger.

Robert Goddard

In a writing career spanning almost twenty years Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive. Robert's latest novel is Never Go Back.

Allan Guthrie

Allan Guthrie was born in Orkney and now lives in Edinburgh. His first novel TwoWay Split was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger. He has published several short stories and is editor of Noir Originals; commissioning editor for both Pulp Originals and Point Blank Press. His second novel Kiss Her Goodbye has been nominated for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America.

www.allanguthrie.co.uk

Peter Guttridge

Peter Guttridge was born in Burnley, Lancashire and educated at Oxford and Nottingham Universities. A freelance journalist specialising in literature, film and comedy, he has written for top national newspapers and magazines including The Independent, The Times and The Telegraph and is the crime reviewer for The Observer. His latest crime novel is Cast Adrift, published by Allison & Busby.

www.peterguttridge.com

John Harvey

John Harvey is the author of the richly praised Charlie Resnick novels, the first of which, Lonely Hearts, was named by The Times as one of the '100 Best Crime Novels of the Century.' His first novel featuring retired Detective Inspector Frank Elder, Flesh and Blood, won the CWA Silver Dagger in 2004, and also won a Barry award for the Best British Crime Novel published in the US in 2004.

www.mellotone.co.uk

Mo Hayder

Mo Hayder was born in Essex. After leaving school at fifteen she worked as a barmaid, security guard, film-maker, hostess in a Tokyo club, educational administrator and teacher of English as a foreign language in Vietnam. She now writes full time and is the author of Birdman, The Treatment (which won the 2001 WH Smith Thumping Good Read Award) and Tokyo. All are published by Bantam Books.

www.mohayder.net

P.D. James

P.D. James served in the forensic and criminal justice departments of the Home Office until her retirement in 1979. She was made a Life Peer in 1991. Her detective novels include Cover Her Face, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, Death of an Expert Witness, A Taste for Death, Original Sin, A Certain Justice, Death in Holy Orders and The Murder Room. Many of them have been adapted for television. Her autobiography Time to be in Earnest appeared in 1991.

Paul Johnston

Paul Johnston was born in 1957 in Edinburgh, where he lived before going to Oxford University. He made his home on a small Greek island for several years and now divides his time between the UK and Greece. He is the author of six highly-acclaimed previous novels: Body Politic, won the CWA John Creasey Memorial Dagger for best first crime novel, The Bone Yard, Water of Death, The Blood Tree, The House of Dust and featuring PI Alex Mavros, A Deeper Shade of Blue and The Last Red Death. Paul is currently working on a new novel.

www.paul-johnston.co.uk

Simon Kernick

Simon Kernick's gritty crime novels are renowned for getting right under the skin of contemporary London. He has written five novels to date; THE BUSINESS OF DYING, THE MURDER EXCHANGE, THE CRIME TRADE, A GOOD DAY TO DIE and most recently RELENTLESS. Simon lives with his wife and two young children near London.

www.simonkernick.com

Mark Lawson

Mark Lawson was born in London in 1962. He has worked for the Universe, the Times, the Sunday Times, the Independent, the Independent on Sunday and, currently, the Guardian, where he is a cultural columnist and television critic; he has won many awards for his journalism. He is also an award-winning broadcaster, best known as host of BBC Radio 4’s Front Row and BBC2’s Newsnight Review. He has written one non-fiction book and four works of fiction – most recently Enough Is Enough Or The Emergency Government, to be published in paperback in June 2006.

Shane Maloney

Shane Maloney is deputy director of the Brunswick Institute, a weather board think-tank financed by his wife. The Brush-Off was awarded the 1996 Ned Kelly Prize for Best Crime Novel, and short-listed for the 1996 Vance Palmer Prize for fiction. Shane Maloney is also the author of Stiff, Nice Try, Something Fishy and The Big Ask

www.shanemaloney.com

Val McDermid

Val McDermid grew up in a Scottish mining community then read English at Oxford. She was a journalist for sixteen years, spending the last three years as Northern Bureau Chief of a national Sunday tabloid. Now a full time writer, her novels have won international acclaim and a number of prestigious awards. Her thriller series featuring criminal profiler, Tony Hill, has been adapted for television under the generic title Wire in the Blood and stars Robson Green.

James McGee

James McGee was an army brat who grew up in Gibraltar, Germany and Northern Ireland. He has worked in banking, sales, newspapers and the airline industry, but for the last fifteen years he has been a bookseller. His interest in the Napoleonic Wars dates back to his school days when he read C. S. Forrester's The Gun. Nowadays he resides in East Sussex.

Mark Mills

Mark Mills is a screenwriter. His film credits include The Reckoning, an adaptation of Barry Unsworth's 'Morality Play'. His first novel, 'The Whaleboat House' (originally published in hardback as 'Amagansett'), won the 2004 Crime Writers' Association Award for best crime novel by a debut author. He lives in London with his wife and two children.

Denise Mina

Denise Mina is the author of Garnethill, for which she won the John Creasey Award for best crime novel in 1998, Exile, Resolution, Sanctum, and The Field of Blood. Her latest novel is The Dead Hour and she lives with her partner and two young sons in Glasgow.

Greg Mosse

Greg Mosse graduated in Drama and English from Goldsmiths College, University of London. He has published works of science fiction, children’s stories and commercial and literary translation and is an experienced editor and creative writing teacher. Greg and Kate Mosse work together via www.mosselabyrinth.co.uk, an online creative resource based around the research for Kate's latest novel Labyrinth, published in 2005.

Kate Mosse

An author and broadcaster, Kate Mosse is the Co-Founder & Honorary Director of the Orange Prize for Fiction. A regular guest on radio and television, she is a presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Review, a book reviewer for BBC2’s The Culture Show and a guest presenter on Radio 4’s Open Book. In 2000, she was named European Woman of Achievement for her contribution to the arts. Kate lives with her husband and children in West Sussex and Carcassonne. Visit www.mosselabyrinth.co.uk for more information.

Margaret Murphy

Margaret Murphy is the author of nine highly acclaimed psychological crime novels, published in the UK, USA, and in translation across Europe. Her Liverpool-based series, featuring Chief Inspector Jeff Rickman and Detective Sergeant Foster, evokes the gritty reality of crime in one of Britain’s most vibrant and brutal cities. Margaret is Founder of Murder Squad, a touring group of crime writers. She teaches on the MA in Writing at Liverpool JMU, and delivers a regular writing masterclass on BBC Radio Merseyside.
Now You See Me: ‘The truly exciting ending is a triumph of inventiveness… altogether original.’ Guardian

www.margaretmurphy.co.uk

Barbara Nadel

Barbara Nadel grew up in the East End of London. She has worked as the public relations officer for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship and as a mental health advocate in a psychiatric hospital. She has also worked with sexually abused teenagers and taught psychology. She has been a regular visitor to Turkey for over twenty years. She is the author of seven previous novels set in Istanbul, including Deadly Web, which won the 2005 CWA Gold Dagger Award.. Headline recently published the first in a new series set during the Blitz in East London, Last Rights.

George Pelecanos

Born in Washington, D.C. in 1957. He worked as a line cook, dishwasher, bartender, shoe salesman, electronics salesman, and construction worker before publishing his first novel in 1992.

George Pelecanos is the author of thirteen crime/noir novels set in and around Washington, D.C.: The Big Blowdown was the recipient of the International Crime Novel of the Year award in France, Germany, and Japan. His short fiction has appeared in Esquire. He is an award-winning journalist and pop-culture essayist who has written for The Washington Post, GQ, and numerous other publications. Esquire magazine called Pelecanos ‘the poet laureate of the D.C. crime world.’

George Pelecanos lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with his wife and three children. He is currently writing for the hit TV series The Wire and is also at work on his next novel.

Ian Rankin

Ian Rankin is the UK's number one best-selling crime writer. He lives in Edinburgh, and writes about the city in his award-winning 'Inspector Rebus' novels. The books have been dramatised for TV (starring John Hannah), and are translated into 24 languages. Ian Rankin also appears regularly on TV, notably as a reviewer on BBC2's 'Newsnight Review'. His 3-part documentary series on the subject of evil was broadcast on Channel 4 in December 2002.

www.ianrankin.net

John Rickards

John Rickards is in his late twenties and lives in the south of England. He has published two novels, WINTER'S END and THE TOUCH OF GHOSTS, and his third, THE DARKNESS INSIDE, will come out this November. All feature ex-FBI agent Alex Rourke.

www.johnrickards.com

Michael Robotham

Before writing full-time, Michael Robotham was an investigative journalist in Britain, Australia and the US. He is the pseudonymous author of 10 best-selling non-fiction titles, involving prominent figures in the military, the arts, sport and science. His debut novel, 'The Suspect', was published in 2004 and has become an international bestseller. 'The Drowning Man' is his second novel.

www.michaelrobotham.com

Craig Russell

Craig Russell was born in 1956, in Fife, Scotland. He served as a police officer and worked in the advertising industry as a copywriter and creative director. Russell, who speaks German and has a long-standing interest in post-war German history and society, has been a freelance writer for twelve years. He now lives in the West of Scotland. His second novel, Brother Grimm, publishes in June 2006.

www.craigrussell.com

Robert Ryan

The Last Sunset is the fifth book in Robert Ryan’s series of novels based on real stories of the Second World War. Robert Ryan is a journalist has written for a wide range of publications including The Sunday Times, The Face, Arena, Esquire and Conde Naste Traveller. He was born in Liverpool and now lives in London.

Clare Sambrook

Clare Sambrook is a mother of two, a karate black belt and an investigative journalist. Born in 1964, Clare graduated from Cambridge and lived for several years in Notting Hill, the setting for Hide & Seek. She now lives in Cumbria and is working on her second novel.

Dreda Say Mitchell

Dreda Say Mitchell's critically acclaimed first novel, Running Hot, was awarded this year's CWA John Creasey Memorial Dagger. She is the first black British writer to have been honoured with this award. She is the recipient of an Arts Council writing bursary and has been a guest on a variety of radio shows, including the Robert Elms Show and Radio 4's Front Row. She was born in London's East End, where she continues to live.

Chris Simms

Chris Simms has worked in airports, nightclubs, post offices and telesales centres. After traveling throughout the world he settled near Manchester, the location for his books. He is married with four children and works as a freelance copywriter. Simms’ previous novels are OUTSIDE THE WHITE LINES, PECKING ORDER (both Random House) and KILLING THE BEASTS (Orion).

www.chrissimms.info

Olen Steinhauer

Olen Steinhaurer's first two novels The Bridge of Sighs and the Confesion, have garnered thus far an Edgar nomination, an Anthony nomination, A Macavity nomination , a Historical nomination and rave reviews. Inspired to write his Eastern European series while on a Fullbright Fellowship in Romania, Steinhauer was raised in Texas and now lives in Budapest, Hungary.

www.olensteinhauer.com

Andrew Taylor

Andrew Taylor is the award-winning author of a number of crime novels, including the Dougal series, the Lydmouth books and the Barred Window.

His critically acclaimed, award-winning historical thriller, The American Boy, is a Richard and Judy Book Club Selection. He and his wife live with their children in the Forest of Dean.

www.andrew-taylor.co.uk

Cathi Unsworth

Cathi Unsworth began her journalistic career at nineteen on the music paper Sounds. Later headhunted by Melody Maker, she worked there as a feature writer and reviewer for several years before joining Bizarre magazine. As a freelance journalist, Cathi has contributed to Mojo, Uncut, Kerrang!, GQ and many more. She now works as a freelance editor and lives in West London.

Martyn Waites

Born and raised in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Martyn Waites now lives in Essex with his wife and two children. He has turned his hand to many professions: market trader, bar manager, stand-up comic and professional actor, a career he now combines with writing. Most recent TV appearances include a benefit fraud advertisement and The New Adventures of Robin Hood on Channel 5! Martyn is Writer in Residence at Huntercombe Young Offenders' Institution in Oxfordshire.

Louise Welsh

Louise Welsh has published a wide range of short stories and articles. Her debut novel – The Cutting Room – was a bestseller in the UK and has already sold into more than a dozen languages. She was chosen as one of Britain’s Best First Novelists of 2002 by the Guardian and won The Crime Writers’ Association Creasey Dagger for the best first crime novel. She lives in Glasgow where she ran an antiquarian bookshop for many years.

Charlie Williams

Charlie Williams was born in 1971 in Worcester. He read English at Swansea University. During a brief visit to Worcester he was arrested for fighting a bouncer and bound over to keep the peace for six months. He moved to London but couldn’t resist the lure of his hometown and moved back to Worcester in 2003. His first novel, Deadfolk, was published in 2004.

www.charliewilliams.net

Laura Wilson

Laura was brought up in London and has degrees in English Literature from Somerville College, Oxford and UCL, London. She has worked briefly as a teacher and more successfully as an editor of non-fiction books. She has written history books for children and is interested in history, particularly of the recent past, painting and sculpture, uninhabited buildings, underground structures, cemeteries and time capsules. Laura lives in North London with her basset hound, Freeway.

Robert Wilson

Robert Wilson was born in 1957. A graduate of Oxford University he has worked in shipping and advertising in London and trading in West Africa. He is married and divides his time between England, Spain and Portugal.Robert Wilson won the CWA Gold Dagger Award for A Small Death in Lisbon - Britain's highest award for crime writing.