A former journalist and Northern Bureau Chief of a national UK tabloid, Val McDermid is the best-selling author of thirty novels, three story collections, and another non-fiction book called A Suitable Job for a Woman, an inside look at female private investigators. She has received numerous awards recognizing her exceptional career, including the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement in the field of crime writing and the Pioneer Award from Lambda Literary. She lives in Scotland.