Mari Hannah is an award-winning author whose authentic voice is no happy accident. A former probation officer, she has contributed to CID training for Northumbria Police and lives in rural Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective. Mari turned to scriptwriting when her career was cut short following an assault on duty. Her debut, The Murder Wall (adapted from a script she developed with the BBC) won her the Polari First Book Prize. Its follow-up, Settled Blood, picked up a Northern Writers' Award. She went on to be shortlisted for the Dagger in the Library and is currently Reader in Residence for Harrogate International Crime Writing Festival.

'Brutal and engaging. Mari Hannah writes with a sharp eye and a dark heart' Peter James 'A satisfyingly meaty read' Guardian 'Hannah is especially good at portraying the emotional interactions and office politics of a fraught police force' The Times 'Brilliant plotting and scene setting, an outspoken, reckless and determined woman chief inspector, a carefully crafted supporting cast and police procedural detail so real that it's like being a fly on the wall make this an outstanding first novel...fast paced, confidently written and seamlessly flowing murder mystery fraught with sexual tensions and naked ambition' Lancashire Evening Post 'Welcome a great new British crime writer...Top class' Peterborough Evening Telegraph 'I found The Murder Wall thrilling, exciting and fresh. The writing was crisp, the story engaging and the plots made for a real page-turner' Stoke on Trent Sentinel 'I became completely absorbed in this debut novel and eagerly anticipate her second...' Hull Daily Mail 'A police procedural par excellence and one of the most assured debuts I've ever read. Mari Hannah is a skilled plotter with a great eye for character and a wealth of personal experience in the field to draw on. Make no mistake, she is going to be huge' CrimeFictionLover blog 'Joining Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves is a new and distinct voice in crime fiction ... page-turning' The Journal