Attica Locke

Attica Locke is an American author, television writer, and producer. Born in Houston, Texas, she attended Northwestern University for her undergraduate degree and the University of Southern California for her MFA. Locke is known for her critically acclaimed crime novels, which often explore themes of race, class, and history in the American South. Her debut novel, Black Water Rising (2009), won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel and was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work. Her subsequent novels, The Cutting Season (2012), Pleasantville (2015), Bluebird, Bluebird (2017), and Heaven, My Home (2021), have also received widespread critical and commercial success. Locke has also written for television, serving as a writer and producer on shows such as "Empire" and "When They See Us." Her work has earned her a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination. Locke's writing is celebrated for its nuanced characters, evocative prose, and unflinching exploration of the complexities of American life. She has been praised by critics and fellow authors for her ability to bring fresh perspectives to the crime genre and for her commitment to social and racial justice.