Yrsa Sigurdardottir

**Yrsa Sigurdardottir (born 1963)** Yrsa Sigurdardottir is an Icelandic crime writer, engineer, and businesswoman. Born in Reykjavik, she studied civil engineering and worked in construction and telecommunications before pursuing her passion for writing. Sigurdardottir's debut novel, "Last Rituals," won the Icelandic Crime Fiction Award in 2005. It launched her Thora Gudmundsdottir series, which features a female police inspector working in Reykjavik. The series has become an international bestseller, translated into over 40 languages. Other notable works include the standalone novels "The Legacy" (2010), "The Silence of the Sea" (2018), and "The Stranger" (2022). Her books have received critical acclaim for their strong characters, atmospheric settings, and intricate plots. Sigurdardottir has won numerous awards, including the Glass Key Award (2006) and the Nordic Crime Fiction Prize (2008). Her novels have been praised for their psychological depth, social commentary, and ability to captivate readers.