Jan Costin Wagner was born in 1972 in Langen/Hesse near Frankfurt. After studying German language, literature and history at Frankfurt University, he went on to work as a journalist and freelance writer. He divides his time between Germany and Finland (the home country of his wife). His first crime novel featuring Detective Kimmo Joentaa was Ice Moon (2006) and Silence (2010), the second in the series, won the 2008 German Crime Prize. His more recent books in the series include The Winter of the Lions and Light in a Dark House.