Michael Katz Krefeld

Michael Katz Krefeld is a Danish crime fiction author. He won the Crime Book Festival’s Audience Award in 2018 and the Martha Award in 2016. The books he has written have been published in 20 countries.

Michael Katz Krefeld was born in Gammel Holte and raised in the suburbs west of Copenhagen. He is the grandchild of crime novelist Hermann Krefeld. Michael began his career in the arts by writing and directing short films, gaining international recognition, and having his work featured on TV networks in Germany and the USA.

Transitioning to television, Michael wrote scripts for popular Danish TV shows, including Nikolaj & Julie, Hotellet, Skjulte Spor, and Nynne.

His debut novel, Før Stormen, earned him the Danish Crime Academy's first novel award in 2007. This success was followed by Pans hemmelighed, Protokollen, and Sort sne falder, the latter winning the Harald Mogensen Award for Best Danish Crime Novel in 2012.

Since 2013, Krefeld has been writing the bestselling series about private detective Ravn, with titles such as Derailed, Missed," "The Sect," "The Deep," "The Covenant," "Guardian Angel," and most recently The Empire. He plans to complete a total of 10 volumes in the Ravn series.

Parallel to the Ravn series, Michael is also crafting a trilogy about crime commissioner Cecilie Marstil, which has captivated critics and readers alike with Mørket Kalder and Nattens Udyr.

In a recent interview, Michael discussed Darkness Calls, the first book in the Cecilie Mars trilogy and the first of his crime novels published in English in 2023. The book introduces readers to Cecilie Mars, a complex character who navigates the blurred lines between law enforcement and vigilantism. Michael highlights his interest in writing about flawed heroes and underdogs, reflecting his fascination with characters who face and overcome daunting challenges.

Darkness Calls sets Cecilie against a vigilante and places her in a precarious position with Internal Affairs. One of Michael's favorite scenes involves a dramatic escape on a motorway bridge, epitomizing the book's intensity and Cecilie's resilience.

Michael anticipates the English translation of the first three Ravn books, noting the character's cozy yet sinister Copenhagen setting and the humor and intensity shared with Darkness Calls. He also comments on the appeal of Scandinavian crime fiction abroad and credits his grandfather, Hermann Krefeld, and other crime authors as influences on his writing.

Michael plans to release three standalone novels featuring Cecilie Mars, promising an exhilarating conclusion to the trilogy. He is also working on the eighth Ravn book, set to be published in Denmark in the coming autumn.

Michael Katz Krefeld lives in Copenhagen.

Photo credit: www.michaelkatzkrefeld.dk