Ann Cleeves grew up in North Devon. She has worked as bird observatory cook, women's refuge worker, probation officer and auxiliary coastguard. She started writing when her ornithologist husband was warden of Hilbre, an otherwise uninhabited island in the Dee Estuary.
She has written two distinct series. In the first an elderly naturalist solves conservation crime. These books are presently being reprinted in paperback by Allison and Busby. The second features Inspector Ramsay and is set in Northumberland. A Lesson in Dying was serialised on Radio Four. Her most recent novel, The Crow Trap (Macmillan 1999), is set in Northumberland too, but is quite a different book. A psychological thriller, it has three women narrators.
Ann has worked as reader in residence in libraries in the north of England, and is involved in setting up readers' groups in prisons. She is a member of Murder Squad.
Her short film, Catching Birds, won a Television Society Award
A Bird in the Hand - Century Hutchinson/Arrow - 1986
Come Death and High Water Century/Arrow - 1987
Murder in Paradise Century/Arrow - 1988
A Prey to Murder Century/Arrow - 1989
A Lesson in Dying Century/Arrow/A&B - 1990
Murder in my Backyard Century/Arrow/A&B - 1991
Another Man's Poison Macmillan/A&B - 1992
A Day in the Death of Dorothea Cassidy Macmillan/A&B - 1992
Sea Fever Macmillan/A&B - 1993
Killjoy Macmillan/A&B - 1993
The Mill on the Shore Macmillan - 1994
The Healers Macmillan/A&B - 1995
High Island Blues Macmillan - 1996
The Babysnatcher Macmillan/A&B - 1997
The Crow Trap Macmillan(1999)/Pan(2001)
