Michael Dibdin was a British novelist, best known for his crime fiction, particularly featuring the character Aurelio Zen. He was born in Middlesex, England in 1947, but his family moved around quite a bit during his childhood. He spent a significant portion of his youth in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, where he attended the Friends' School, a voluntary grammar school of the Quaker denomination. Dibdin went on to study English Literature at Sussex University and earned his Master's degree from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.
Dibdin's writing career began in 1978 with the publication of his first novel, "The Last Sherlock Holmes Story." After completing this work, he lived in Italy for four years, where he taught English at the University of Perugia. His experiences in Italy would later influence much of his writing, including the creation of his renowned character, Aurelio Zen. Dibdin's second novel, "A Rich Full Death," was published in 1986, and his third novel, "Ratking," introduced the character of Aurelio Zen in 1988, which won the Gold Dagger Award for the Best Crime Novel of the year. Throughout his career, Dibdin wrote a total of 18 books, 11 of which were part of the Aurelio Zen series. The remaining 7 books were standalone novels or other works. He was married three times, most recently to the novelist K.K. Beck. Dibdin passed away in 2007 following a brief illness. His works continue to be celebrated for their penetrating insights into Italian society and culture.