Nicolas Freeling

Nicolas Freeling, born Nicolas Davidson, was a British crime novelist who is most famous for his series of detective novels featuring the character Van der Valk. Freeling was born in London on March 3, 1927, and led a varied life, including time in the armed services and the catering industry. It was during a three-week prison sentence, after being convicted of stealing some food, that Freeling began his writing career.

Freeling's Van der Valk series was adapted for transmission on the British ITV network by Thames Television during the 1970s and 1980s, and the character of Van der Valk became a household name in the UK. In addition to the Van der Valk series, Freeling also wrote a series of novels featuring Henri Castang. His novel, "The King of the Rainy Country," received a 1967 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Novel. Freeling also won the Gold Dagger of the Crime Writers' Association, and France’s Grand Prix de Littérature Policière.

Freeling's work was not only popular in the UK but also in the Netherlands and France. In 1968, his novel "Love in Amsterdam" was adapted as the film "Amsterdam Affair," starring Wolfgang Kieling as Van der Valk. Freeling spent his later years at his long-standing home in Grandfontaine, to the west of Strasbourg, where he passed away on July 20, 2003.