S.J. Parris is the pen name of Stephanie Merritt, a renowned author and critic from the United Kingdom. Merritt began her career in journalism while still in college, reviewing books for national newspapers as she pursued her English literature degree at Queens' College, Cambridge. After graduation, she quickly climbed the ranks to become Deputy Literary Editor of The Observer in 1999.
Merritt has established herself as a prominent figure in the literary world, working as a feature writer and critic for the Guardian and the Observer. She has also expanded her repertoire to include curation and production of talks and debates on contemporary arts and politics, having served as the curator and producer of the Talks and Debates program at London's Soho Theatre from 2007-2008.
In addition to her work as a critic and curator, Merritt has made appearances as a panelist on various Radio Four shows and BBC2's Newsnight Review. She is also a regular chair and presenter at the Hay Festival and the National Theatre. Merritt has further demonstrated her expertise in the literary world by serving as a judge for the Costa Biography Award, the Orange New Writing Award, and the Perrier Comedy Award. She currently resides in the south of England with her son.
Under the pen name S.J. Parris, Merritt has gained success as the author of the Giordano Bruno series of books, which began in 2010 with the release of "Heresy." The series follows the character of Giordano Bruno, a former monk who becomes a detective in Renaissance London.