ig Smith is a former English professor from the American mid-west, who now lives with his wife, Martha, near Lucerne in Switzerland. His first Myrmidon titles, The Painted Messiah, and The Blood Lance sold strongly and were translated into fifteen languages. In 2011, his third book, Cold Rain, was shortlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller. His hobbies are Roman history, mountain trekking and the occasional game of bridge.