Danielle Thiéry

Born in 1947, Danielle Thiéry comes from a long line of Burgundy farmers. While studying classics, law, and psychology, she trained as a counsellor for children. It was this that first inspired her interest in law enforcement. She joined France’s police force in 1969, one of the first women ever admitted.

She began her career in Lyon, where she was assigned to Child Protection, then to Drug Enforcement (becoming head of the division at 25 years old), and the Vice Division, gaining recognition for her success in these fields that had previously been closed to women. In 1976 she became one of the first women to reach the rank of Commissary, an achievement that was widely covered in the French press.   In the following years, transport security became Danielle’s specialty – developing an expertise in anti-terrorist work through her experience with border surveillance, airport services (as chief of police at Lyon Airport), and the railroad police (as head of the National Railroad Police). She was promoted to Division Commissary in 1991, the first woman in France’s history to reach this rank.

Having always been an avid reader of thrillers in particular, it was while she worked on a French TV series based on her life that Danielle developed a passion for writing. She is now the author of 25 books, for which she has received several awards – notably the prestigious Quai des Orfèvres prize for her novel Des Clous dans le cœur in 2013. She is also a non-fiction writer on the French police force, and historical criminal cases.

Danielle has also worked on original audiovisual projects. Most notably, she co-wrote the television adaptation of her series of novels featuring Superintendent Marion for the French TV channel 13ème rue, entitled Marion. The series was broadcast in 2022, and a second season is currently in development. She has since written for many other TV series and telefilms, and she is currently writing an ecological thriller series.

As a fan of American detective thrillers and their gripping darkness, Danielle’s books shed light on the real-life experience of police officers who see the worst of humanity every day, and depend on one another for survival.