Craig Russell (born 1956), Fife, Scotland is a novelist and short story writer. His Hamburg-set thriller series featuring detective Jan Fabel has been translated into 20 languages. Craig Russell served as a police officer and worked in the advertising sector as a copywriter and creative director before becoming a full-time writer in 1990. Russell speaks fluent German and has a special interest in post-war German history. His books tend to include historical or mythological themes. In February 2007, Russell was awarded the Polizeistern (Police Star) by the Hamburg police, the only non-German ever to have received this accolade. In June 2007, Russell was shortlisted for the £20,000 CWA Duncan Lawrie Golden Dagger, the world's largest literary prize for crime fiction.
