Frédérique Molay

Frédérique Molay was born in Paris and started writing at about age 11. She graduated from the prestigious Institut d'Études Politique ("Sciences Po") and holds a master's degree in Business Administration. She began her political career as the chief of staff for a commission of the French National Assembly. She then worked for local government in Burgundy, ran for office in the European elections, and was elected in Saône-et-Loire. She was also writing crime novels, and her first published book La 7ème femme (The 7th Woman, 2007) won France's prestigious Prix du Quai des Orfèvres for best crime novel. The 7th Woman took France by storm and went on to become an international bestseller. She took a break from politics to write Dent pour Dent (Crossing the Line, 2011) and Déjeuner sous l'herbs (City of Blood, 2012), two more titles in the Paris Homicide series featuring Chief Inspector Nico Sirsky. She also taught French in middle school for a short time, sharing her passion for writing with young teens. In June 2015, while writing her most recent Paris Homicide novel, Looking to the Woods (2016), she returned to politics as the chief of staff for a newly-elected French senator. She now splits her time between Paris and Chalon-sur-Saône. She is a knight in the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, an order of wine lovers who promote Burgundy wines.