Carlo Lucarelli was born in Parma in 1960. While researching for his thesis on the history of Italian law enforcement, he became intrigued by the Italian police force’s role in the political upheavals of the 1940s during and after the Second World War. From this seed grew his character De Luca. Lucarelli hosted a popular Italian television programme on unsolved crimes and mysteries.

Lucarelli is the author of The Darkest Winter.