New Zealand crime writer Catherine Lea is best known for the DI Nyree Bradshaw series, set in Northland. Her novels combine tightly plotted police procedurals with a strong emotional core, exploring themes of guilt, motherhood, and moral ambiguity. The series begins with The Water’s Dead and has been praised for its atmospheric settings and complex, compassionate portrayal of women in policing. Catherine’s work has been compared to writers such as Ann Cleeves and Tana French, and her latest novel, The Deeper the Dead, continues her exploration of how small-town secrets, personal tragedy, and a diverse multi-cultural landscape shape the stories of the Far North. Catherine brings a sharp eye for detail and character to her fiction, alongside a deep sense of place. Catherine lives in Northland, where she writes full time.