About the Author
Moving from upstate New York to the vibrant streets of New York City and Berlin, Thomas Griffin has spent a lifetime exploring different cultures and histories. His experiences have shaped his crime novels significantly.
Born in upstate New York, Thomas Griffin grew up in a small town near Seneca Lake before moving to New York City as a teenager. In New York City, he completed his high school education in Brooklyn, which sparked in him a strong curiosity for history and an appreciation of literature. Thomas continued to pursue his interest in these subjects when attending a local college, majoring in history and minoring in English literature.
After completing his BA, Thomas spent a year in Europe, including several months in Berlin. During his stay, he enhanced his German language skills through courses at the Freie Universität. In Berlin, he also began his writing career as a freelance author, working for American newspapers and magazines with a focus on lifestyle and cultural issues. Later, he also became involved in film documentaries.
When he returned to the US, Thomas enrolled in a graduate program in history with a minor in political science. After earning his MA, he taught history at a small, private liberal arts college in the Midwest for several years. Eventually, Thomas transitioned into administration, working for the admissions office and later for the public relations office.
After a brief marriage and subsequent divorce, Thomas returned to freelance journalism and decided to further explore Europe, in particular the unified Germany. He returned to and settled in Berlin, where he rented an apartment in the lively neighborhood of Kreuzberg. Now Thomas focused on writing fiction and began experimenting with short stories that initially had little success on the German market. His interest in history and culture, however, eventually prompted him to turn to crime fiction.
Currently, Thomas is equally at home in New York and Berlin, where he spends his time working as a novelist, essayist, and consultant. For his crime fiction, he makes use of his many international experiences, which have provided his novels with nuanced characters and unique historical and cultural contexts.
