What is Michael Dibdin?
'''Michael Dibdin''' (21 March 1947 – 30 March 2007) was a British [[Crime fiction|crime writer]]. Dibdin was born in [[Wolverhampton]]. His father was a physicist. From the age of seven, Dibdin lived in [[Lisburn]], [[Northern Ireland]], where he attended the Friends' School. He graduated with a degree in English from Sussex University, and then went to study for a Master's degree at the University of Alberta in [[Edmonton, Alberta|Edmonton]], Canada. His first novel was based on the character [[Sherlock Holmes]]. He lived for four years in Italy, teaching at the university in [[Perugia]]. Dibdin is best known for his Aurelio Zen mysteries, set in Italy. The first of these, ''Ratking'', won the 'Gold Dagger' award of 1988. This series of detective novels provide a penetrating insight into the less visible aspects of Italian society over the last 20 years. The earlier books have a lightness of touch that gradually becomes much darker. The character of Zen himself is anti-heroic, which adds much to the books' irony and black humour. A final Zen book, End Games, was published after Dibdin died, in July 2007. He also wrote other detective works set in America and in England. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dibdin, Michael}} [[Category:Writers from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:1947 births]] [[Category:2007 deaths]] [[Category:Crime writers]]