Stefán Máni (b. 1970) was born and raised in a fishing village in western Iceland. At twenty-six, he relocated to Reykjavík to pursue a writing career, transporting all his belongings in an old car. During the first decade of his career, Stefán balanced his writing with various jobs, including construction work, dishwashing, printing, and working in a home for the mentally ill. These diverse experiences enriched his storytelling. His major breakthrough came with the thriller The Cursed Ship (previously published as The Ship), which garnered attention both in Iceland and internationally. This success paved the way for the popular Grimsson detective series, featuring detective Grimsson and other thriller and fiction works. In 2012, his bestseller Black’s Game was adapted into a film, becoming one of Iceland’s highest-grossing movies, with director Nicolas Winding Refn involved in the production. Further information