Rachael Blok

Rachael Blok is a British author known for her psychological crime novels set in the picturesque town of St Albans. Her series following DCI Maarten Jansen explores the contrast between the detective's plain Dutch background and the historic cathedral city's seemingly polite but complex environment. Her notable works include Under the Ice (2018), The Scorched Earth (2019) and Into the Fire (2021).

Born and raised in Durham, Rachael Blok studied English Literature at Warwick University before completing a PGCE and MA at Durham University. She initially embarked on a career in education, teaching English at a comprehensive school in London.

Blok began writing seriously during her maternity leave. "I have always written. I think all English teachers are frustrated writers to some extent! I started writing seriously during my maternity leave. I loved having a baby, but I found it hard to be at home alone so much". Her experiences during this time inspired her debut novel, Under the Ice, which centres on a young mother coping with visions of a mysterious drowning.

Published in 2018, Under the Ice is set in the run-up to Christmas in the snowy town of St Albans, where a girl's body is found near an ice-covered lake. This gripping debut established DCI Maarten Jansen as the central character in the series. Subsequent instalments, The Scorched Earth and Into the Fire, each explore new cases for Jansen amidst the ever-changing seasons and scenery of the cathedral city.

Blok's writing begins with a single image, which develops into a complete narrative. "Fiction has a life of its own," she remarked, describing how her stories often diverge from her original plans.

In addition to her crime series, Blok contributed to the anthology Afraid of the Light, created by the Criminal Minds writers' group. Proceeds from the collection, which aimed to support mental health services during the lockdown, went to the Samaritans. The group also released Afraid of the Christmas Lights to help domestic abuse charities.

Rachael now lives with her husband and children in Hertfordshire.

Photo credit: rachaelblok.com