Jeffery Deaver (born May 6, 1950) is an American mystery and crime writer. With a bachelor’s degree in journalism from University of Missouri, Deaver originally started his career as a journalist and later practiced law before starting a career as a writer. He's received or been shortlisted for several awards around the world and is the #1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.