Ann Cleeves was born on 24 October 1954 in Hereford, England, UK. She is a writer, known for Shetland (2013), Vera (2011) and The Long Call (2021). She was previously married to Tim Cleeves.
She was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2022 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to reading and to libraries. She is an author in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, England.