Author profile: Jax Miller

"Hits like a beer bottle to the head" - review in Publishers Weekly

"Original, compelling, and seriously recommended" - Lee Child

Jax Miller is the pen name of Anne O'Donnell, the American-born writer now based in Ireland. Her debut novel, the crime thriller Freedom's Child (2015), has already made major waves on both sides of the Atlantic.

BOTM: 'Freedom's Child' by Jax Miller

Our August "Book of the Month": Freedom's Child.

The author: Jax Miller.

The genre: rural noir, Southern Gothic - a chase thriller with hints of horror.

Video for Jax Miller's 'Freedom's Child'

Jax Miller's debut novel Freedom's Child is already enjoying rave reviews. The Guardian's Laura Wilson praises its "raw vitality" and rates it "one of the standout debuts of the year".

Here's the video trailer for the crime thriller, which is released on 30 July.

Upcoming crime fiction events for 2017

Here are some of the crime fiction related events taking place in Ireland and abroad in 2017. More details throughout the year...

Irish authors make CWA Daggers longlists

There is very strong Irish interest in the longlists for this year's Crime Writers’ Association Daggers, Jake Harrington reports.

Crime fiction at Wexford Literary Festival

The 2016 Wexford Literary Festival includes a panel on Irish crime fiction writing with Jax Miller, Ava McCarthy and Andrea Carter on Saturday 28 May.

Best Irish crime fiction of 2015

2015 was a bumper year for Irish crime fiction. Among major releases were novels by - to name just ten - Alex Barclay, Louise Phillips, John Connolly, Ava McCarthy, Adrian McKinty, Benjamin Black, Sinéad Crowley, Mark O'Sullivan, Karen Perry and Anthony J Quinn.

There were also some dazzling debuts in the crime fiction department, such as novels by Steve Cavanagh, Jax Miller, Alan Walsh, Michael O'Higgins, Frankie Gaffney, Jo Spain and Kelly Creighton.

And it was a good year too for crime fiction on the small and big screen.

Here are some of our personal choices from the past year's Irish crime fiction novels, movies, TV shows and audio books...

Jane Casey wins Irish crime book of year

Jane Casey's After the Fire was the Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year in the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards last night.

Crime fiction shortlist for BGE Irish Book Awards

The shortlists for the 2015 Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards have been announced, including the Ireland AM Crime Fiction shortlist.