I. J. Parker

Ingrid J. Parker is a detective/mystery writer best known for creating Sugawara Akitada, who solved crimes in the Heian era of ancient Japan.

Ingrid Parker was born and raised in Germany.

She was, until retirement, Associate Professor of English and Foreign Languages at Norfolk State University in Virginia. Writing detective mysteries set in ancient Japan was an incidental result of initial research into 11th century Japan out of professional interest in Japanese literature of the era. She was also influenced by the Judge Dee mystery series written by the noted orientalist and diplomat Robert van Gulik.