Janwillem van de Wetering

Janwillem van de Wetering (1931–2008) was a Dutch writer, translator, and sculptor. He is best known for his crime novels featuring the Amsterdam police officers Grijpstra and de Gier and their unnamed Commissaris. Before pursuing a literary career, he worked as a chemical trader, real-estate agent, and wholesaler. For seven years, he also served as a part-time auxiliary police officer. In 1958, he spent 18 months in a Zen monastery in Kyoto and continued to study Zen later in life. His honors included the Boekenweekgeschenk (1980) and the Grand Prix de la Littérature Policière (1984).