David Peace is an English writer, born in 1967. He is best known for his UK-set novels such as the Red Riding Quartet (1999–2002), GB84 (2004), The Damned Utd (2006), and Red or Dead (2013). Peace was named one of the Best of Young British Novelists by Granta in their 2003 list.

His books frequently focus on themes of mental breakdown or derangement in response to extreme situations. In an interview with David Mitchell, Peace expressed: "I was drawn to writing about individuals and societies in moments that are often extreme, and often at times of defeat, be they personal or broader, or both. I believe that in such moments, during such times, in how we react and how we live, we learn who we truly are, for better or worse."

Peace grew up in Ossett, near Wakefield, and left Manchester Polytechnic in 1991 to teach English in Istanbul. In 1994, he moved to Tokyo to take up a teaching post and currently resides there with his family. His early years were overshadowed by the actions of the Yorkshire Ripper, which profoundly influenced him and led to a strong interest in crime. His Red Riding Quartet novels grew from this obsession with Yorkshire's dark side, exploring crime and police corruption.