Iris Johansen is a New York Times bestselling author known for her work in crime fiction, suspense fiction, and romance novels. She was born on April 7, 1938, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Johansen began her writing career after her children left for college, initially achieving success in the early 1980s with category romances. In 1991, she ventured into suspense historical romance novels with her publication of The Wind Dancer. By 1996, she shifted genres again, this time focusing on crime fiction, where she found considerable success.

Her notable works include Night and Day, Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, and Silencing Eve.

Iris Johansen resides in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist, while her daughter, Tamara, works as her research assistant.