Meg Gardiner is an American thriller writer and author of fifteen published books. She was born on May 15, 1957, and has become well known for her gripping novels.

Her literary debut was with the Evan Delaney novels, which first hit the shelves in 2002. Subsequently, in June 2008, she introduced readers to a new character, forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett, with the first novel in a new series. Gardiner has also penned three stand-alone novels: Ransom River (June 2012), The Shadow Tracer (June 2013), and Phantom Instinct (June 2014). More recently, she launched another series with Unsub (2017), Into the Black Nowhere (2018), and The Dark Corners of the Night (2020).

Her accolades include the 2009 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original novel for China Lake, and the 2012 Audie Award for Thriller/Suspense Audiobook of the Year for The Nightmare Thief. Her first Jo Beckett novel, The Dirty Secrets Club, claimed the 2009 The Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice award for Best Procedural Novel.

Gardiner's latest accomplishment is co-authoring Heat 2 with Michael Mann, a prequel/sequel to the film Heat. The novel received critical acclaim and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Her UNSUB series, featuring FBI agent Caitlin Hendrix, has also earned recognition, with the first novel winning the 2018 Barry Award for Best Thriller.