Ailinger, Traude: - After graduating from Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen in 1994 with a degree in Latin and German Language and Literature, which proved rather unhelpful in the job market, Traude Ailinger decided to follow her lifelong affection for all things British and took up residence in Scotland in search of love and adventure. This move resulted in a Diploma in Translation (with distinction in the literature section) from the Chartered Institute of Linguists, London (CIOL) and, in quick succession, three children. After being a housewife for several years, Traude had murder on her mind and wrote her first mystery novel Flammenschatten, which was published in 2015 by the respected German Gmeiner Verlag. Meanwhile, she continued to work as Teacher of EAL (English as an Additional Language) at Strathallan School in Perthshire. Having lived longer in Scotland than in Germany, it felt right to write a mystery novel in English, set in atmospheric Edinburgh. Thus, NEAR MISS was created, soon to be followed by more adventures of journalist Amy Thornton and DI Russell McCord.