Åsa Nilsonne was arguably the most promising female crime writer of the '90s. Born in 1949, married with three children, Nilsonne was a psychiatrist before making her debut as a writer in 1991 with Tunnare än blod (Thinner than Blood). Tunnare än blod introduces woman police officer Monika Pedersen. Nilsonne seems to have a natural empathy with her fictional character, both women working in fields traditionally dominated by men. Although Nilsonne produced I det tysta (In the Silence) in 1992, it was not until 2000 that Kyskhetsbältet (The Chastity Belt) appeared. Monika had returned in style, the novel winning Nilsonne the Poloni Prize in 2000 (for best woman crime writer of the year).