On entering her forties, Valérie Lieko, a pediatric neurologist, decided that whenever she had some free time, she would trade her stethoscope for a fountain pen, and in 2015, she published "Chassé-croisé Paris SXM" (translated into English as "Hide and Seek: Paris/SXM"). She followed up with the "Black Jack Caraïbe" mystery series, which brings alive the spirits and demons of West Indies folklore.
In 2017, the mythical silhouette of St. Barts, as seen from her terrace in St. Martin, and her frequent ferry trips between the sister islands, inspired Ms. Lieko to write her first psychological thriller, "Disparitions en eaux turquoise", a best-seller on Amazon.fr. In late 2020, it was translated into English as "Missing in the Tropics" by literary translator Teia Laudouar, an island adventurer herself, well-suited to convey this novel's exotic flavor.
Meanwhile, Ms. Lieko's latest thriller, "Mercure Rouge", released in March 2020, also climbed to the Top 100 on Amazon.fr, thanks to a warm reception and praise for her originality and singular voice, and this from "intransigent" critics such as André Moguérou of "L'oeil du polar," which focuses solely on thrillers. "Mercure Rouge" is also ranked among the "Seven Best Thrillers of 2020" by "Le Jardin de DB."
Valérie Lieko was born in Brussels of Belgian-Congolese parents. She has lived in the French West Indies for 20 years with her husband, enjoying the tropical lifestyle with their three children and three (!) cats.