Known for his Buxtehude Bull Award-winning novel Die Lagune der Galeeren and for his Friedrich-Gerst cker-Preis-winning work Abby Lynn - Verbannt ans Ende der Welt, this internationally popular author of thrillers, historical fiction, plays, and young adult novels has sold over six million copies of his works. Early in his life, he trained as an opera singer and also performed with a German rock group called Union Jack. He went on to study law, theater & film, and philology at the University of Cologne.