Ingrid J. Parker (born January 1, 1936) is an American detective/mystery writer.
She is best known for creating Sugawara Akitada, who solved crimes in the Heian era of ancient Japan.
[1][2] She was, until retirement, Associate Professor of English and Foreign Languages at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
[3] Writing detective mysteries set in ancient Japan was an incidental result of initial research into 11th century Japan out of professional interest in Japanese literature of the era.
[4][5] She was also influenced by the Judge Dee mystery series written by the noted orientalist and diplomat Robert van Gulik.