About

my name is Daina

In Lithuanian, that means “song.” Once, I loved to sing, but one day, my voice disappeared.

Now, my voice is my creations. They contain much shadow. But I believe that from shadow, light is born.

I am also a scientist and researcher. And even though my research lies in the field of economics, human existence and its shadows also serve me as a subject of exploration.

WRITING

inspiration

I nurtured the idea for my first book for seven years. It doesn't take that long anymore. There are always a few babies quietly waiting within me like seeds longing for spring. When they sprout, I must hurry to write them down, otherwise they knock in my dreams, manifesting as strange artifacts of daily life, demanding proper attention.

time and reality

I like to intertwine my own imagination and visions with what is called facts and to look for explanations of my characters' life turns in the corners where history humbly waits. I believe that time is immaterial, and we are given as much of it as we can take, and that reality is only as much as we can imagine.

characters

That is why the characters in my works are alive. They come to life after about two months of writing and then go on living their own lives regardless of my wishes. And they have every right to do so.

because I am only an observer

In exploring their shadows, I delve into my own. In telling their life stories, I weave in my own. People often ask me why I write crime thrillers and not love stories. To me, love is only interesting when it is unhappy. Only such love drives us to change and grow. Just like the constant struggle between good and evil.

REFERENCES

"In her debut novel, the author not only weaves a gripping detective story but also conveys a sense of authenticity—one feels she has thoroughly explored the subjects she describes. Add a journey through various countries, compelling societal issues, intriguing characters, and you get a refreshing gust of literary crime fiction, a rarity in Lithuania."
— Audrius Ožalas, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of 15min.lt, literary critic, and literature expert.
"I’ve never read such a well-crafted, engaging, impactful, logical, and intricately woven Lithuanian thriller before. The structure, precision, and logic essential to detective stories are excellent. The themes are timely: migration, conflicts between the familiar and the foreign, the dark entanglements of business and politics, consumerism, childish dreams, and careerism. The female characters are particularly convincing. In Lithuanian genre literature, finding well-rounded female characters is often like searching for a needle in a haystack. Here, women are fully developed, complex protagonists with their own stories, motivations, and arcs—not just objects of male desire or decorative figures. The novel is meticulously written, maintaining constant tension throughout. If I had a completely free day, I could have read it in one sitting. Highly recommended—a true discovery this year that I might have otherwise missed!"