Rikako Akiyoshi is a Japanese author known for her work in the mystery and thriller genres, with several of her novels serving as the source material for film adaptations. She is the creator behind the novel Ankoku Joshi, also known as The Dark Maidens.

Akiyoshi studied literature at Waseda University and later earned a master's degree in film and television production from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Her career began when her short story Yuki No Hana, or Snow Flower, won the third Yahoo! JAPAN Literature Award in 2008, leading to her debut as a published author in 2009. This debut work was subsequently adapted into a short film.

Her best-known work, Ankoku Joshi, was published in 2013. The novel is a mystery set at a prestigious all-girls Catholic school, where the members of the literature club each give their own conflicting account of the death of their charismatic president. The narrative structure, which presents different perspectives on a single incident, is a hallmark of her style and was inspired by the Rashomon effect. Akiyoshi has stated that her own experience attending a private girls' school informed the setting of the novel. Ankoku Joshi was adapted into a live-action film released in 2017.

Her transition to writing mysteries came after an editor suggested the genre would suit her, which led her to begin reading mystery novels for the first time. She has cited authors such as Albert Camus, Franz Kafka, and Osamu Dazai as early influences.

Other notable works by Akiyoshi include Girls in the Dark, Holy Mother, and Scheduled Suicide Day. Her work is characterized by its exploration of dark themes, psychological depth, and a focus on moral ambiguity, aiming to present complex characters whose choices are neither entirely right nor wrong.