Josephine Bell (1897 - 1987) Pseudonym of Doris Bell Collier Ball. Bell was born in
Manchester, England. She was a physician and married a physician. She started writing mystery novels in 1936, and many of her mystery novels had a
medical background. Although she was popular in England, her novels did not appear in the United States until 1955.
A bibliography of her books may be found here.
E. X. Ferrars (1907-1995) - This is a pseudonym for Morna Doris MacTaggert. Ms. Ferrars was born in Rangoon, Burma, grew up in England, and earned a degree in journalism. She has written several series in the best traditions of the cozy mystery. Biographical information.
Julian Symons (1912-1994) British author of mysteries, poetry, biographies, and
criticism. Though he wrote several mystery novels, Symons greatest contribution to the mystery genre was as a historian and critic. He was long an advocate of the crime novel as opposed to the more conventional puzzle mystery. A short biography and a bibliography may be found here
Ellis Peters (1913 - 1995) Pseudonym of Edith Pargeter. Ellis Peters was the author of the Brother Cadfael novels.
Edith Pargeter - A biography and bibliography by Literary Heritage West Midlands.
Edmund Crispin (1921 - 1978). Crispin is the pen name of Robert Bruce Montgomery. His series mysteries featuring
amateur detective Gervaise Fen are some of the wittiest and most literate novels in the genre. Crispin was born in Chesham Bois, and attended St. John's College at Oxford
University. He wrote his first Fen novel, The Case of the Gilded Fly in 1944 while still an undergraduate at Oxford. After graduation, he worked for a short time as a teacher, and was
a reviewer of mystery novels for the Sunday Times. Under his Montgomery name, he published songs, choral pieces, and film scores and is best know for the scores for the Carry
On movies. A biography and bibliography may be found at the Book and Writers web site.
Margaret Yorke (1924 - ) Yorke is the pen name of Margaret Beda Nicholson. Yorke has written a short series
of mysteries featuring amateur sleuth Patrick Grant, but most of her books have been stand-alone novels of crime, psychological suspense, and revenge. She has written over 50 books, and has
won the CWA Golden Dagger award and the Diamond Dagger award. A biography and bibliography may be found at Wikipedia
Hazel Holt (1928 - ) - British author of a very enjoyable series which features Sheila Malory, author and
amateur detective, in a small English town. Ms. Holt has also written the biography of Barbara Pym. A bibliography of her books may be found at Fantastic Fiction
Jill Paton Walsh (1937 - ) - Ms. Walsh has written childrens and adult novels. She has also completed the novel,
Thrones, Dominations, which Dorothy L. Sayers left uncompleted. She also writes delightful mysteries which tell of the
detecting adventures of Imogene Quy, a nurse at a Combridge university. Jill Paton Walsh Web Site.
Sarah Caudwell (1939 - 2000). Sarah Caudwell only wrote 4 mystery novels but they are gems which shouldn't be missed. Her sleuth was professor Hilary Tamar, an Oxford don. It is impossible to tell whether Hilary is a man or
a woman. Tamar investigates crimes with the assistance of the barristers in chambers at Lincoln's Inn, and these are some of the most eccentric and wittiest characters in mystery literature. The four books are
Thus was Adonis Murdered, The Shortest Way to Hades, The Sirens Sang of Murder, and The Sibyl in Her Grave.
A biography and bibliography may be found at Crime and Mystery Fiction web
site.
Simon Brett (1945 - ) Brett started his career as a television producer for BBC. His first series featured Charles Paris, a frequently out-of-work and frequently drinking actor who tries to
solve mysteries. Brett also writes a series about Mrs. Pargeter, the well-to-do widow of a gentleman who was engaged in some sort of criminal activity. Mrs. Pargeter has learned some interesting
skills from her late husband which help with her detective activities. His newest series is about the English retirement community of Featherington where the crimes are investigated by Carole Seddon
and her friend Jude. Simon Brett's web site.
Sarah J. Mason (1949 - ). Perhaps you know her better as Hamilton Crane, the author of the Miss Seeton Mysteries. Miss
Seeton is a wonderfully eccentric retired art teacher who tackles the world of crime with her umbrella. Mason took over this series from the first two writers, Heron Carvic and Hampton Charles. Miss Mason
also writes a series under her own name about Detective Superintendent Trewley and Sargent Stone of the Allingham Police Department
Ian Pears (1955 - ). Pears has written a series of art theft mysteries featuring Jonathan Argyll. Argyll lives in Rome where he is affiliated with Flavia de Stefano and General Bottando of the Italian National Art Theft squad. His biography and an interview are at the Barnes and Noble website. A bibliography of his books may be found at the Fantastic Fiction web site.
Morag Joss - Sara Selkirk, a concert cellist living in Bath, solves crimes and has a romance with the local police inspector in these literate novels. Joss has won the CWA Silver Dagger award for her book Half Broken Things. An interview with Ms. Joss is available at
Book Reporter.com.
Veronica Stallwood - Author of a series of novels in which the sleuth is historical novelist Kate Ivory who lives in Oxford. The first book in the series, Death in the Oxford Box, was published in 1993. Stallwood was a librarian at the Bodleian Library in Oxford becomming a full-time novelist. For more information, visit her web site.
Jim Kelly - Author of several novels featuring newpaper reporter Philip Dryden. Kelly has worked as a journalist and education correspondent for the Financial Times. His first novel The Water Clock was shortlisted by the Crime Writers Association for best first novel. An interview with Kelly may be found at the
Penguin Books web site.
Anthony Eglin - Those who enjoy gardening will like the novels of Eglin. His
detective Lawrence Kingston investigates garden related crimes, and imparts a good bit of garden lore along the way. Anthony Eglin's Web Site
This site is maintained by Linda Bertland,
Philadelphia, PA. Please address any comments, additions, or corrections to info@sldirectory.com
The Amateur Detective
