Maureen Peters (3 March 1935 – 8 April 2008) was a historical novelist, under her own name and pseudonyms such as Veronica Black, Catherine Darby, Belinda Gray, Levanah Lloyd, Judith Rothman, Elizabeth Law and Sharon Whitby.

Personal life

She was born in Caernarvon, North Wales. She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. For some time she taught disabled children, and then took up writing. She has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines.[1]

Peters is also known as a Bronte scholar.[2][3]

Maureen Peters was married and divorced twice; she had a son and two daughters.

She died on 8 April 2008.

Writing career

Her novels have often focused on royalty, mostly the War of the Roses and Tudor period, and cover the lives of Elizabeth I of England, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Mary Tudor, Queen of France, as well as of other famous and less famous historical figures such as Edward II of England, the many Queen consorts of various Kings of England.[4][5] Apart from biographical fiction on royalty (written under her own name), she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles, contemporary mysteries.

In her novel Anne, Rose of Hever (1970) Peters depicted Anne Boleyn as a secret pagan who is popularly suspected of being a witch. Peters based Anne, Rose of Hever on the theories of Margaret Murray.[6]

Bibliography

As Maureen Peters

Series

Malone Trilogy:
  • Tansy (1975)
  • Kate Alanna (1975)
  • A Child Called Freedom (1976)

The Vinegar Trilogy:

  • The Vinegar Seed (1986)
  • The Vinegar Blossom (1986)
  • The Vinegar Tree (1987)

Biographical historical fiction novels

Other historical fiction novels

  • Shadow of a Tudor (1971)
  • Royal Escape (1972)
  • The Maid of Judah (1973)
  • Gallows Herd (1973)
  • Night of the Willow (1981)
  • Ravenscar (1981)
  • Song for a Strolling Player (1981)
  • The Luck Bride (1987)
  • Lady for a Chevalier (1987)
  • Patchwork (1989)
  • Valentine (2000)
  • The Genii (2000)
  • Goodbye Holly Jane (2001)
  • Verity (2002)
  • Trumpet Morning (2006)
  • The Haunting of Houses (2006)
  • Vashti (2006)
  • The Scent of Jasmine (2007)
  • Sun of Silver, Moon of Gold (2008)

Non fiction works

  • Jean Ingelow: Victorian Poetess (1972)

As Catherine Darby

Falcon Saga

  • A Falcon for a Witch (1975)
  • The King's Falcon (1975)
  • Fortune for a Falcon (1975)
  • Season of the Falcon (January 1976)
  • Falcon Royal (March 1976)
  • Falcon Sunset (November 1976)
  • The Falcon Tree (May 1976)
  • The Falcon and the Moon (July 1976)
  • Falcon Rising (September 1976)
  • Seed of the Falcon (1978)
  • Falcon's Claw (1978)
  • Falcon to the Lure (1978)

Moon Chalice Quest

  • Whisper Down the Moon (1977)
  • Frost on the Moon (1977)
  • The Flaunting Moon (1977)
  • Sing Me a Moon (1977)
  • Cobweb Across the Moon (1977)
  • Moon in Pisces (1977)

Rowan

  • Rowan Garth (1982)
  • Rowan for a Queen (1983)
  • Scent of Rowan (1983)
  • Circle of Rowan (1983)
  • The Rowan Maid (1984)
  • Song of the Rowan (1984)

Novels

  • A Dream of Fair Serpents (1979)
  • Child of the Flesh (1982)
  • Lass of Silver, Lad of Gold (1982)
  • Sangreal (1984)
  • Sabre (1985)
  • Sabre's Child (1985)
  • Silken Sabre (1985)
  • Heart of Flame (1986)
  • House of Sabre (1986)
  • Breed of Sabres (1987)
  • Morning of a Sabre (1987)
  • Fruit of the Sabre (1988)
  • Gentle Sabre (1988)
  • Pilgrim in the Wind (1988)
  • The Love Knot (1989)
  • Zabillet of the Snow (1990)
  • Daffodil Anne (1991)

As Elizabeth Law

  • Double Deception(1987)
  • Regency Morning (1988)
  • A Scent of Lilac (1988)
  • The Sealed Knot (1989)

As Judith Rothman

  • With Murder in Mind (1975)

As Sharon Whitby

  • The Savage Web (1982)

References

  1. ^ Sarah Johnson's http://readingthepast.blogspot.ru/2008/05/maureen-peters-1935-2008.html
  2. ^ Brontë Studies - Journal of the Brontë Society, Volume 28 2003 p. 92 "Maureen Peters is a prolific writer whom many members of the Bronte Society will remember for her vivacious and frank contribution to a forum on 'faction' which took place in Haworth..."
  3. ^ Roger Carpenter Goodnight to Flamboro': the life and music of William Baines 1977 p. 115 That place could not be better defined than to say that he is to English piano music as Emily Bronte is to English poetry. a personal level, which has lately found support from Maureen Peters, is at least as plausible as trying to relate the...
  4. ^ Janet Husband, Jonathan F. Husband Sequels: An Annotated Guide to Novels in Series 2009 0838909671 p. 77 "Welsh-born writer Maureen Peters is the author of historical romances and mystery novels under her own name and noms de plume such as Catherine Darby, Belinda gray, Judith Rothman, and Elizabeth Law."
  5. ^ James Vinson, D. L. Kirkpatrick Twentieth-Century Romance and Gothic Writers 1982 p. 545 "Maureen Peters is a young author already showing her real ability and versatility, and the promise of more such novels is rich indeed. Her first novels set a high standard which has been maintained, even surpassed, with each new book."
  6. ^ Hui, Roland. (2018). "Anne of the Wicked Ways: Perceptions of Anne Boleyn as a Witch in History and in Popular Culture". Parergon. 35. 97-118. 10.1353/pgn.2018.0005.
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