Hugh Crauford Rae (22 November 1935 – 24 September 2014) was a Scottish author of romantic historical fiction novels and thrillers. He wrote fiction using several pseudonyms, including Jessica Stirling, Robert Crawford, James Albany, Stuart Stern and R. B. Houston.

Life

Rae was born in

Knightswood Knightswood is a suburban district in Glasgow, containing three areas: Knightswood North or High Knightswood, Knightswood South or Low Knightswood, and Knightswood Park. It has a golf course and park, and good transport links with the rest of th ...

, outside Glasgow, in 1935, the son of a riveter. He lectured in creative writing at Glasgow University adult education classes.

Writing

Rae was known for writing fiction, such as the thriller ''The Marksman'' later televised by the BBC. He was better known for his romantic historical novels written under the name Jessica Stirling.

Jessica Stirling novels

After Rae had written a few crime thrillers, a publisher suggested he collaborate with a romantic short story writer, Peggy Coghlan, to produce a historic romantic novel set in the Victorian period. The publisher required this to be published under a female name, and the writers picked the name Jessica Stirling at a meeting in a

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, ...

coffee shop. Rae and Coghlan wrote seven Jessica Stirling novels together. Then, Rae went on to write another 30 such saga novels on his own, at a rate of two a year, published by Hodder & Stoughton. Rae's real identity first became widely known in 1999, after 25 years of writing Jessica Stirling novels, when ''The Wind from the Hills'' was shortlisted for the

Romantic Novelists' Association The Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) is the professional body that represents authors of romantic fiction in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1960 by Denise Robins (first president), Barbara Cartland (first vice-president), Vivian Stuar ...

Romantic Novel of the Year prize.

Works

* ''Skinner'', 1966 * ''Night Pillow'', 1967 * ''A Few Small Bones'', 1968 * ''The Interview'', 1969 * ''The Marksman'', 1971 * ''The Shooting Gallery'', 1972 * ''The Rock Harvest'', 1973 * ''The Rookery'', 1974 * ''Harkfast'', 1976 * ''Sullivan'', 1978 * ''The Travelling Soul'', 1978 * ''The Haunting of Waverley Falls'', 1980 * ''Privileged Strangers'', 1982 ;as James Albany: * ''Warrior Caste'', 1982 * ''Mailed Fist'', 1982 * ''Deacon's Dagger'', 1982 ;as Robert Crawford: * ''The Shroud Society'', 1969 * ''Cockleburr'', 1969 * ''Kiss the Boss Goodbye'', 1970 * ''The Badger's Daughter'', 1971 * ''Whiphand'', 1972 ; as R. B. Houston: * ''Two for the Grave'', 1972 ; as Stuart Stern: * ''The Minotaur Factor'', 1977 * ''The Poison Tree'', 1978 ;as Jessica Stirling with Peggie Coghlan: * ''The Spoiled Earth'', 1974 * ''The Dresden Finch'', 1976 * ''The Hiring Fair'', 1976 * ''The Dark Pasture'', 1977 * ''The Deep Well at Noon'', 1979 * ''The Blue Evening Gone'', 1981

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rae, Hugh C. 1935 births 2014 deaths Writers from Glasgow 20th-century Scottish novelists 21st-century Scottish novelists Scottish crime fiction writers Scottish romantic fiction writers Tartan Noir writers