Kathleen Mary Lindsay (1903-1973), was an English writer of historical

romance novel A romance novel or romantic novel generally refers to a type of genre fiction novel which places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and usually has an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Pre ...

s. For some years she held the record as the most prolific novelist in history. According to ''

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

'' (1986 edition, where they refer to her under pen name of "Mary Faulkner"), she wrote 904 books under eleven pen names. This record has since been surpassed.

Life

Kathleen Mary Lindsay was born in

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...

, Hampshire, England. She was married at least three times, one of her husbands being Percy Edward Jeffryes. She wrote under all three married names as well as eight other pen names, using names of both sexes. These included Mary Faulkner, Margaret Cameron, Mary Richmond, Molly Waring, Betty Manvers, Elizabeth Fenton, Nigel Mackenzie and Hugh Desmond. She seems to have lived in Western Australia and New Zealand at various times, however she later lived in

Somerset West Somerset West ( af, Somerset-Wes) is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality as a suburb of the Helderberg region (formerly called Hottent ...

, Cape Province, South Africa, where she died.

Works

Her titles include ''There is No Yesterday'' and ''Wind of Desire''. In 1961, Lindsay was accused of plagiarism by the author

Georgette Heyer Georgette Heyer (; 16 August 1902 – 4 July 1974) was an English novelist and short-story writer, in both the Regency romance and detective fiction genres. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brothe ...

, after a reader identified similarities between Lindsay's book ''Winsome Lass'' and Heyer's works. Heyer sent a summary of the similarities to Lindsay's publisher, Robert Lusty of

Hurst & Blackett Hurst and Blackett was a publisher founded in 1852 by Henry Blackett (26 May 1825 – 7 March 1871), the grandson of a London shipbuilder, and Daniel William Stow Hurst (17 February 1802 – 6 July 1870). Shortly after the formation of their part ...

, prompting Lindsay to reply, "What does it all amount to? About four incidents and two lines." Lindsay's dismissive response inspired Heyer to provide a detailed eleven-page analysis of the alleged plagiarisms cross referenced against eight of her own novels to her solicitor, who recommended an injunction. The case never made it to court.Kloester, Jennifer (2012). ''Georgette Heyer: Biography of a Bestseller''. London: William Heinemann, , pp. 335–6

References

Sources and external links

FantasticFictionAustLit
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lindsay, Kathleen 1903 births 1973 deaths Writers from Aldershot English women novelists Pseudonymous women writers 20th-century English women writers 20th-century English novelists 20th-century pseudonymous writers