Kathleen Lindsay

Kathleen Mary Lindsay[1] (1903-1973), was an English author of romance novels. For some years she held the record as the most prolific novelist in history. According to the Guinness Book of World Records (1986 edition, where they refer to her as "Mary Faulkner"), she wrote 904 books under eleven pseudonyms. This record has since been surpassed.

Kathleen Lindsay
BornKathleen Mary Lindsay
1903
Aldershot, Hampshire, England
Died1973
Somerset West, Cape Province, South Africa
Pen namePen names -
  • Mary Faulkner
  • Margaret Cameron
  • Mary Richmond
  • Moolly Waring
  • Betty Mavera
  • Elisabeth Fenton
  • Nigel McKenzie
  • Hugh Desmond
OccupationAuthor
NationalityBritish
EducationConvent of Sacre Couer, Kakkatini Convent, Cairo
GenreHistorical Romantic fiction

Life

Kathleen Lindsay was born in Aldershot, 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 pseudonyms, using names of both sexes. Her pseudonyms 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,[2] however she later lived in Somerset West, 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, 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, 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.[3]

References
  1. "English in Africa" Oct 2004 Vol 31 # 2, "A bibliography of White Southern African women writers 1800-1940." by Valerie Letcher
  2. AustLit
  3. Kloester, Jennifer (2012). Georgette Heyer: Biography of a Bestseller. London: William Heinemann, ISBN 978-0-434-02071-3, pp. 335–6
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