Saturday, January 19, 2008

Triple-whammy birthday.

Today's three birthdays reflect the immense diversity in and richness of the mystery field.

Tormented genius Edgar Allan Poe was born today in Boston in 1809.

Strangers on a Train author Patricia Highsmith (and the creator of the creepy Mr. Ripley) was born today in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1921.

Patricia Moyes, the creator of sleuths Henry and Emmy Tibbett, was born today in 1923 in Ireland and died in 2000. A one-time assistant to Peter Ustinov and a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force during World War II, she published 19 mysteries with the Tibbetts, including Johnny Under Ground (1965), in which a corpse discovered at an abandoned World War II airfield has implications for both past and present. She received an Edgar for Many Deadly Returns (1970).

2 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

Although the first two get mentioned with great frequency, I haven't heard Patricia Moyes mentioned in years. An early favorite of mine. Thanks for reminding me. (Came via Bill Crider's blog).

Elizabeth Foxwell said...

I was acquainted with Penny Moyes through Malice Domestic. She was a lovely person and a talented writer (one of her closest friends was Sarah Caudwell).