Norah Lofts

Author profile

born

August 27, 1904 in The United Kingdom

died

September 10, 1983

gender

female

genre

Literature & Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

About this author

edit data

Norah Lofts, née Norah Robinson, (27 August 1904–10 September 1983) was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote over fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories. Many of her novels, including her Suffolk Trilogy, follow the history of a specific house and the residents that lived in it.

Lofts was born in Shipham, Norfolk in England. She also wrote under the pen names Peter Curtis and Juliet Astley. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic No...more Norah Lofts, née Norah Robinson, (27 August 1904–10 September 1983) was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote over fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories. Many of her novels, including her Suffolk Trilogy, follow the history of a specific house and the residents that lived in it.

Lofts was born in Shipham, Norfolk in England. She also wrote under the pen names Peter Curtis and Juliet Astley. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic Norah Lofts elements. Most of her historical novels fall into two general categories: biographical novels about queens, among them Anne Boleyn, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine of Aragon; and novels set in East Anglia centered around the fictitious town of Baildon (patterned largely on Bury St. Edmunds). Her creation of this fictitious area of England is reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's creation of "Wessex"; and her use of recurring characters such that the protagonist of one novel appears as a secondary character in others is even more reminiscent of William Faulkner's work set in "Yoknapatawpha County," Mississippi. Norah Lofts' work set in East Anglia in the 1930s and 1940s shows great concern with the very poor in society and their inability to change their conditions. Her approach suggests an interest in the social reformism that became a feature of British post-war society.

Several of her novels were turned into films. Jassy was filmed as Jassy (1947) starring Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Price. You're Best Alone was filmed as Guilt is My Shadow (1950). The Devil's Own (also known as The Little Wax Doll and Catch As Catch Can) was filmed as The Witches (1966). The film 7 Women was directed by John Ford and based on the story Chinese Finale by Norah Lofts.(less)

combine editions
Books by Norah Lofts

Average rating: 3.79 · 4,374 ratings · 379 reviews · 78 distinct works

	The Concubine 3.81 avg rating — 639 ratings — published 1963 — 12 editions	My rating:
	Anne Boleyn 3.76 avg rating — 284 ratings — 3 editions	My rating:
	The King's Pleasure 3.69 avg rating — 309 ratings — published 1969 — 13 editions	My rating:
	The Town House (The House Trilogy, #1) 4.15 avg rating — 180 ratings — published 1957 — 11 editions	My rating:
	Eleanor the Queen 3.69 avg rating — 210 ratings — published 1955 — 14 editions	My rating:
	The Lute Player 3.54 avg rating — 183 ratings — published 1951 — 9 editions	My rating:
	The House at Old Vine (House, #2) 4.01 avg rating — 152 ratings — published 1969 — 16 editions	My rating:
	Gad's Hall 3.81 avg rating — 137 ratings — 6 editions	My rating:
	The Lost Queen 3.68 avg rating — 130 ratings — published 1969 — 10 editions	My rating:
	How Far to Bethlehem? 4.07 avg rating — 108 ratings — published 1965 — 6 editions	My rating:

More books by Norah Lofts…

Series by Norah Lofts

The House Trilogy (3 books)
by Norah Lofts

4.10 avg rating — 430 ratings

Gad's Hall (3 books)
by Norah Lofts

3.76 avg rating — 250 ratings

Quotes by Norah Lofts

“Don't worry about it, Borage. I've always been inclined to think that the Apostle Paul was similarly afflicted. He speaks often of a bodily weakness, and men have been at pains to name it, attibuting to him everything from lameness to lung sickness. But I think the clue lies in his experience on the road to Damascus. Tell me, do you see a great light?
Dr. Trudgett”
― Norah Lofts, Bless This House

tags: apostle-paul , light , seizures

5 people liked it

“This, he said, touching his chest lightly with his fingertips, 'you must cease to love. We must love with our immortal souls which have no father save God Almighty.' He took my hand again. 'John Boreman has my Bible; I'd like you to have it. Study it well, Jenny, for the truth is there, and the truth shall make you free, so that when the time comes, as it will, as it must, when the old things are done away with, you will be ready. The seed is planted, soon there will be a great harvest. I and those like me will not have died in vain.

Walter Rancon

Norah Lofts”
― Norah Lofts

tags: martyrs , norah-lofts , the-house-at-old-vine

1 person liked it

“They set off through the soft lingering light. One cuckoo in the depths of Layer Wood and one in the dense shrubbery of the Dower House were keeping up their eternal question and answer, and in the comparative coolness which had come with the evening all the scents of summer had magnified."

Norah Lofts”
― Norah Lofts, Afternoon of an Autocrat

tags: cuckoos , dower-house , layer-wood , love

1 person liked it

See all Norah Lofts's quotes »

Polls

Which book would you like to read for our May 15 - June 15 European Royalty group read?

A Hollow Crown The Story of Emma, Queen of Saxon England by Helen Hollick

8 votes, 32.0%

Lost Queen by Norah Lofts

7 votes, 28.0%

Christina, Queen of Sweden The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley

6 votes, 24.0%

Mother of Kings by Poul Anderson

3 votes, 12.0%

Kári's Saga A Novel of Viking Iceland by Robert Jansson

1 vote, 4.0%

25 total votes

comments and details

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Glens Falls (NY) ...: What are U reading these days? (Part Four) (begun 2/18/09)	207	125	Apr 03, 2009 09:11am
Pulp Magazine Aut...: The Maltese Falcon	39	80	May 11, 2009 03:42am
Challenge: 50 Books: Mandy's 50 in 2009	34	193	Aug 21, 2009 09:01pm
The Plantagenets: Nominations for group read	24	55	Jan 01, 2010 06:14pm
The Ultimate Book...: January Challenge	101	81	Aug 17, 2010 07:31pm
The Seasonal Read...: Summer Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks (do NOT delete any posts in this thread)	3072	2868	Aug 31, 2010 10:39pm
The Seasonal Read...: Summer 2010 'Style' Completed Tasks	622	452	Sep 01, 2010 06:16am

More…

Norah's Fans (52)