Edith Pargeter: Ellis Peters

by Margaret Lewis

This perceptive survey of the two faces of prolific and award-winning author Edith Pargeter explores both her life and her work. Pargeter is best known as Ellis Peters, the author of the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael. These 20 novels have been televised and adapted for radio and have played a major role in turning crime writing into a literary genre and making historical detectives popular. Also discussed are Pargeter's series of 14 Inspector Felse novels, written under her real name, and her further novels, including two outstanding historical sequences. The Brothers of Gwynedd quartet and The Heaven Tree trilogy. The Eighth Champion of Christendom, a trilogy of novels about the Second World War, is also illuminated.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, Mystery

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short biography of one of my very favourite writers. Of particular interest were the end chapters in which the author discussed the Cadfael series and the author's own view of them. Pargeter was fortunate in seeing a lot of good in people and it was to this that she addressed her writing, which can seem a little trite at times. However, I personally think the plotting and characterisation of that series often comes close to perfection and her unique 'voice' in writing charms me every time I read one of her many books.

This was a pleasure to read :)

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more information about her earlier books pre-Felse than I had been able to find. Of course, I had loved the Cadfaels.

[Saphraneet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked learning about this prolific author as well as each of her many books. Now I am ready to get started on her Brother Cadfael series.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is part of the Border Lines Series published by Seren, a series of monographs on authors, artists, poets and musicians of the Welsh-English borderlands. As such I suppose Margaret Lewis was constrained as to length and style to fit in to the series' structure. The book is short on biographical details, all the essential information is there but presented as a series of facts without too much analysis, which is compensated by the in depth look at Edith Pargeter's works.

There are chapters on her translations of Czech authors, the George Felse mysteries, her historical novels, and two chapters given to Brother Cadfael and his world around Shrewsbury Abbey. Each novel in each series is given consideration and a concise and knowledgeable description. It is certainly a worthy introduction to the works of Edith Pargeter – Ellis Peters.