Marion Chesney
Personal Information
Description
Marion Chesney was born in 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland. Her first job was a bookseller in charge of the fiction department in John Smith & Sons Ltd. While working there, the Scottish Daily Mail hired her to review variety shows; she quickly rose to be their theatre critic. She left Smith’s to work as a secretary--albeit without typing or shorthand skills--in the advertising department of Scottish Field magazine but was soon the fashion editor instead. She moved to the Scottish Daily Express, where she reported mostly on crime, then to Fleet Street and the Daily Express, where she was their chief woman reporter. Marion married Harry Scott Gibbons, and they had a son, Charles. Harry was offered a job as editor of the Long Island, New York, Oyster Bay Guardian, and the small family moved to the United States. The Oyster Bay job didn’t work out, and the trio moved to Virginia. Marion and Harry worked in the same greasy spoon in Alexandria--Marion waited tables, and Harry washed dishes. Happily, they both got jobs on Rupert Murdoch’s new tabloid, The Star, and returned to New York. Marion wanted to spend more time at home with young Charles. In 1977, encouraged by her husband, she started to write historical romance novels, eventually publishing over one hundred books under her maiden name, Marion Chesney, and under a variety of pseudonyms: Ann Fairfax, Jennie Tremaine, Helen Crampton, Charlotte Ward, and Sarah Chester. By 1985, Marion was weary of historicals and turned to detectives stories, writing as M. C. Beaton. A course at a fishing school during a holiday in Sutherland provided inspiration for the first Constable Hamish Macbeth story. Eventually, the family returned to Scotland and and bought a croft house and croft in Sutherland, where Harry reared a flock of black sheep. Another move, to the Cotswolds, led to the birth of Agatha Raisin.
Books
Death of a Ghost
John Sebastian Lafcadio, is one of the greatest painters of the Edwardian period, and his ambition to be known as the greatest painter since Rembrandt was not to be thwarted by a matter as trifling as his own death. Lafcadio was not only a brilliantly talented, it appears, a bit psychic: Certain that his reputation would improve dramatically after his death, he left aset of twelve sealed paintings with his agent, along with the instruction that her widow should wait a suitable interval and then begin doling out the work to a newly ravenous public at the rate of one per year. Lafcadio's widow unveil the eighth canvas to a carefully selected audience. Albert Campion, an old friend of the widow's, is among the cast of gadabouts, muses and socialites gathered for the latest ceremony. The event is a success for all but one of the attendees--a young artist who is brutally stabbed while others are sipping champagne. The art is the last thing on the sleuth's mind whenl the wife of another painter is poisoned. The first killing took place at a crowded art show, in full view of the cream of London society. For the second killing, only the victim and the murderer were present. The first killing took place at a crowded art show, in full view of the cream of London society. For the second killing, only the victim and the murderer were present. Now the scene was set for the third--a lavish dinner party with vintage wines, and with Albert Campion's death as the main course. Mr. Campion must employ all his tact as well as his formidable intelligence to trap the killer, and dodge death.
Sick of shadows
Eccentric Eileen Chandler is all set to be married, but someone wants the vows stopped before they are started. Murder has made an uninvited appearance before the wedding and no one in the crazy wedding party is above suspicion.
Folly
Jamie Ballantyne and Artemis King were never meant to fall in love. The feud between their families has run for generations. But whatever Jamie's head might tell him, his heart will always belong to Artemis. After fifty years, perhaps it's time for the Kings and the Ballantynes to bury the hatchet. But when they begin to uncover their shared past, what they find will rock the foundations of both families, as a web of deceit and intrigue is ruinously exposed.
The Glitter and the Gold
Fanny and her groom had been tricked! Both sets of impoverished parents had decided to recoup their families' losses by marrying their offspring to the progeny of a "rich" neighbor. The truth, however, was that neither family had a penny to its name. Charles was not the dark rogue of Fanny's girlish fantasies, but he was chivalrously determined that she should meet someone more appropriate than he. And for her part, Fanny wanted Charles to find the woman of means who would be the snwer to his prayers. Yet as each one set out to find someone for the other, both were left with the strangest sensation - that quite possibly, true love might have nothing to do with riches...
The dreadful debutante
Mira and her beautiful sister Drusilla are to have their come-out in London. Mira is dreading the boring conventions and losing the freedom she has at home. Yet she does hope to meet up again with her childhood friend Charles. Unfortunately though Charles ultimately seems to prefer her sister. However a handsome marquess finds himself increasingly entangled with Mira, to the point where he may have to marry her himself.
The Sins of Lady Dacey
Just as her parents are set to marry her off to an older local squire, Honoria’s scandalous aunt writes to see if she can sponsor her for a season in London. Excited about this welcome change in her fortunes, Honoria sets out on her journey with Pamela, the quiet vicar’s wife who had been secretly dispairing about her constrained lonely life. On the way though, because of bad weather they are forced to spend several days at the country estate of the Duke of Ware, a hardened rake. Ware later continues the acquaintance in London and starts to realize that his heart is in some danger from the innocent Honoria.
A Governess of Distinction
Having inherited a Gothic horror of an estate and two fifteen-year-old brats to marry off, Lord Percy Hunterdon despaired. Nothing short of a miracle could make these two vile young ladies marriageable. He needed a top-notch governess. When Jean Morrison saw his ad, visions of a magnificent castle and a handsome. viscount who would certainly fall in love with her. She was half right!
Belinda Goes to Bath
The delightful Miss Hannah Pym returns to the English countryside in search of adventure and romance in distress. With her infallible wisdom and charming demeanor she corn steer even the most misguided of hearts back on course! No sooner does Miss Pym board her next stagecoach than she finds herself embroiled in the plight of Miss Belinda Earle, a spirited heiress banished to Bath after swearing off the marriage mart! When the coach founders near Baddell Castle, and the dashing Marquess of Frenton comes to the rescue, Miss Pym decides to give fate a hand! Although the austere bachelor disdains romance, his furtive glances toward Belinda prove to Miss Pym that her expert matchmaking will soon turn this star-crossed couple into a heavenly match!
Penelope Goes to Portsmouth
"Kind-hearted Miss Hannah Pym is off to Portsmouth in the company of the beautiful but practical Miss Penelope Wilkins. Miss Pym quickly realises that Penelope needs someone to enliven her sheltered life, someone perhaps like their handsome travelling companion, Lord Augustus Railton. Penelope, however, thinks Lord Augustus is a ne'er-do-well...Hannah's hopes for adventure, on the other hand, are fulfilled when the coach happens upon a footman who faces hanging for a crime he didn't commit."--Publisher description.
Lady Anne's Deception
"SOMEHOW I WILL MARRY BEFORE MARIGOLD--ANYONE WHO WILL HAVE ME" When Lady Anne Sinclair vowed to marry before her spoilt beauty of a sister, she had no idea the "anyone" would be the Marquess of Torrance. Long the darling of the ton--and considered quite the confirmed bachelor--he succumbed to Annie's charms and, almost magically, made her his wife. But Annie's lifelong battle for attention had ill-prepared her for married life. In a tipsy revery on her wedding night, she blurted out her real reason for marrying the Marquess--and her husband's formidable pride shut the door on any further communication. Only a crisis of major proportions could bring the headstrong newlyweds together. And no less than the chancellor of the exchequer, with sinister political ambitions known only to himself, embroiled Annie in a dangerous plot that taught her the truth about her wifely sentiments.