Emily Brightwell is the pen name of American author Cheryl Arguile, who is known for her historical mystery novels. Born as Cheryl Lanham on November 10, 1948, in Richwood, West Virginia, she grew up in Pasadena, California after her family moved there in 1959. Brightwell graduated from Pasadena High School and went on to study American Studies at California State University Fullerton. However, her life took an unexpected turn when she met her future husband, Richard James Arguile, in England in 1975. They got married in May 1976 and returned to California, where they had two children, Amanda and Mathew.
Before becoming a successful mystery author, Brightwell worked in an international shipping company and wrote young adult romance novels under her real name, Cheryl Lanham. She also wrote romance novels under the pen name Sarah Temple. However, it was not until she began writing the Mrs. Jeffries mystery series under the name Emily Brightwell that she gained significant recognition and success. The series, which began in 1993 with "The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries," features a housekeeper named Mrs. Jeffries who solves mysteries with the help of her staff. Brightwell has written over 40 mysteries in the series, with the latest book, "Mrs. Jeffries Aims to Win," published in August 2023. Her books are popular not only in the United States but also in the United Kingdom, Japan, and Hungary, and are available in audio and large print formats.