Patricia Wentworth

Patricia Wentworth was the pen name of Dora Amy Elles, a British author born on November 10, 1877, in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India. She is recognized as a significant contributor to the crime fiction genre, having written over 70 books under this pseudonym.

Wentworth received her education in London at Blackheath High School and also through private tutoring. Her personal life was marked by two marriages; her first husband, George F. Dillon, passed away in 1906. She later married George Oliver Turnbull in 1920, with whom she had one daughter. After her first husband's death, she settled in Camberley, Surrey.

One of Wentworth's most notable contributions to literature is the creation of the Miss Silver series. This series, consisting of 32 classic-style whodunnits, features Miss Maude Silver, a retired governess-turned private detective. The first book in the series was published in 1928, and the last one appeared in 1961, the same year as Wentworth's death. Miss Silver often collaborates with Scotland Yard, particularly Inspector Frank Abbott, and is known for her fondness for quoting the poet Tennyson.

In addition to the Miss Silver series, Wentworth penned 34 standalone novels. Her writing, especially the Miss Silver series, is often compared to Agatha Christie's works, particularly the Miss Marple series. Both Miss Silver and Miss Marple represent the quintessential elderly detectives in the English style of cozy mysteries. Patricia Wentworth's literary career spanned several decades, and her works continue to be celebrated and read today.