Claire Lorrimer
Author · 1921–2016

Claire Lorrimer

Claire Lorrimer was a British novelist and WAAF officer (1921-2016). Born in Hove.

Our catalogue lists 11 books by Claire Lorrimer, mostly historical romance, romantic suspense and Victorian-set fiction. They span 1957 to 2001. The most-read is Mavreen or Scarlett (1976).

Books by Claire Lorrimer

Biography

Patricia Denise Robins was born on February 1, 1921 in Sussex, England, where she also spent her early school years. She was the daugther of Arthur Robins, a corn broker on the Baltic Exchange and of the popular romance author Denise Robins, who after their divorce, remarried with O'Neill Pearson. Patricia has two sisters, Anne and Eve. She comes from an artistic family, numbering musicians, writers and painters. Her maternal grandfather was Herman Klein, a musician and her maternal grandmother was the writer Kathleen Clarice Groom. Her maternal uncle was Adrian Cornwell-Clyne, who wrote books on photography and cinematography, another uncle was an artist, as is her daughter. Patricia began writing at the age of ten, encouraged by her mother, who was the first president of the Romantic Novelists' Association (1960-1966). At 12, she published her first children's novella, The Adventures of the Three Baby Bunnies, ilustrated by Grizel Maxwell (aged 14). Patricia worked on the editorial team of a woman's magazine, her post gave her a unique insight into the world of publishing, but it was during the Second World War that her writing career as children's author became established. She produced a serial for Woman's Illustrated, and although her first love was always children's novellas, she could not find a publisher for her work and turned to romance fiction like her mother. She wrote romantic short stories and light romantic novels as Patricia Robins, publishing her works with Hutchinson, Hurst & Blackett and other publishing houses.

Authors like Claire Lorrimer