Jean Plaidy was born Eleanor Alice Burford in 1906. She wrote books under her own name and also as Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr, Victoria Holt and several other pseudonyms. Under the Jean Plaidy name she wrote a series of books of historical fiction covering an extensive period of the history of England and some dedicated to french, spanish and italian historical figures. Jean Plaidy died in 1993.
She was one of the most famous british novelists during the 1950s and 60s and her books sold millions of copies. For a time they were hard to find and very expensive in the second hand market but fortunately a number of titles are being reissued nowadays and they will possibly bring Jean Plaidy's novels to a whole generation of readers.
Bibliography:
Norman Series
The Bastard King Vol. 1
The Lion of Justice Vol. 2
The Passionate Enemies Vol. 3
The Bastard King Vol. 1
The Lion of Justice Vol. 2
The Passionate Enemies Vol. 3
Plantagenet Series
The Plantagenet Prelude Vol. 1
The Revolt of the Eaglets Vol. 2
The Heart of the Lion Vol. 3
The Prince of Darkness Vol. 4
The Battle of the Queens Vol. 5
The Queen from Provence Vol. 6
Edward Longshanks (The Hammer of the Scots) Vol. 7
The Follies of the King Vol. 8
The Vow on the Heron Vol. 9
The Passage to Pontefract Vol. 10
The Star of Lancaster Vol. 11
Epitaph for Three Women Vol. 12
The Red Rose of Anjou Vol. 13
The Sun in Splendour Vol. 14
The Plantagenet Prelude Vol. 1
The Revolt of the Eaglets Vol. 2
The Heart of the Lion Vol. 3
The Prince of Darkness Vol. 4
The Battle of the Queens Vol. 5
The Queen from Provence Vol. 6
Edward Longshanks (The Hammer of the Scots) Vol. 7
The Follies of the King Vol. 8
The Vow on the Heron Vol. 9
The Passage to Pontefract Vol. 10
The Star of Lancaster Vol. 11
Epitaph for Three Women Vol. 12
The Red Rose of Anjou Vol. 13
The Sun in Splendour Vol. 14
Tudor Series
Uneasy Lies the Head Vol. 1
Katharine the Virgin Widow Vol. 2
The Shadow of the Pomegranate Vol. 3
The King's Secret Matter Vol. 4
Murder Most Royal Vol. 5
St. Thomas's Eve Vol. 6
The Sixth Wife Vol. 7
The Thistle and the Rose Vol. 8
Mary, Queen of France Vol. 9
The Spanish Bridegroom Vol. 10
Gay Lord Robert Vol. 11
Katherine of Aragon Vol. 2,3,4
Mary Stuart Series
The Royal Road to Fotheringay Vol. 1
The Captive Queen of Scots Vol. 2
The Royal Road to Fotheringay Vol. 1
The Captive Queen of Scots Vol. 2
James I
The Murder in the Tower
The Murder in the Tower
Charles II Trilogy
The Wandering Prince Vol. 1
Health Unto His Majesty Vol. 2
Here Lies our Sovereign Lord Vol. 3
Charles II Vol. 1,2,3
The Wandering Prince Vol. 1
Health Unto His Majesty Vol. 2
Here Lies our Sovereign Lord Vol. 3
Charles II Vol. 1,2,3
Stuart Saga
The Three Crowns Vol. 1
The Haunted Sisters Vol. 2
The Queen's Favorites Vol. 3
Last of the Stuarts Vol. 1,2,3
The Three Crowns Vol. 1
The Haunted Sisters Vol. 2
The Queen's Favorites Vol. 3
Last of the Stuarts Vol. 1,2,3
Georgian Series
The Princess of Celle Vol. 1
Queen in Waiting Vol. 2
Caroline, the Queen Vol. 3
The Prince and the Quakeress Vol. 4
The Third George Vol. 5
Perdita´s Prince Vol. 6
Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill Vol. 7
Indiscretions of the Queen Vol. 8
The Regent's Daughter Vol. 9
The Goddess of the Green Room Vol. 10
Victoria in the Wings Vol. 11
Queen Victoria Series
The Captive of Kensington Palace Vol. 1
The Queen and Lord M Vol. 2
The Queen's Husband Vol. 3
The Widow of Windsor Vol. 4
The Captive of Kensington Palace Vol. 1
The Queen and Lord M Vol. 2
The Queen's Husband Vol. 3
The Widow of Windsor Vol. 4
Queens of England Series
Myself My Enemy Vol. 1
Queen of this Realm Vol. 2
Victoria Victorious Vol. 3
The Lady in the Tower Vol. 4
The Courts of Love Vol. 5
In the Shadow of the Crown Vol. 6
The Queen's Secret Vol. 7
The Reluctant Queen Vol. 8
The Pleasures of Love Vol. 9
William's Wife Vol. 10
The Rose Without a Thorn Vol. 11
Myself My Enemy Vol. 1
Queen of this Realm Vol. 2
Victoria Victorious Vol. 3
The Lady in the Tower Vol. 4
The Courts of Love Vol. 5
In the Shadow of the Crown Vol. 6
The Queen's Secret Vol. 7
The Reluctant Queen Vol. 8
The Pleasures of Love Vol. 9
William's Wife Vol. 10
The Rose Without a Thorn Vol. 11
Ferdinand and Isabella Series
Castile for Isabella Vol. 1
Spain for the Sovereigns Vol. 2
Daughters of Spain Vol. 3
Isabella and Ferdinand Vol. 1,2,3
Castile for Isabella Vol. 1
Spain for the Sovereigns Vol. 2
Daughters of Spain Vol. 3
Isabella and Ferdinand Vol. 1,2,3
Lucrezia Borgia Series
Madonna of the Seven Hills Vol. 1
Light on Lucrezia Vol. 2
Lucrezia Borgia Vol. 1,2
Madonna of the Seven Hills Vol. 1
Light on Lucrezia Vol. 2
Lucrezia Borgia Vol. 1,2
de'Medici Series
Madame Serpent Vol. 1
The Italian Woman Vol. 2
Queen Jezebel Vol. 3
Catherine de’Medici Vol. 1,2,3
Madame Serpent Vol. 1
The Italian Woman Vol. 2
Queen Jezebel Vol. 3
Catherine de’Medici Vol. 1,2,3
Henry of Navarre
Evergreen Gallant
Evergreen Gallant
French Revolution Series
Louis, the Well-Beloved Vol. 1
The Road to Compiegne Vol. 2
Flaunting Extravagant Queen Vol. 3
Louis, the Well-Beloved Vol. 1
The Road to Compiegne Vol. 2
Flaunting Extravagant Queen Vol. 3
Spanish Inquisition Series
The Rise of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1
The Growth of Spanish Inquisition Vol. 2
The End of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 3
The Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1,2,3
The Rise of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1
The Growth of Spanish Inquisition Vol. 2
The End of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 3
The Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1,2,3
Other Titles
Together They Ride
Beyond the Blue Mountains
The Goldsmith's Wife (King's Mistress)
Daughter of Satan
Lilith
It Began in Vauxhall Gardens (Melisande)
Milady Charlotte
The Scarlet Cloak
Defenders of the Faith
Madame Du Barry
The Queen of Diamonds
The King's Adventurer (This Was a Man)
A Triptych of Poisoners
Mary Queen of Scots: Fair Devil of Scotland
King's Pleasure (Murder Most Royal)
The Unholy Woman (The Italian Woman)
Mary Queen of Scotland: The Triumphant Year (Royal Road to Fotheringay)
The King's Mistress (The Goldsmith's Wife)
Melisande (It Began in Vauxhall Gardens)
Together They Ride
Beyond the Blue Mountains
The Goldsmith's Wife (King's Mistress)
Daughter of Satan
Lilith
It Began in Vauxhall Gardens (Melisande)
Milady Charlotte
The Scarlet Cloak
Defenders of the Faith
Madame Du Barry
The Queen of Diamonds
The King's Adventurer (This Was a Man)
A Triptych of Poisoners
Mary Queen of Scots: Fair Devil of Scotland
King's Pleasure (Murder Most Royal)
The Unholy Woman (The Italian Woman)
Mary Queen of Scotland: The Triumphant Year (Royal Road to Fotheringay)
The King's Mistress (The Goldsmith's Wife)
Melisande (It Began in Vauxhall Gardens)
Children's Titles
Young Mary Queen of Scots
Young Elizabeth
Meg Roper; Daughter of Sir Thomas More
Young Mary Queen of Scots
Young Elizabeth
Meg Roper; Daughter of Sir Thomas More
This woman was so incredibly prolific it just boggles the mind. What a wonderful career she had!
ReplyDeleteSo tell me how Michele can make a post dated 6/10 when it's still 6/9?????
ReplyDeleteI've not had the greatest luck yet with Plaidy (still going to try a few more), but it's unbelievable how prolific she was. I had no idea.
I've got a four-in-one-volume of her Victoria Holt books out from the library right now. Bride of Pendorric was very good.
Wow, I knew that whe wrote a lot but I had no idea it was this much. Yikes, where should I start?
ReplyDeleteJean Plaidy was my introduction to Historical Fiction in my teens and I devoured her books avidly. I am worried about reading them again though as the magic may have changed now I write myself. So I'll keep her on her pedestal as she is.
ReplyDeletePlaidy will always be a favorite of mine, and I've only read 7 or so of her books! :)
ReplyDeleteI own about 55 of them ~ so I've got some catching up to do but I will be very glad to do so.
The only thing that bugs me is when her books are reissued, sometimes the title gets changed.. and that gets way too confusing for a collector like me when you already have 55 you really don't want to duplicate any more!! GRR. LEAVE THE TITLES ALONE!