Lucas Malet

Born Mary St Leger Kingsley in Hampshire in 1852, she was the daughter of writer and clergyman Charles Kingsley. She published as Lucas Malet, a pseudonym that helped set her apart in the literary world of late Victorian England.

Her novels were known for their seriousness, emotional force, and willingness to tackle difficult subjects. Among her best-known books are The Wages of Sin (1891) and The History of Sir Richard Calmady (1901), both of which brought her major attention.

Lucas Malet died in 1931. Although she is less widely read now than some of her contemporaries, her work still draws interest for its intensity, ambition, and distinctive place in Victorian fiction.