Mrs. Georgie Sheldon

Sarah Elizabeth Forbush Downs (June 5, 1843–1926) was an American novelist who published under her own name as well as the pen names Mrs. Georgie Sheldon and Mrs. George Sheldon Downs. Born in Wrentham, Massachusetts, she became known for fiction that blended romance, family drama, secrets, reversals, and strong emotional stakes.

She was especially associated with popular serialized and inexpensive fiction, and her work circulated widely enough that many readers came to know her best by her pseudonym rather than her legal name. Surviving catalogs and public-domain editions show a long list of novels, including The Masked Bridal, Geoffrey's Victory, A Lost Pearle, and The Lily of Mordaunt.

Though she is less famous today than some of her contemporaries, her books remain part of the world of classic popular fiction, and many are still read in reprint or audiobook form. She stands as a good example of the hardworking, highly readable authors who helped shape American mass-market storytelling in the late 1800s and early 1900s.