E.C.R. Lorac

Edith Caroline Rivett, who wrote under the pseudonyms E.C.R. Lorac, Carol Carnac, Carol Rivett, and Mary le Bourne, was a British crime writer during the golden age of detective fiction. She was born in Hendon, Middlesex, now a part of London, and attended the South Hampstead High School and the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. Rivett was a member of the Detection Club, an informal group of British crime writers that included Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and G.K. Chesterton.

E.C.R. Lorac is best known for writing the Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald series of books. Her writing career was incredibly prolific, with forty-eight mysteries written under the Lorac pen name and twenty-three more under the Carnac name. Her works were published in England and gained popularity among mystery and crime fiction fans. Lorac's writing is known for its intricate plotting, vivid settings, and complex characters, making her an important figure in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

In addition to her work as E.C.R. Lorac and Carol Carnac, Rivett also published novels under the names Carol Rivett and Mary le Bourne. These works span a variety of genres, from mystery and crime fiction to more general fiction. Despite the use of multiple pen names, Rivett's distinct writing style and keen eye for detail are evident throughout her body of work. Her contributions to the world of crime fiction and detective stories have left a lasting impact on the genre and continue to be enjoyed by readers today.
Inspector Ryvet Books (as Carol Carnac)
# Title Year
1 Triple Death 1936
2 The Missing Rope 1937
3 Murder at Mornington 1937
4 The Case of the First-Class Carriage 1939
5 When the Devil Was Sick 1939
6 Death in the Diving Pool 1940
Julian Rivers Books (as Carol Carnac)
# Title Year
1 A Double for Detection 1945
2 The Striped Suitcase 1946
3 Clue Sinister 1947
4 Over the Garden Wall 1948
5 Copy for Crime 1950
6 Upstairs, downstairs 1950
7 It\'s Her Own Funeral 1951
8 Crossed Skis 1952
9 Murder As a Fine Art 1953
10 A Policeman At the Door 1953
11 Impact of Evidence 1954
12 Murder Among Members 1955
13 Rigging the Evidence 1955
14 The Double Turn 1956
15 Long Shadows 1958
Robert MacDonald Books
# Title Year
1 The Murder on the Burrows 1931
2 The Affair on Thor's Head 1932
3 The Greenwell Mystery 1932
4 Death On The Oxford Road 1933
5 The Case of Colonel Marchand 1933
6 Murder in St. John's Wood 1934
7 Murder in Chelsea 1934
8 The Organ Speaks 1935
9 Post After Post-Mortem 1936
10 A Pall for a Painter 1936
11 Crime Counter Crime 1936
12 These Names Make Clues 1937
13 Bats in the Belfry 1937
14 Slippery Staircase 1938
15 Black Beadle 1939
16 John Brown's Body 1939
17 Tryst for a Tragedy 1940
18 Death at Dyke's Corner 1940
19 Case in the Clinic 1941
20 Rope's End, Rogue's End 1942
21 The Sixteenth Stair 1942
22 Checkmate to Murder 1944
23 Fell Murder 1944
24 Murder by Matchlight 1945
25 Fire in the Thatch 1946
26 Relative to Poison 1947
27 Part for a Poisoner 1948
28 Death Before Dinner 1948
29 Policemen in the Precinct 1949
30 Still Waters 1949
31 Accident by Design 1951
32 Murder of a Martinet 1951
33 Murder in the Mill-Race 1952
34 The Dog It Was That Died 1952
35 Crook O'Lune 1953
36 Let Well Alone 1954
37 Shroud of Darkness 1954
38 Ask A Policeman 1955
39 Murder in Vienna 1956
40 Picture of Death 1957
41 Dangerous Domicile 1957
42 Murder On a Monument 1958
43 The Last Escape/Dishonour Among Thieves 1959
44 The Theft of the Iron Dogs 1960
45 The Devil and the C.I.D. 2012
46 Death Came Softly 2021
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 The Burning Question ( As: Carol Carnac) 1957
2 The Burning Question 1957
3 Death in Triplicate 1958
4 Death of a Lady Killer ( As: Carol Carnac) 1959
5 Death of a Lady Killer 1959
6 Two-Way Murder 2021
British Library Crime Classics Books
# Title Year
1 The Notting Hill Mystery 1862
2 The Notting Hill Mystery (By: Charles Warren Adams) 1862
3 The Female Detective 1864
4 The Poisoned Chocolates Case (By: Anthony Berkeley) 1929
5 It Walks by Night (By: John Dickson Carr) 1930
6 The Poisoned Chocolates Case 1929
7 The Secret of High Eldersham / The Mystery of High Eldersham (By: Miles Burton) 1930
8 It Walks by Night 1930
9 Castle Skull (By: John Dickson Carr) 1931
10 The Secret of High Eldersham / The Mystery of High Eldersham 1930
11 Mystery in the Channel (By: Freeman Crofts) 1931
12 Mystery in the Channel 1931
13 The Incredible Crime (By: Lois Austen-Leigh) 1931
14 Castle Skull 1931
15 Murder of a Lady (By: Anthony Wynne) 1931
16 The Incredible Crime 1931
17 The Lost Gallows (By: John Dickson Carr) 1931
18 Murder of a Lady 1931
19 The Z Murders (By: J. Jefferson Farjeon) 1931
20 The Lost Gallows 1931
21 The Corpse in the Waxworks / The Waxworks Murder (By: John Dickson Carr) 1932
22 The Z Murders 1931
23 The Division Bell Mystery (By: Ellen Wilkinson) 1932
24 The Corpse in the Waxworks / The Waxworks Murder 1932
25 Portrait of a Murderer (By: Anne Meredith) 1933
26 The Division Bell Mystery 1932
27 Portrait of a Murderer 1933
28 Death in Fancy Dress (By: Anthony Gilbert) 1933
29 Death in Fancy Dress 1933
30 Family Matters (By: Anthony Rolls) 1933
31 Family Matters 1933
32 The Hog's Back Mystery (By: Freeman Crofts) 1933
33 The Mysterious Mr. Badman (By: William Fryer Harvey) 1934
34 The Hog's Back Mystery 1933
35 Murder Underground 1934
36 Murder Underground (By: Mavis Doriel Hay) 1934
37 Scarweather (By: Anthony Rolls) 1934
38 Scarweather 1934
39 Death of an Airman (By: Christopher Sprigg) 1934
40 Death of an Airman 1934
41 The Spy Paramount (By: E. Phillips Oppenheim) 1934
42 The Spy Paramount 1934
43 The 12.30 from Croydon 1934
44 The 12.30 from Croydon (By: Freeman Crofts) 1934
45 The Chianti Flask 1934
46 The Chianti Flask (By: Marie Belloc Lowndes) 1934
47 The Lake District Murder 1935
48 Weekend at Thrackley (By: Alan Melville) 1934
49 Quick Curtain (By: Alan Melville) 1934
50 Death on the Cherwell 1935
51 The Lake District Murder (By: John Bude) 1935
52 The Cornish Coast Murder 1935
53 Death on the Cherwell (By: Mavis Doriel Hay) 1935
54 The Traitor 1936
55 The Cornish Coast Murder (By: John Bude) 1935
56 The Santa Klaus Murder 1936
57 The Traitor (By: Sydney Horler) 1936
58 The Sussex Downs Murder 1936
59 The Santa Klaus Murder (By: Mavis Doriel Hay) 1936
60 Death in the Tunnel / Dark in the Tunnel 1936
61 The Sussex Downs Murder (By: John Bude) 1936
62 Mystery in White 1937
63 Death of Anton (By: Alan Melville) 1936
64 The Cheltenham Square Murder 1937
65 The Wheel Spins / Passengers / The Lady Vanishes (By: Ethel Lina White) 1936
66 Death in the Tunnel / Dark in the Tunnel (By: Miles Burton) 1936
67 Excellent Intentions 1938
68 Murder in Piccadilly (By: Charles Kingston) 1936
69 Murder in the Museum 1938
70 Antidote to Venom 1938
71 Mystery in White (By: J. Jefferson Farjeon) 1937
72 Thirteen Guests 1938
73 Bats in the Belfry 1937
74 The Port of London Murders 1938
75 The Cheltenham Square Murder (By: John Bude) 1937
76 Excellent Intentions (By: Richard Hull) 1938
77 The Arsenal Stadium Mystery 1939
78 Seven Dead 1939
79 Murder in the Museum (By: John Rowland) 1938
80 Verdict of Twelve 1940
81 Antidote to Venom (By: Freeman Crofts) 1938
82 A Scream in Soho 1940
83 Thirteen Guests (By: J. Jefferson Farjeon) 1938
84 The Port of London Murders (By: Josephine Bell) 1938
85 Death of a Busybody 1942
86 The Arsenal Stadium Mystery (By: Leonard R. Gribble) 1939
87 The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack 1942
88 Seven Dead (By: J. Jefferson Farjeon) 1939
89 Somebody at the Door 1943
90 Verdict of Twelve (By: Raymond Postgate) 1940
91 Murder's a Swine: A Second World War Mystery 1943
92 A Scream in Soho (By: John G. Brandon) 1940
93 Death of a Busybody (By: George Bellairs) 1942
94 The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack (By: George Bellairs) 1942
95 Somebody at the Door (By: Raymond Postgate) 1943
96 Trouble on the Thames 1945
97 Murder's a Swine (By: Nap Lombard) 1943
98 Checkmate to Murder 1944
99 Death Makes a Prophet 1947
100 Smallbone Deceased 1950
101 Fell Murder 1944
102 Calamity in Kent 1950
103 Murder by Matchlight 1945
104 Trouble on the Thames (By: Victor Bridges) 1945
105 Death Has Deep Roots 1951
106 Fire in the Thatch 1946
107 The Danger Within / Death in Captivity 1952
108 Death Makes a Prophet (By: John Bude) 1947
109 Crossed Skis 1952
110 Smallbone Deceased (By: Michael Gilbert) 1950
111 Death on the Riviera 1952
112 Calamity in Kent (By: John Rowland) 1950
113 The Colour Of Murder 1957
114 Death Has Deep Roots (By: Michael Gilbert) 1951
115 The Christmas Egg 1958
116 Last Seen Wearing (By: Hillary Waugh) 1952
117 The Danger Within / Death in Captivity (By: Michael Gilbert) 1952
118 The Progress of a Crime 1960
119 Murder in the Mill-Race 1952
120 The Spoilt Kill 1961
121 The Body in the Dumb River 1961
122 Crossed Skis ( As: Carol Carnac) 1952
123 Death on the Riviera (By: John Bude) 1952
124 Due to a Death 1963
125 Surfeit of Suspects 1964
126 The Man Who Didn't Fly (By: Margot Bennett) 1955
127 The Colour Of Murder (By: Julian Symons) 1957
128 The Belting Inheritance 1965
129 The Last Best Friend 1967
130 The Christmas Egg (By: Mary Kelly) 1958
131 The Progress of a Crime (By: Julian Symons) 1960
132 The End of the Web 1976
133 Capital Crimes: London Mysteries 2015
134 Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm (By: Gil North) 1960
135 The Spoilt Kill (By: Mary Kelly) 1961
136 Resorting to Murder 2015
137 The Body in the Dumb River (By: George Bellairs) 1961
138 Silent Nights 2015
139 Due to a Death (By: Mary Kelly) 1963
140 Murder at the Manor 2016
141 Serpents in Eden 2016
142 Surfeit of Suspects (By: George Bellairs) 1964
143 The Belting Inheritance (By: Julian Symons) 1965
144 Crimson Snow 2016
145 Foreign Bodies 2017
146 The Last Best Friend (By: George Sims) 1967
147 London Particular (By: Christianna Brand) 1972
148 The Long Arm of the Law 2017
149 The End of the Web (By: George Sims) 1976
150 Miraculous Mysteries 2017
151 Capital Crimes (By: Martin Edwards, Richard Marsh) 2015
152 Continental Crimes 2017
153 Resorting to Murder (By: Martin Edwards) 2015
154 Blood on the Tracks 2018
155 The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories 2018
156 Silent Nights (By: Martin Edwards) 2015
157 Murder at the Manor (By: Martin Edwards) 2016
158 Golden Age of Detection Puzzle Book 2018
159 Serpents in Eden (By: Martin Edwards) 2016
160 Deep Waters: Murder on the Waves 2019
161 Crimson Snow (By: Martin Edwards, Fergus Hume) 2016
162 The Measure of Malice 2019
163 Foreign Bodies (By: Martin Edwards, Palle Rosenkrantz) 2017
164 Settling Scores: Sporting Mysteries 2020
165 A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries 2020
166 The Long Arm of the Law (By: Martin Edwards) 2017
167 Miraculous Mysteries (By: Martin Edwards) 2017
168 Guilty Creatures: A Menagerie of Mysteries 2021
169 Continental Crimes (By: Martin Edwards) 2017
170 Blood on the Tracks (By: Martin Edwards) 2018
171 The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories (By: Martin Edwards) 2018
172 Golden Age of Detection Puzzle Book (By: Kate Jackson) 2018
173 Deep Waters (By: Martin Edwards) 2019
174 The Measure of Malice (By: Martin Edwards) 2019
175 Settling Scores (By: Martin Edwards) 2020
176 A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries (By: Martin Edwards) 2020
177 Two-Way Murder 2021
178 Guilty Creatures (By: Martin Edwards) 2021
179 Death of an Author 2024
180 Crimes of Cymru (By: Martin Edwards) 2024
181 The Wheel Spins (By: Ethel Lina White) 2025
E.C.R. Lorac Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Capital Crimes: London Mysteries 2015
2 Capital Crimes 2015
3 Resorting to Murder 2015
4 Silent Nights 2015
5 Murder at the Manor 2016
6 Serpents in Eden 2016
7 Crimson Snow 2016
8 Foreign Bodies 2017
9 The Long Arm of the Law 2017
10 Miraculous Mysteries 2017
11 Continental Crimes 2017
12 Blood on the Tracks 2018
13 The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories 2018
14 The Measure of Malice 2019
15 Settling Scores 2020
16 Settling Scores: Sporting Mysteries 2020
17 A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries 2020
18 Guilty Creatures: A Menagerie of Mysteries 2021
19 Guilty Creatures 2021