Elizabeth Marie Pope

When I started researching Elizabeth Marie Pope, I was shocked to discover that she had written The Sherwood Ring in 1958 and The Perilous Guard in 1974 (and then I was totally bummed to find that those were the only two books she produced—all in all, it was a dark afternoon for Wordcandy research). Pope (1917-1992) was an Elizabethan literature scholar, and her novels feature a heady blend of romance, suspense, and historical fantasy. But even more impressive than her careful research and fast-paced plotting is Pope’s gift for creating vividly drawn, totally realistic heroines—they might be the ghost of a girl who lived during the American Revolution or a 16th century lady-in-waiting fighting unworldly forces, but they’re still believable teenage girls.

Aftertaste:
None.

Availability:
Everywhere, in pretty new reprints!

Other Recommendations:
Sorcery and Cecelia, by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede