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Editha Aceituna Thurlow Griffin

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Editha Aceituna Thurlow Griffin
A white woman, seated in a large chair; she has dark hair in a bouffant updo, and is wearing a light-colored lacy corseted dress with elaborate details; her hands hold a fan in her lap
E. Aceituna Griffin, from a 1906 publication
Born
Editha Aceituna Thurlow

12 July 1876
Gibraltar
Died10 June 1949
Kensington
OccupationWriter
Known forMystery and historical romance novels
RelativesGeorge Dodd (grandfather)

Editha Aceituna Thurlow Griffin (12 July 1876 – 10 June 1949) was a British writer, usually credited as E. Aceituna Griffin. She was the author of more than a dozen mystery and historical romance novels.

Early life

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Editha Aceituna Thurlow was born in Gibraltar, the daughter of British parents, Edward Hovell Thurlow and Georgina Violet Dodd Thurlow. Her father was a cavalry officer. Her grandfather George Dodd was a Member of Parliament.[1][2] Her middle name, spelled in various ways in British records, is a Spanish word for "olive".

Career

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Griffin wrote murder mysteries and historical romances. Books by Griffin included Lady Sarah's Deed of Gift (1906),[3] A Servant of the King (1906),[4] Mrs. Vanneck (1907),[5] The Tavistocks (1909),[6] Pearl and Plain (1927),[7] Amber and Jade (1928),[8] Genesta (1930),[9] Conscience (1931),[10] Delia's Dilemma (1934),[11] Motive for Murder (1935, co-written with her daughter Joy Griffin),[12] The Punt Murder (1936),[13] Commandments Six and Eight (1936),[14] Sweets and Sinners (1937),[15] and Where There Is a Will (1939).[16] She also wrote stories in the same genres, including "The Spectre of the Severn Tunnel" (1899), "Selling Off" (1900), "Pride of Race" (1901),[17] and "The Nemesis of a Crime" (serialized in 1939).[18] She was also reported to have written two short plays.[19]

Griffin's earlier novel The Tavistocks was described approvingly in an Australian newspaper as "free from maudlin sentiment, and upholds a high moral and conventional tone".[20] But another Australian reviewer believed her novel Mrs. Vanneck "possesses none of the graces that should adorn a character study, but nearly all the faults that can distress a reader, even if he only reads for amusement."[21] A 1936 British review of her Motive for Murder found the novel "sophisticated" and "with almost sinister competence."[22]

Personal life

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Editha Aceituna Thurlow married army officer Robert Chaloner Griffin (1871–1954) in 1905. They lived in Berkshire and had a son, Robert (1906–1990), and a daughter, Ursula Mary Joy (1913–1973, known as Joy). E. Aceituna Griffin died in 1949, aged 72 years, at her home in Kensington.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage: Comprising Information Concerning All Persons Bearing Hereditary Or Courtesy Titles, Knights, and Companions of All the Various Orders, and the Collateral Branches of All Peers and Baronets. Dean & Son, Limited. 1902. p. 796.
  2. ^ a b Kemp, Sandra (1997). Edwardian fiction : an Oxford companion. Charlotte Mitchell, David Trotter. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-811760-4. OCLC 36011549.
  3. ^ "News Notes" The Bookman 30(May 1906): 46.
  4. ^ Griffin, E. Aceituna (1906). A servant of the king. William Blackwood & Sons.
  5. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1907). Mrs. Vanneck. George Bell and Sons.
  6. ^ Griffin, E. Aceituna (1909). The Tavistocks.
  7. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1927). Pearl and Plain. Longmans, Green and Company.
  8. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1928). Amber and Jade. Longmans, Green and Company, Limited.
  9. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1930). Genesta. John Murray.
  10. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1931). Conscience. John Murray.
  11. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1934). Delia's dilemma. London.
  12. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1935). Motive for murder. Sampson Low & Company.
  13. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1936). The Punt Murder. Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Limited.
  14. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1936). Commandments six and eight. London.
  15. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1937). Sweets and sinners. London.
  16. ^ Griffin, Aceituna (1939). 'Where there is a will ... '. London.
  17. ^ Thurlow, E. Aceituna (1901). "Pride of Race". The Royal Magazine. 6: 458–461.
  18. ^ Thurlow, Aceituna (19 June 1939). "The Nemesis of a Crime". Waikato Times. p. 5. Retrieved August 25, 2021 – via Papers Past.
  19. ^ "Bookstall and Study". The Star. 1930-02-12. p. 5. Retrieved August 25, 2021 – via Papers Past.
  20. ^ "How Women Love". Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929). 1908-08-22. p. 9. Retrieved 2021-08-26 – via Trove.
  21. ^ "Mrs. Vanneck". Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954). 1908-02-08. p. 50. Retrieved 2021-08-26 – via Trove.
  22. ^ Torquemada (1936-02-16). "New Novels: Six Sound Mysteries". The Observer. p. 7. Retrieved 2021-08-26 – via Newspapers.com.
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