She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009.

From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. But as she recalls the passions, tragedies, and secrets of her life, she knows there is only one answer…and it lies in her heart.Rosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. When her grown children learn their grandfather’s work is now worth a fortune, each has an idea as to what Penelope should do. Publisher’s DescriptionĪt the end of a long and useful life, Penelope Keeling’s prized possession is The Shell Seekers, painted by her father, and symbolizing her unconventional life, from bohemian childhood to wartime romance. I loved the slow reveal of her life told over decades and I know that I’ll be rereading this in years to come. Penelope is truly an unforgettable character. The Shell Seekers moves between past and present, revisiting various times in Penelope’s life, including her Bohemian youth during World War II. Her adult children have their own ideas about what she should do about the discovery. They were absolutely right! The premise of this book doesn’t seem like much: Penelope discovers that her father’s painting is worth a small fortune. I chose this book as my cozy read for my 2021 More Joy, Less Stress Reading Challenge after hearing from so many readers that it fit the bill.

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The shell seekers