Janet Quin-Harkin facts for kids

Janet Quin-Harkin was born on September 24, 1941, in Bath, Somerset, England. She is a well-known author, especially for her exciting mystery novels for adults. She writes these mysteries under the pen name Rhys Bowen.

About Her Career

Before becoming a novelist, Janet Quin-Harkin worked in television. She was part of the drama department at the British Broadcasting Corporation in London. Later, she worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Sydney, Australia. She also taught drama and dance.

In 1981, she helped start the popular Sweet Dreams book series. She wrote one of the first six books in this series.

In the 1990s, Quin-Harkin began writing mystery novels for adults. She used the name Rhys Bowen for these books. She has created three main mystery series:

• One series follows a British aristocrat named Lady Georgiana. Her adventures take place in England in the 1930s.
• Another series features Molly Murphy, an Irish immigrant. Molly works as a private detective in New York City in the early 1900s.
• The third series is about a Welsh police officer named Evan Evans.

She also wrote the Boyfriend Club series for young adults. This series is about four freshman girls in high school: Roni, Ginger, Justine, and Karen.

Her Personal Life

Janet Quin-Harkin graduated from the University of London in 1963. She moved to the United States after marrying John Quin-Harkin.

She has four children. Today, she spends her time living in both Marin County, California, and Arizona.

Books by Janet Quin-Harkin

Here are some books Janet Quin-Harkin wrote under her own name:

• Peter Penny's Dance (Dial Press, 1976)
• Benjamin's Balloon (Parents Magazine, 1978)
• Septimus Bean and his Amazing Machine (Parents, 1979)
• Magic Growing Powder (Parents, 1980)
• Ten-boy summer (Bantam Books, 1982)
• Helpful Hattie (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983)
• Wanted—date for Saturday night (1985)
• My Best Enemy (Bantam, 1987)
• The boy next door (Bantam, 1995)
• Who do you love? (Bantam, 1996)
• Torn apart (Bantam, 1999)
• Love potion (Avon Flare, 1999)

Books by Rhys Bowen

Janet Quin-Harkin has written many books as Rhys Bowen. Here are some of them:

Constable Evan Evans Series

• Evans Above (1997)
• Evan Help Us (1998)
• Evanly Choirs (1999)
• Evan and Elle (2000)
• Evan Can Wait (2001)
• Evans to Betsy (2002)
• Evan Only Knows (2003)
• Evan's Gate (2004)
• Evan Blessed (2005)
• Evanly Bodies (2006)

Lady Georgiana "Georgie" Series

• Her Royal Spyness (2007)
• A Royal Pain (2008)
• Royal Flush (2009)
• Royal Blood (2010)
• Naughty in Nice (2011)
• The Twelve Clues of Christmas (2012)
• Heirs and Graces (2013)
• Queen of Hearts (2014)
• Malice at the Palace (2015)
• Crowned and Dangerous (2016)
• On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service (2017)
• Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (2018)
• Love and Death Among the Cheetahs (2019)
• The Last Mrs. Summers (2020)
• God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen (2021)
• Peril in Paris (2022)
• The Proof of The Pudding (November 2023)

Lady Georgiana Short Stories

• Masked Ball at Broxley Manor (2012)

Molly Murphy Series

• Murphy's Law (2001)
• Death of Riley (2002)
• For the Love of Mike (2003)
• In Like Flynn (2005)
• Oh Danny Boy (2006)
• In Dublin's Fair City (2007)
• Tell Me, Pretty Maiden (2008)
• In a Gilded Cage (2009)
• The Last Illusion (2010)
• Bless the Bride (2011)
• Hush Now, Don't You Cry (2012)
• The Family Way (2013)
• City of Darkness and Light (2014)
• The Edge of Dreams (2015)
• Away in a Manger (2015)
• Time of Fog and Fire (2016)
• The Ghost of Christmas Past (2017)
• Wild Irish Rose, co-author Clare Broyles (2022)
• All That is Hidden, co-author Clare Broyles (2023)
• In Sunshine or in Shadow, co-author Clare Broyles (March 2024)

Molly Murphy Short Stories

• "The Amersham Rubies" (2011)
• "The Face in the Mirror" (2013)
• "Through the Window" (2014)

Stand-Alone Novels

• Above the Bay of Angels (2020)

World War I Novels

• The Victory Garden (2019)

World War II Novels

• In Farleigh Field (2017)
• The Tuscan Child (2018)
• The Venice Sketchbook (2021)
• Where the Sky Begins (2022)
• The Paris Assignment (August 2023)
• The Rose Arbor (2024)

Anthologies and Collections

Awards and Recognitions

Rhys Bowen has won many awards for her mystery novels:

• 2000: "The Seal of the Confessional" was a finalist for the Agatha and Anthony Awards.
• 2001: Murphy's Law won the Agatha Award for Best Novel.
• 2002: Death of Riley was a finalist for the Agatha Award for Best Novel.
• 2004: "Doppelganger" was a finalist for the Anthony Award for best short story.
• 2007: "Oh Danny Boy" won the Macavity Award Sue Feder Memorial Award for Best Historical Novel.
• 2008: "Please Watch Your Step" won the Macavity Award for best short story.
• 2009: "A Royal Pain" won the Macavity Award Sue Feder Memorial Award for Best Historical Novel.
• 2011: Naughty in Nice won the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel.
• 2017: In Farleigh Field won several awards:
  • The Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel.
  • The Left Coast Crime Lefty Award (Bruce Alexander Memorial Award for Best Historical Mystery).
  • The Macavity Award Sue Feder Memorial Award for Best Historical Novel.