36:
434:"Margaret Millar is surely one of late twentieth-century crime fiction's best writers, in the sense that the actual writing in her books, the prose, is of superb quality. On almost every page of this one there is some description, whether of a physical thing or a mental state, that sends a sharp ray of extra meaning into the reader's mind."
375:
While she was not known for any one recurring detective (unlike her husband, whose constant gumshoe was Lew Archer), she occasionally used a detective character for more than one novel. Among her occasional ongoing sleuths were
Canadians Dr. Paul Prye (her first invention, in the earliest books) and
324:
Millar was a pioneer in writing about the psychology of women. Even as early as the '40s and '50s, her books have a mature and matter-of-fact view of class distinctions, sexual freedom and frustration, and the ambivalence of moral codes depending on a character's economic circumstances. Read against
320:
Millar often delivers "surprise endings," but the details that would allow the solution of the surprise have usually been subtly included, in the best genre tradition. Her books focus on subtleties of human interaction and rich psychological detail of individual characters as much as on plot.
376:
Inspector Sands (a quiet, unassuming
Canadian police inspector who might be the most endearing of her recurring inventions). In the California years, a few books featured either Joe Quinn, a rather down-on-his-luck private eye, or Tom Aragon, a young,
317:) we are given insight into what it feels like to be losing touch with reality and evolving into madness. In general, she is a writer of both expressive description and economy, often ambitious in conveying the sociological context of the stories.
664:
Society. She was a member of the inaugural SBAS Board and
Conservation Chair. Millar was an early participant in the American Birding Association's Rare Bird Alert, founded in Santa Barbara in 1963. She also served in the National Audubon Society.
351:
and other prominent Warner
Brothers actresses ultimately turned it down because the memorable protagonist is missing for the last third of the story. The film was never produced. In the early '60s, two of her novels
308:
Millar's books are distinguished by depth of characterization. Often we are shown the rather complex interior lives of the people in her books, with issues of class, insecurity, failed ambitions, loneliness or
1061:
386:
Most of Millar's books are still in print in
America. Starting in 2016, Soho Syndicate has published a large selection of omnibus re-issues grouped by theme. Many are available as single ebooks.
313:
or paranoia often being explored. Unusual people, mild societal misfits or people who don't quite fit into their surroundings are given much interior detail. In some of the books (for example in
325:
the backdrop of
Production Code-era movies of the time, they remind us that life as lived in the '40s and '50s was not as black-and-white morally as Hollywood would have us believe.
660:
As evidenced by her birdwatching memoir, birding was an important part of the lives of
Margaret Millar and her husband. The couple were founding members of the Santa Barbara
277:
776:
1047:
1562:
1567:
1552:
328:
It has been argued that Millar "essentially created a new hybrid form of literature: detective literature" in contrast to formulaic genre stories.
817:
Connelly, Kelly C. (2007). "From
Detective Fiction to Detective Literature: Psychology in the Novels of Dorothy L. Sayers and Margaret Millar".
1547:
1023:
1015:
901:
737:
719:
1070:
675:
1054:
1537:
1532:
765:
705:
691:
119:
53:
24:
100:
1557:
710:
Millar's work also is mentioned prominently in the volume of letters between Random House's
Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer,
57:
72:
1542:
79:
649:
The Birds and the Beasts Were There: The Joys of
Birdwatching and Wildlife Observation in California's Richest Habitat
412:
402:. Two later novels were also nominated for Best Novel. In 1965 she was awarded the Woman of the Year Award by the
46:
289:
86:
1033:
1423:
68:
1303:
931:
1527:
1351:
1333:
1177:
310:
281:
1522:
1517:
1441:
1267:
1495:
1489:
1387:
1369:
1225:
1099:
604:
1417:
1405:
1327:
1291:
1165:
269:
156:
284:. She moved to the United States after marrying Kenneth Millar (better known under the pen name
1189:
761:
733:
715:
701:
687:
404:
93:
1219:
1171:
1159:
1147:
1087:
826:
262:
206:
1363:
1345:
1321:
1297:
1153:
332:
258:
202:
964:
777:
Flash From the Past: Kitchener writers’ family lives were like a bad plot 6 November 2020
1483:
1477:
1339:
1315:
1309:
1261:
1213:
1201:
1183:
1135:
1039:
285:
218:
990:
1511:
1471:
1435:
1399:
1249:
1237:
1195:
1123:
1117:
1111:
1081:
419:
20:
1465:
1447:
1285:
1279:
1273:
1243:
1129:
395:
336:
276:, (the city would change its name to Kitchener in 1916), she was educated at the
1459:
1393:
1375:
1231:
1141:
725:
546:
348:
35:
292:, which was often used as a locale in her later novels under the pseudonyms of
1381:
1255:
1207:
967:
Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
361:
339:, but no further details are given as to what she may have worked on, even on
1429:
1411:
1357:
830:
792:
978:
1453:
377:
340:
184:
1105:
844:
760:, 2nd Ed. by Elizabeth Blakesley Lindsay, 2007, publ. Greenwood Press,
661:
273:
160:
347:
with its portrait of a woman descending into madness, but reportedly
380:
1043:
868:
696:
She features largely in Tom Nolan's biography of her husband,
257:; February 5, 1915 – March 26, 1994) was an American-Canadian
29:
902:"A Brief History of Santa Barbara Audubon Society – Part One"
684:
Atomic Renaissance: Women Mystery Writers of the 1940s/1950s
343:. Around that time, Warners bought the option on her novel
331:
Many websites cite her as working as a screenwriter for
300:. The Millars had a daughter, Linda, who died in 1970.
991:"Ross Macdonald and Margaret Millar: Partners in Crime"
411:
In 1983, she was awarded the Grand Master Award by the
682:
Margaret Millar is one of the seven women profiled in
673:
Theme issue on Margaret Millar. Guest ed. Dean James.
724:
A critical essay on Millar's crime novels appears in
240:
212:
198:
190:
180:
166:
141:
134:
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
601:The Couple Next Door: Collected Short Mysteries
932:"Prolific Mystery Writer Margaret Millar Dies"
1055:
415:in recognition of her lifetime achievements.
8:
288:). They resided for decades in the city of
890:. New York: Soho Crime. p. back cover.
364:) were adapted for the anthology TV series
1062:
1048:
1040:
131:
786:
784:
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
863:
861:
749:
428:Crime & Mystery: The 100 Best Books
278:Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute
233: 1938; died 1983)
7:
1071:Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel
965:Guide to the Margaret Millar Papers.
58:adding citations to reliable sources
1563:20th-century Canadian women writers
1030:The Birds and the Beasts Were There
919:. New York: Soho Crime. p. 67.
917:The Birds and the Beasts Were There
888:The Birds and the Beasts Were There
791:Weinman, Sarah (24 November 2020).
418:In 1987, critic and mystery writer
14:
686:(Lee's Bluff, MO: Delphi Books).
714:(New York: Random House, 2002).
469:"Inspector Sands" mystery novels
34:
25:Margaret Miller (disambiguation)
1568:20th-century Canadian novelists
1553:Writers from Kitchener, Ontario
930:Oliver, Myrna (29 March 1994).
230:
45:needs additional citations for
583:Beyond This Point Are Monsters
1:
995:Mystery Readers International
819:Clues: A Journal of Detection
676:Clues: A Journal of Detection
1548:University of Toronto alumni
1001:(3). Mystery Readers Journal
700:(New York: Scribner, 1999).
758:Great Women Mystery Writers
488:"Tom Aragon" mystery novels
1584:
873:Mystery Writers of America
730:Varieties of Crime Fiction
444:"Paul Prye" mystery novels
413:Mystery Writers of America
18:
1077:
1034:California Legacy Project
915:Millar, Margaret (1967).
886:Millar, Margaret (1967).
712:Dear Donald, Dear Bennett
366:Alfred Hitchcock Presents
176:Santa Barbara, California
1538:Canadian women novelists
1533:Canadian mystery writers
989:Nolan, Tom (Fall 2001).
618:Experiment in Springtime
394:In 1956, Millar won the
23:. For other people, see
16:American-Canadian writer
1012:2 short radio episodes
831:10.3200/CLUS.25.3.35-48
732:(Wildside Press, 2019)
624:It's All in the Family
565:A Stranger in My Grave
436:
396:Edgar Allan Poe Awards
390:Awards and recognition
157:Berlin (now Kitchener)
1558:Women mystery writers
1186:and Per Wahlöö (1971)
549:for Best Novel, 1956)
500:The Murder of Miranda
432:
398:Best Novel award for
311:existential isolation
282:University of Toronto
251:Margaret Ellis Millar
19:For the actress, see
1442:William Kent Krueger
959:Archival collections
793:"Linda, Interrupted"
679:25.3 (Spring 2007).
605:Crippen & Landru
537:Vanish in an Instant
513:Other mystery novels
145:Margaret Ellis Sturm
54:improve this article
1543:Edgar Award winners
1388:T. Jefferson Parker
1370:T. Jefferson Parker
1226:William H. Hallahan
1100:Charlotte Armstrong
559:The Listening Walls
494:Ask for Me Tomorrow
360:the latter starred
358:Rose's Last Summer,
1328:Mary Willis Walker
1292:Stuart M. Kaminsky
1166:Donald E. Westlake
630:The Cannibal Heart
531:Rose's Last Summer
462:The Devil Loves Me
450:The Invisible Worm
422:included Millar's
1505:
1504:
1190:Frederick Forsyth
983:Books and Writers
979:"Margaret Millar"
977:Petri Liukkonen.
936:Los Angeles Times
869:"Edgars Database"
845:"Margaret Millar"
738:978-1-4794-4546-2
720:978-0-375-50768-7
603:. Ed. Tom Nolan (
571:How Like an Angel
553:An Air That Kills
525:Do Evil in Return
456:The Weak-Eyed Bat
405:Los Angeles Times
304:Styles and themes
248:
247:
194:American-Canadian
130:
129:
122:
104:
69:"Margaret Millar"
1575:
1220:Robert B. Parker
1160:Nicolas Freeling
1088:Raymond Chandler
1064:
1057:
1050:
1041:
1009:
1007:
1006:
947:
946:
944:
942:
927:
921:
920:
912:
906:
905:
898:
892:
891:
883:
877:
876:
865:
856:
855:
853:
852:
841:
835:
834:
814:
808:
807:
805:
803:
788:
779:
774:
768:
754:
636:Wives and Lovers
519:Fire Will Freeze
234:
232:
173:
154:February 5, 1915
153:
151:
132:
125:
118:
114:
111:
105:
103:
62:
38:
30:
1583:
1582:
1578:
1577:
1576:
1574:
1573:
1572:
1508:
1507:
1506:
1501:
1364:Joe R. Lansdale
1346:James Lee Burke
1322:Minette Walters
1298:James Lee Burke
1094:Margaret Millar
1073:
1068:
1004:
1002:
988:
974:
961:
956:
951:
950:
940:
938:
929:
928:
924:
914:
913:
909:
904:. 30 June 2014.
900:
899:
895:
885:
884:
880:
867:
866:
859:
850:
848:
843:
842:
838:
816:
815:
811:
801:
799:
790:
789:
782:
775:
771:
755:
751:
746:
671:
669:Further reading
658:
651:(1968) (memoir)
645:
614:
515:
490:
471:
446:
441:
392:
345:The Iron Gates,
333:Warner Brothers
306:
236:
228:
224:
221:
175:
171:
155:
149:
147:
146:
137:
136:Margaret Millar
126:
115:
109:
106:
63:
61:
51:
39:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1581:
1579:
1571:
1570:
1565:
1560:
1555:
1550:
1545:
1540:
1535:
1530:
1525:
1520:
1510:
1509:
1503:
1502:
1500:
1499:
1493:
1487:
1484:Deepa Anappara
1481:
1478:Elly Griffiths
1475:
1469:
1463:
1457:
1451:
1445:
1439:
1433:
1427:
1424:Steve Hamilton
1421:
1415:
1409:
1403:
1397:
1391:
1385:
1379:
1373:
1367:
1361:
1355:
1349:
1343:
1340:Thomas H. Cook
1337:
1331:
1325:
1319:
1316:Margaret Maron
1313:
1310:Lawrence Block
1307:
1301:
1295:
1289:
1283:
1277:
1271:
1265:
1262:Elmore Leonard
1259:
1253:
1247:
1241:
1235:
1229:
1223:
1217:
1214:Brian Garfield
1211:
1205:
1202:Tony Hillerman
1199:
1193:
1187:
1181:
1175:
1172:Jeffrey Hudson
1169:
1163:
1157:
1151:
1145:
1139:
1133:
1127:
1121:
1115:
1109:
1103:
1097:
1091:
1085:
1078:
1075:
1074:
1069:
1067:
1066:
1059:
1052:
1044:
1038:
1037:
1010:
986:
973:
970:
969:
968:
960:
957:
955:
954:External links
952:
949:
948:
922:
907:
893:
878:
857:
836:
809:
780:
769:
748:
747:
745:
742:
698:Ross Macdonald
670:
667:
657:
654:
653:
652:
644:
641:
640:
639:
633:
627:
621:
613:
610:
609:
608:
598:
592:
586:
580:
574:
568:
562:
556:
550:
540:
534:
528:
522:
514:
511:
510:
509:
503:
497:
489:
486:
485:
484:
481:The Iron Gates
478:
470:
467:
466:
465:
459:
453:
445:
442:
440:
437:
391:
388:
315:The Iron Gates
305:
302:
286:Ross Macdonald
246:
245:
242:
238:
237:
226:
222:
219:Kenneth Millar
217:
216:
214:
210:
209:
200:
196:
195:
192:
188:
187:
182:
178:
177:
174:(aged 79)
170:March 26, 1994
168:
164:
163:
143:
139:
138:
135:
128:
127:
42:
40:
33:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1580:
1569:
1566:
1564:
1561:
1559:
1556:
1554:
1551:
1549:
1546:
1544:
1541:
1539:
1536:
1534:
1531:
1529:
1526:
1524:
1521:
1519:
1516:
1515:
1513:
1497:
1496:Danya Kukafka
1494:
1491:
1490:James Kestrel
1488:
1485:
1482:
1479:
1476:
1473:
1472:Walter Mosley
1470:
1467:
1464:
1461:
1458:
1455:
1452:
1449:
1446:
1443:
1440:
1437:
1436:Dennis Lehane
1434:
1431:
1428:
1425:
1422:
1419:
1416:
1413:
1410:
1407:
1404:
1401:
1400:Jason Goodwin
1398:
1395:
1392:
1389:
1386:
1383:
1380:
1377:
1374:
1371:
1368:
1365:
1362:
1359:
1356:
1353:
1350:
1347:
1344:
1341:
1338:
1335:
1332:
1329:
1326:
1323:
1320:
1317:
1314:
1311:
1308:
1305:
1302:
1299:
1296:
1293:
1290:
1287:
1284:
1281:
1278:
1275:
1272:
1269:
1266:
1263:
1260:
1257:
1254:
1251:
1250:William Bayer
1248:
1245:
1242:
1239:
1238:Arthur Maling
1236:
1233:
1230:
1227:
1224:
1221:
1218:
1215:
1212:
1209:
1206:
1203:
1200:
1197:
1196:Warren Kiefer
1194:
1191:
1188:
1185:
1182:
1179:
1176:
1173:
1170:
1167:
1164:
1161:
1158:
1155:
1152:
1149:
1148:John le Carré
1146:
1143:
1140:
1137:
1134:
1131:
1128:
1125:
1124:Julian Symons
1122:
1119:
1118:Celia Fremlin
1116:
1113:
1112:Stanley Ellin
1110:
1107:
1104:
1101:
1098:
1095:
1092:
1089:
1086:
1083:
1082:Charlotte Jay
1080:
1079:
1076:
1072:
1065:
1060:
1058:
1053:
1051:
1046:
1045:
1042:
1035:
1031:
1027:
1026:
1025:
1024:White Pelican
1019:
1018:
1017:
1011:
1000:
996:
992:
987:
984:
980:
976:
975:
971:
966:
963:
962:
958:
953:
937:
933:
926:
923:
918:
911:
908:
903:
897:
894:
889:
882:
879:
874:
870:
864:
862:
858:
846:
840:
837:
832:
828:
824:
820:
813:
810:
798:
794:
787:
785:
781:
778:
773:
770:
767:
766:0-313-33428-5
763:
759:
753:
750:
743:
741:
739:
735:
731:
727:
722:
721:
717:
713:
708:
707:
706:0-684-81217-7
703:
699:
694:
693:
692:0-9663397-7-0
689:
685:
680:
678:
677:
668:
666:
663:
655:
650:
647:
646:
642:
637:
634:
631:
628:
625:
622:
619:
616:
615:
611:
606:
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
587:
584:
581:
578:
575:
572:
569:
566:
563:
560:
557:
554:
551:
548:
544:
543:Beast in View
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
516:
512:
507:
504:
501:
498:
495:
492:
491:
487:
482:
479:
476:
473:
472:
468:
463:
460:
457:
454:
451:
448:
447:
443:
438:
435:
431:
430:. He wrote:
429:
425:
424:Beast In View
421:
420:H.R.F Keating
416:
414:
409:
407:
406:
401:
400:Beast in View
397:
389:
387:
384:
382:
379:
373:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
354:Beast in View
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
329:
326:
322:
318:
316:
312:
303:
301:
299:
298:Santa Felicia
295:
291:
290:Santa Barbara
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
266:
264:
260:
256:
252:
243:
239:
220:
215:
211:
208:
204:
201:
197:
193:
189:
186:
183:
179:
169:
165:
162:
158:
144:
140:
133:
124:
121:
113:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
55:
49:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
26:
22:
21:Maggie Millar
1528:Birdwatchers
1466:Attica Locke
1448:Stephen King
1352:Robert Clark
1334:Dick Francis
1286:Aaron Elkins
1280:Barbara Vine
1274:L. R. Wright
1244:Dick Francis
1178:Dick Francis
1136:Ellis Peters
1093:
1029:
1022:
1021:
1014:
1013:
1003:. Retrieved
998:
994:
982:
939:. Retrieved
935:
925:
916:
910:
896:
887:
881:
872:
849:. Retrieved
839:
822:
818:
812:
800:. Retrieved
796:
772:
757:
752:
729:
723:
711:
709:
697:
695:
683:
681:
674:
672:
659:
648:
635:
629:
623:
617:
612:Other novels
600:
594:
588:
582:
576:
570:
564:
558:
552:
542:
536:
530:
524:
518:
505:
499:
493:
480:
475:Wall of Eyes
474:
461:
455:
449:
439:Bibliography
433:
427:
423:
417:
410:
403:
399:
393:
385:
374:
369:
365:
357:
353:
344:
337:World War II
330:
327:
323:
319:
314:
307:
297:
293:
267:
254:
250:
249:
172:(1994-03-26)
116:
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
1523:1994 deaths
1518:1915 births
1460:Noah Hawley
1394:Jess Walter
1376:S. J. Rozan
1304:Julie Smith
1268:Ross Thomas
1232:Ken Follett
1184:Maj Sjöwall
1142:Eric Ambler
1130:J.J. Marric
802:24 November
726:S. T. Joshi
595:Spider Webs
547:Edgar Award
349:Bette Davis
335:just after
191:Nationality
110:August 2008
1512:Categories
1382:Ian Rankin
1256:Rick Boyer
1208:Jon Cleary
1005:2008-06-15
941:8 December
851:2008-06-15
797:CrimeReads
756:page 174,
643:Nonfiction
362:Mary Astor
294:San Felice
181:Occupation
150:1915-02-05
80:newspapers
1430:Mo Hayder
1418:John Hart
1412:C. J. Box
1406:John Hart
1358:Jan Burke
1154:Adam Hall
1016:Chaparral
825:(3): 35.
577:The Fiend
1454:Lori Roy
1032:, 1968.
728:'s book
545:(1955) (
378:Hispanic
370:Thriller
341:imdb.com
280:and the
268:Born in
265:writer.
263:suspense
241:Children
207:suspense
185:Novelist
1106:Ed Lacy
662:Audubon
656:Birding
607:, 2004)
589:Banshee
506:Mermaid
426:in his
274:Ontario
259:mystery
235:
227:
223:
203:mystery
161:Ontario
94:scholar
1498:(2023)
1492:(2022)
1486:(2021)
1480:(2020)
1474:(2019)
1468:(2018)
1462:(2017)
1456:(2016)
1450:(2015)
1444:(2014)
1438:(2013)
1432:(2012)
1426:(2011)
1420:(2010)
1414:(2009)
1408:(2008)
1402:(2007)
1396:(2006)
1390:(2005)
1384:(2004)
1378:(2003)
1372:(2002)
1366:(2001)
1360:(2000)
1354:(1999)
1348:(1998)
1342:(1997)
1336:(1996)
1330:(1995)
1324:(1994)
1318:(1993)
1312:(1992)
1306:(1991)
1300:(1990)
1294:(1989)
1288:(1988)
1282:(1987)
1276:(1986)
1270:(1985)
1264:(1984)
1258:(1983)
1252:(1982)
1246:(1981)
1240:(1980)
1234:(1979)
1228:(1978)
1222:(1977)
1216:(1976)
1210:(1975)
1204:(1974)
1198:(1973)
1192:(1972)
1180:(1970)
1174:(1969)
1168:(1968)
1162:(1967)
1156:(1966)
1150:(1965)
1144:(1964)
1138:(1963)
1132:(1962)
1126:(1961)
1120:(1960)
1114:(1959)
1108:(1958)
1102:(1957)
1096:(1956)
1090:(1955)
1084:(1954)
847:. Imdb
764:
736:
718:
704:
690:
638:(1954)
632:(1949)
626:(1948)
620:(1947)
597:(1986)
591:(1983)
585:(1970)
579:(1964)
573:(1962)
567:(1960)
561:(1959)
555:(1957)
539:(1952)
533:(1952)
527:(1950)
521:(1944)
508:(1982)
502:(1979)
496:(1976)
483:(1945)
477:(1943)
464:(1942)
458:(1942)
452:(1941)
381:lawyer
270:Berlin
213:Spouse
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
1028:from
972:Other
744:Notes
255:Sturm
253:(née
229:(
225:
199:Genre
101:JSTOR
87:books
1020:and
943:2021
804:2020
762:ISBN
734:ISBN
716:ISBN
702:ISBN
688:ISBN
368:and
356:and
261:and
167:Died
142:Born
73:news
827:doi
296:or
56:by
1514::
999:17
997:.
993:.
981:.
934:.
871:.
860:^
823:25
821:.
795:.
783:^
740:.
408:.
383:.
372:.
272:,
231:m.
205:,
159:,
1063:e
1056:t
1049:v
1036:.
1008:.
985:.
945:.
875:.
854:.
833:.
829::
806:.
352:(
244:1
152:)
148:(
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
