Carlon, Patricia Bernadette

Born at Wagga Wagga, New South Wales; an illness in early adolescent left her profoundly deaf. She managed to graduate a regular high school and attended a regular college. While working in various clerical positions, she began writing and succussfully publishing mystery and romance short stories while still in her teens, but soon switched to full-time writing. Published many short stories in popular magazines under an eventual total of 21 pseudonyms. However, a popular series of 14 crime/psychological suspense novels, published 1961-1970, appeared under her own name, albeit in Great Britain since Australian publishers didn't think her brand of crime fiction would appeal to readers. Her books eventually also got published to acclaim in the U.S., after which they finally appeared in her native Australia. She was a very private person and kept her deafness secret from most people, including her main publisher, her agent, and her banker. Her deafness was not made public until after her death in Sydney from a stroke. In 2006, the Australian National Theatre of the Deaf produced an original play about Carlon, called The Cat Lady of Bexley. (Bexley is a suburb of Sydney, where Carlon lived for her last years).