Best known for her Kate Delafield detective series, Katherine V. Forrest is recognized as one of the preeminent figures in lesbian popular literature. Yet her work has received little scholarly attention. This critical study explores Forrest’s entire body of work, including her fiction and (perhaps more importantly) her writing about writing, popular genres and her readers. Her science fiction and romance novels are analyzed, with a focus on the reasons behind their enduring appeal. Her most famous romance, Curious Wine, originally published in 1984, remains in print—a longevity far exceeding the typical romance novel.

Phyllis M. Betz is a professor emerita of English from La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She lives in Burlington, New Jersey.

Phyllis M. Betz

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 204
Bibliographic Info: notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2017
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6256-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2819-6
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Preface 1
Introduction: How Popular Fiction Works 5
One—Kate Delafield: Private and Public Investigations 21
Two—Diana and Lane: From Pulp to Passion 84
Three—Maternas: “Where No Woman Has Gone Before” and Other Works 123
Conclusion: Appreciating Katherine V. Forrest 175
Chapter Notes 181
Works Cited 187
Index 193

• “Outstanding…. The very readable and knowledgeable discussion of the novels should inspire many to discover or rediscover Forrest’s work.”—Mystery Scene