Gordon SmythiesHarriette Smythies, born Harriet Maria Gordon in 1813, was an English novelist and poet known for her prolific output of sensation novels. She was born into an aristocratic military family in Margate, Kent, to Jane Gordon and Edward Lesmoir Gordon, aSergeant-at-Arms. Smythies had a notable family background, with her brother Edward also serving as Sergeant-at-Arms during the coronation of Queen Victoria. In 1838, she married Reverend William Yorick Smythies. Throughout her writing career, Smythies authored 20 books between 1838 and 1875, primarily exploring themes of love and marriage in her works. Many of her novels were published by prominent publishers like Richard Bentley and Thomas Cautley Newby. In 1871, her sister Jane Weld left a significant fortune to charity, leading to a legal dispute over the will, which, along with Smythies's own separation from her husband, brought further public attention to her personal life. Although legally separated from her husband, Smythies continued to live apart until her death in 1883. Her son, William Gordon Smythies, became a barrister and also pursued writing. Read More Read Less