Heather Terrell | |
|---|---|
 At the 2013 Texas Book Festival | |
| Born | Heather Marie Benedict[1] (1968-11-24)November 24, 1968 (age 56) |
| Pen name | Marie Benedict |
| Occupation | Lawyer, novelist |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Boston College (BA) Boston University (JD) |
| Genre | Historical fiction novel |
| Spouse | Jim Terrell |
| Children | 2 |
Heather Benedict Terrell (born November 24, 1968)[2] is an Americannovelist andlawyer who writes some of her novels under thepen nameMarie Benedict.[3]
Terrell attended and graduated fromUpper St. Clair High School inPittsburgh. She then studied History and Art History atBoston College, where she graduated magna cum laude.[4] She then attended and graduated cum laude[4] fromBoston University School of Law.[2]
Terrell lives in Pittsburgh with her husband Jim Terrell and their two children.
After graduating fromBoston University School of Law, Terrell worked as a litigator for ten years, practicing in New York City atSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, andMorrison & Foerster.
Terrell published her first novel,The Chrysalis, in 2007,[5] after which she left her work as a litigator and began writing full time. Terrell's "mission is to excavate from the past the most important, complex and fascinating women of history and bring them into the light of present-day where we can finally perceive the breadth of their contributions as well as the insights they bring to modern day issues."[6] Later in her career, Terrell began writing about women who were often overshadowed by the men in their lives, includingMileva Marić (The Other Einstein, 2016),Hedy Lamarr (The Only Woman in the Room, 2019),Clementine Churchill (Lady Clementine, 2020),Belle da Costa Greene (The Personal Librarian, 2021), andRosalind Franklin (Her Hidden Genius, 2022). Terrell's novels have been translated into twenty-nine languages.
The Only Woman in the Room, published in 2019 bySourcebooks Landmark, is a fictionalized biography ofHedy Lamarr. The book is aNew York Times and USA Today bestseller andBarnes & Noble Book Club Pick.[7] In 2019, it received a space in Library Reads's Hall of Fame.[8]
Lady Clementine, published January 7, 2020, bySourcebooks Landmark, is a fictionalized biography ofClementine Churchill, the wife ofWinston Churchill. The book received a starred review fromLibrary Journal[9] and received a space in Library Reads's Hall of Fame.[8]
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, published in 2020 bySourcebooks Landmark, follows the disappearance ofAgatha Christie in December 1926. The book was aNew York Times[10] andUSA Today bestseller.[11] In December 2020, Library Reads named Terrell a Hall of Fame author for the book.[8]
The Personal Librarian, co-authored byVictoria Christopher Murray and published in 2021 byBerkley Books, is a fictionalized biography ofBelle da Costa Greene's life as the personal librarian toJ. P. Morgan and the first director of theMorgan Library & Museum.
The Personal Librarian received starred reviews fromBooklist[12] andLibrary Journal,[13] as well as positive reviews from news outlets.Booklist namedThe Personal Librarian one of the top tenhistorical fiction novels of 2021.[14] It was also nominated for theGoodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction the same year.[15]
