The Other Elizabeth Taylor (1912 - 1975)

This one, an accomplished writer, was an older contemporary of her legendary  namesake, the iconic film star. According to Kingsley Amis, "She was one of the best novelists in 20th century." Antonia Fraser  rated her as "One of the most under-rated writers of the 20th Century."

She also wrote short stories, all of which are published in an omnibus volume. One of them, called "Sisters", begins like this: "On her return from shopping, Mrs.Mason was called upon in her house by a young man, who brought her to the edge of ruin." At the end of the story, she attends a bridge party, on leaving which, she wonders whether they were all talking about her already." This is because the young man, a journalist has ferreted out the secret that her sister, dead now, & kept hidden from her circle, had led a scandalous life & worse, written about it in a series of best-sellers, ascribing all the naughtiness to herself, the innocent sister. 

Another story, "The Flypaper", could well have been authored by Daphne du Maurier, the mistress of the deeply unsettling & horrifying stories. Here a little girl, seemingly rescued in public by a kindly woman from a male predator, finds out too late that they are in league with each other in private.

It is the readers' good fortune that her books are still in print.