Hugh C. Rae

Hugh Crauford Rae (22 November 1935 – 24 September 2014) was a Scottish author of romantic historical fiction novels and thrillers. He wrote fiction using several pseudonyms, including Jessica Stirling, James Albany, Stuart Stern and R. B. Houston.

Life Rae was born in Knightswood, outside of Glasgow, in 1935. He is the son of a riveter. He lectured in creative writing at Glasgow University adult education classes.

Writing Rae was known for writing fiction, such as the thriller The Marksman later televised by the BBC. He was better known for his romantic historical novels written under the name Jessica Stirling.

Jessica Stirling novels After Rae had written a few crime thrillers, a publisher suggested he collaborate with a romantic short story writer, Peggy Coghlan, to produce a historic romantic novel set in the Victorian period. The publisher required this to be published under a female name, and the writers picked the name Jessica Stirling at a meeting in a Stirling coffee shop.

Rae and Coghlan wrote seven Jessica Stirling novels together. Then, Rae went on to write another 30 such saga novels on his own, at a rate of two a year, published by Hodder & Stoughton.

Rae's real identity first became widely known in 1999, after 25 years of writing Jessica Stirling novels, when The Wind from the Hills was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year prize.

Works Skinner, 1966 Night Pillow, 1967 A Few Small Bones, 1968 The Interview, 1969 The Marksman, 1971 The Shooting Gallery, 1972 The Rock Harvest, 1973 The Rookery, 1974 Harkfast, 1976 Sullivan, 1978 The Travelling Soul, 1978 The Haunting of Waverley Falls, 1980 Privileged Strangers, 1982

as James Albany Warrior Caste, 1982 Mailed Fist, 1982 Deacon's Dagger, 1982

as Robert Crawford The Shroud Society, 1969 Cockleburr, 1969 Kiss the Boss Goodbye, 1970 The Badger's Daughter, 1971 Whiphand, 1972

as R. B. Houston Two for the Grave, 1972

as Stuart Stern The Minotaur Factor, 1977 The Poison Tree, 1978

as Jessica Stirling with Peggie Coghlan The Spoiled Earth, 1974 The Dresden Finch, 1976 The Hiring Fair, 1976 The Dark Pasture, 1977 The Deep Well at Noon, 1979 The Blue Evening Gone, 1981