Marion Foster

Marion Foster was the pen name of Shirley Shea (September 3, 1924 – June 30, 1997), a Canadian broadcaster and mystery novelist.

Early life Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Shea was one of four children. She was the only child raised by her grandmother and aunts, who encouraged her to get married when she was older, so that she could figure out what she wanted from life. and then published two novels under the pen name Marion Foster. The Foster novels centred on Harriet Fordham Croft, a lesbian lawyer turned private investigator. were also influenced by Shea's interest in feminist literature. Shea's work was part of an emerging lesbian and women's crime sub-genre, which had been pioneered by authors like Eve Zaremba.

Personal life In 1960, Shea met her long-term partner Betty Burrowes from Australia. Within a few months, Shea and Burrowes found an apartment located on Toronto's Lakeshore Drive and moved in together. The couple were part of Toronto's lesbian bar scene and would frequent The Continental. In 1982, Shea retired and began focusing on her writing. She moved to Chatsworth with Burrowes, where she would spend the rest of her life.

Shea died on July 30, 1997.

Works A Not So Gay World: Homosexuality in Canada (1972, as Marion Foster) Victims: A Pound of Flesh (1986, as Shirley Shea) The Monarchs Are Flying (1987, as Marion Foster) Legal Tender (1992, as Marion Foster)