Under the pseudonym Elizabeth Peters, Mertz published mysteries, including her Amelia Peabody historical mystery series, using a nom de plume drawn from the names of her two children. Her publisher chose that pseudonym since Mertz had already published one non-fiction book on ancient Egypt, and the publisher did not want Mertz’s novels to be confused with her academic work. Under the name Barbara Michaels, she wrote primarily gothic and supernatural thrillers. They had two children, Peter and Elizabeth Mertz. She was married to Richard Mertz for 19 years (1950-1969) which ended in divorce. She authored two books on ancient Egypt (both of which have been continuously in print since first publication) but primarily wrote mystery and suspense novels. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in 1947, a master’s degree in 1950, and a PhD in Egyptology in 1952, having studied with John A. Barbara Gross was born on September 29, 1927, in Canton, Illinois.
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