Barbara Mertz | |
|---|---|
| Born | Barbara Louise Gross September 29, 1927 Canton, Illinois |
| Died | August 8, 2013 (aged 85) Frederick, Maryland |
| Pen name | Barbara Michaels, Elizabeth Peters |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | American |
| Period | 1964–2013 |
| Genre | Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, academic Egyptology |
| Spouse | Richard Mertz (m. 1950; div. 1969) |
| Children | Peter, Elizabeth |
Barbara Louise Mertz (September 29, 1927 – August 8, 2013) was an American author who wrote under her own name as well as under the pseudonyms Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels. In 1952, she received a PhD in Egyptology from the University of Chicago. She was best known for her mystery and suspense novels, including the Amelia Peabody book series.
In the 1960s, Mertz authored two books on ancient Egypt: Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs, a popular history of ancient Egypt; and Red Land, Black Land, which explores daily life in ancient Egypt. Both have remained in print ever since, and revised editions were released in 2007 and 2008, respectively.