Constance M. Evans (March 15, 1888 - ?)

Born in Montreal, Quebec, on March 15, 1888, Constance May Evans studied art and music in London, England with private lessons. She enjoyed writing short stories and stories in serial format for popular magazines. She would, during her career, that stretched from the early 1930's through to the 1970's, produce some 125 romance novels both under her own name and the nom de plume of Mairi O’Nair and Jane Gray.

Constance M. Evans made her debut as Mills & Boon’s author in 1932 with The Pattern of a Star. She came from Darlington, and worked as a schoolteacher and a secretary for London North East Railroads. In 1933 Mills & Boon lauded a “new” author, Mairi O’Nair, although she was the pen-name for Evans. The House with the Orange Curtains by Mairi O’Nair was described as, “A story of thrills and charm, by a new novelist”.

Evans was the prototype Mills & Boon author of the new generation. Like the works of Denise Robins, the Evans/O’Nair novels were consistently good. She was also prolific. Evans wrote 112 novels for the firm, six in 1935 alone: three by Evans (Sandra Goes Downstairs, Secret Daughter, and Green Satin Girl), and three by O’Nair (The Girl With The X-Ray Eyes, Jennifer Disappears, and Peggy Paradine, House Agent). She repeated the performance in 1937 and in 1938, and from 1939 to 1941 wrote five novels a year.

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Constance M. Evans's Books on Amazon: Constance Evans

Source: Passion's Fortune: The Story of Mills & Boon

( Vintage Covers )