Catherine Gaskin
Catherine Gaskin was an Irish-born author, known for her prolific writing career that spanned several genres, including historical romance and modern gothic fiction. Born on April 2, 1929, in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, Gaskin's family immigrated to Australia shortly after her birth. She began her literary journey early, publishing her first novel, "This Other Eden," in 1947, followed by several others, including her most acclaimed work, "Sara Dane." Gaskin lived in various places, including London, New York, and the Virgin Islands, which influenced her writing and thematic development.
Her novels often feature strong, well-developed characters and intricate plots, as seen in her spy thriller, "The File on Devlin," which intertwines a personal search for truth with Cold War-era espionage. Gaskin's works have been translated into eleven languages and are appreciated for their engaging storytelling and character depth. Critics have noted her ability to blend romantic elements with suspenseful narratives, making her a significant figure in popular fiction. Overall, Gaskin's contributions to literature reflect a diverse and dynamic career that resonates with readers across the globe.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Catherine Gaskin
Writer
- Born: April 2, 1929
- Birthplace: Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland
- Died: September 6, 2009
- Place of death: Sydney, Australia
Biography
Catherine Majella Sinclair Gaskin was born on April 2, 1929, in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. Her parents, engineer James Gaskin and Mary Harrington Gaskin, immigrated to Australia when Gaskin was only a few months old. She attended Holy Cross College in Sydney, where she also studied piano at the Conservatorium of Music from 1943 until 1948.
In 1947, she published her first novel, This Other Eden, followed by With Every Year in 1949. Before she was twenty years old, Gaskin crossed the Atlantic Ocean again and lived in London, England, for seven years. During this time, she published several more novels, including her most well-known book, Sara Dane.
In 1955, she married Sol Cornberg. From 1955 to 1965, she lived in New York, where she continued to publish her novels, including The File on Devlin, a spy thriller that was adapted for a Hallmark Hall of Fame television film in 1969. After leaving New York, Gaskin resided in the Virgin Islands for two years until 1967, when she returned to Ireland to live until 1981. Gaskin also resided on the Isle of Man and Australia.
Her novels have been translated into eleven languages. Critics classify them as historical romance novels, such as Sara Dane, or modern gothic novels, such as The Tilsit Inheritance, or a hybrid of both genres, such as The Lynmara Legacy. The divisions roughly correspond to novels written in the early, middle, and later periods of her career. Gaskin is noted for developing strong characters that appeal to her readers. A Library Journal review of Family Affairs emphasizes that every character is “extremely well realized” and the story is “solidly told and engrossing.”
Plot and characters come together in an engaging way in The File on Devlin, proving Gaskin’s mastery of popular fiction. In this novel, Gaskin draws on Cold War-era espionage to develop a gripping story of a daughter’s search for the truth about her father’s disappearance in a plane crash on the border between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. The narrative is told by an omniscient third person and features quick scene changes within each chapter that give the reader some, but not too much, information about the characters’ movements. The longest scenes, however, are written from the point of view of the daughter and her growing love interest, an author who works at the edges of British intelligence, and these scenes enable the reader to be privy to their thoughts. True to the genre of romantic suspense, the daughter accepts the true love she has found once she is satisfied about her father’s fate. Typical of the spy thriller, there are ardent and reluctant spies and counterspies; the “good guys” have recognizably better intentions, but their methods are not any more ethical than the methods of the “bad guys.” Both groups know a “file” is never truly closed.