Patricia Matthews

Patricia (Anne Klein, née Ernst) Brisco Matthews (July 1, 1927 in San Fernando, California, United States - December 7, 2006 in Prescott, Arizona, United States) was an American writer of gothic, romance and mystery novels. She wrote under the pen names P.A. Brisco, Patty Brisco, Pat A. Brisco, Pat Brisco, Patricia Matthews and Laura Wylie. She collaborated with her second husband, Clayton Matthews, on romance and mystery (suspense) novels; they were called "the hottest couple in paperbacks." She also collaborated with Denise Hrivnak as Patricia Matthews.

Patricia Anne Klein Ernst was born on July 1, 1927 in San Fernando, California, the daughter of Roy Oliver Ernst and Gladys Gable. Her mother enrolled her in the famous Meglin Kiddies school, but she recorded only two of her songs professionally for one demo tape. She studied at California State University, Los Angeles, where she worked as secretary to the General Manager of Associated Students by the California State College.

On 21 December 1946 she married Marvin Owen Brisco, they had two sons: Michael Arvie and David Roy. By 1961, the marriage had ended in divorce. Focused on her writing career, she met the writer Clayton Matthews in a local writers' group. After Matthews divorced his first wife, he and Patricia married on 3 November 1972 and lived near San Diego.

Matthews started to write poetry, juvenile books, a play, fantasy and mystery short stories, which she signed under different names: Patricia Ernst, P.A. Brisco and Pat A. Brisco. Using the names Patty Brisco and Pat Brisco, she wrote gothic novels.

When the market for gothic novels softened, at the suggestion of the Matthews' agent, Jay Garon, she began to write romance novels under her second married name, Patricia Matthews. She and her husband also collaborated on several romance and suspense novels using the pseudonyms Laura Wylie and Laurie Wylie. She and her husband wrote five Casey Farrell mystery novels together, and she wrote three on her own, the Thumbprint Mysteries, set in the American Southwest. With Denise Hrivnak, she also wrote under the pseudonym Denise Matthews.

In 1989 they moved to Prescott, Arizona where they were involved in local theater productions and even produced a play of their own. Her husband Clayton died on 25 March 2004. Patricia died on December 7, 2006 in the Brisco family home in Prescott, Arizona.

• 1983 Reviewers Choice Awards for Best Historical Gothic
• 1986-87 Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Readers Award

• Patricia Matthews's Webpage in Fantastic Fiction
• Goodbye to Patricia Matthews in Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. Website
• International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004 by Taylor & Francis Group, Elizabeth Sleeman, Alison Neale