Mollie Hunter

Who was Mollie Hunter?

Maureen Mollie Hunter McIlwraith, more commonly known as Mollie Hunter was a Scottish writer. She wrote fantasy for children, historical stories for young adults and realistic novels for adults. Many of her works are inspired by Scottish history, or by Scottish/Irish folklore with elements of magic and fantasy.

Born and raised near Edinburgh in the small village of Longniddry, her final years were spent in Inverness. A portrait of her hangs in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Hunter's debut was Patrick Kentigern Keenan, published by Blackie and Sons in 1963 with illustrations by Charles Keeping. In the U.S. it was published in 1963 as The Smartest Man in Ireland.