Iris Murdoch (1919–1999) was born in Dublin and brought up in London. She studied philosophy at Cambridge and was a philosophy fellow at St. Anne's College for 20 years. She published her first novel in 1954 and was instantly recognized as a major talent. She went on to publish more than 26 novels, as well as works of philosophy, plays, and poetry.

“A novel of infinite variety and intelligence; the work of a novelist at the height of her powers.”—Christopher Hudson“[Iris Murdoch] remains a consummate and sensual scene-painter.”—Michael Ratcliffe in The Times (London)