Nicholas Blake Books in Order

Cecil Day-Lewis, writing under the pseudonym Nicholas Blake, is a celebrated poet and crime novelist. Born in Ireland in 1904, he was the son of Reverend Frank Cecil Day-Lewis and Kathleen (nee Squires). After his mother's passing in 1906, he and his father moved to London, where he was raised by his father and an aunt. Day-Lewis's Anglo-Irish heritage played a significant role in shaping his identity, although he chose British citizenship in 1948. He married twice, first to Mary King in 1928, and then to Jill Balcon in 1951. His children, including actor Daniel Day-Lewis, documentary filmmaker Tamasin Day-Lewis, and TV critic Sean Day-Lewis, reflect his creative legacy. Throughout his career, Day-Lewis has worked as a schoolmaster, publications editor, and university lecturer. He held esteemed positions at Oxford University, where he was Professor of Poetry from 1951-1956, and at Harvard University, where he was the Norton Professor in 1962-1963. As Nicholas Blake, he has earned a reputation for crafting intricate crime novels that showcase his poetic sensibility.