Edith Mary Pargeter (28 September 1913 – 14 October 1995), also known by her pen name Ellis Peters, was an English author renowned for her work in various genres, especially history and historical fiction. She earned recognition for her translations of Czech classics.

Pargeter is perhaps best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern, particularly for her medieval detective series The Cadfael Chronicles. Throughout her career, she published over 70 books.

Born in Horsehay, Shropshire, her father worked as a clerk at a local ironworks. Edith attended Dawley Church of England School and the Coalbrookdale High School for Girls. Her love for the history and countryside of Shropshire, her lifelong home, was nurtured by her mother.

Before World War II, she worked as a chemist's assistant at Dawley. During this time, she began writing seriously for publication and gathered knowledge on medicines that would later inform her crime stories.

She also wrote under several other pseudonyms, including Peter Benedict, Jolyon Carr, and John Redfern.