Lucy Cores

Who was Lucy Cores?

Lucy Michaella Cores Kortchmar was a Russian-American novelist.

Born in Moscow, Cores was the daughter of violist Michael Cores and the niece of violinist Alexander Cores. Her family fled the Russian Revolution and arrived in the United States in 1921. She attended the Ethical Culture School and Barnard College.

In 1942, she married Emil Kortchmar, a screw machine parts manufacturer. They had two children, Michael and Daniel. Danny Kortchmar is now a professional guitarist.

Cores wrote two mystery novels, Painted for the Kill and Corpse de Ballet, featuring female protagonist Toni Ney, a former ballet dancer. The second book was dedicated to Cores' friend Olga Ley, the wife of science fiction writer Willy Ley, herself a former ballet dancer and possibly the inspiration for Ney. Cores also wrote the mystery Let's Kill George.

Cores wrote a number of romance and historical novels. Woman in Love was based on her own experiences. The Mermaid Summer was set on the island of Martha's Vineyard, where she moved in 1957. The Year of December was about Claire Clairmont's time in Russia. Destiny's Passion and Fatal Passion were historical novels set during the British Regency. A story she published in the Saturday Evening Post about a magazine editor raising seven children was the basis for the television show The New Loretta Young Show.