Kathrene Pinkerton (née Gedney, born June 9, 1887, Spokane, Washington – died November 24, 1967, Ridgefield, Connecticut) was an American author, best known for her adventure stories, many of which were set in the wilderness areas of Canada and Alaska. Her works often featured themes of frontier life, survival, and the exploration of remote natural environments.
Pinkerton's writing career was heavily influenced by her personal experiences. After marrying Robert E. Pinkerton, also a writer, the couple spent five years living in a remote cabin in the Canadian wilderness, an experience that provided rich material for her subsequent books. She chronicled these years in her non-fiction work Wilderness Wife (1939).
Her bibliography includes both juvenile fiction and adult novels, as well as non-fiction. Her stories often depicted resilient characters, particularly young women, navigating the challenges of isolated living, trapping, mining, and sailing. Many of her books explored the relationship between humans and the natural world, emphasizing themes of self-reliance and the beauty and harshness of the wilderness.
Notable works by Kathrene Pinkerton include:
- Adventure North (1940)
- Three's a Crew (1940)
- Fox Island (1942)
- Hidden Harbor (1951)
- Silver Strain (1950)
She also collaborated with her husband on several projects, and their shared experiences of living off the land in the North were a recurring source of inspiration for both their individual and joint writings. Pinkerton's books remain valued for their vivid depictions of wilderness life and their engaging narratives of adventure and perseverance.