The prolific English mystery writer Ruth Rendell took up the unassuming pen name Barbara Vine in 1986. Under that name, she released 14 novels. As the author once explained to the National Post, the two distinct bylines offered the opportunity to hone two distinct voices. The works published under her real name feature more “excitement” and “sensation” while the works published under the pseudonym “don’t have any sort of mystery in them, they don’t have any revelations, really. They’re just really about people.” The author also said she used Vine to explore specific topics, like the evolution of morality. Oh, and Rendell’s got another alter ego too: she was made a a CBE in 1996 and her official title is Baroness Rendell of Babergh.