Peacock was born in Dorset, England. He was a close friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley and they influenced each other's work. He wrote satirical novels, each with the same basic setting - characters at a table discussing and criticizing the philosophical opinions of the day.

Novels:

• Crotchet Castle
• Gryll Grange
• Headlong Hall
• Maid Marian
• Melincourt
• The Misfortunes of Elphin
• Nightmare Abbey