Anne Perry

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For the politician, see Anne C. Perry.

Anne Perry
Perry in 2012
Born
Juliet Marion Hulme

(1938-10-28)28 October 1938
London, England
Died10 April 2023(2023-04-10) (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationAuthor
Notable workThomas and Charlotte Pitt and William Monk novels
Parent
Websiteanneperry.us

Anne Perry (born Juliet Marion Hulme; 28 October 1938 – 10 April 2023) was a British writer best known as the author of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt and William Monk series of historical detective fiction.

In 1994, it became public knowledge that Perry had been convicted for murder as a teenager while living in Christchurch, New Zealand. In 1954, at the age of fifteen, she and her 16-year-old friend Pauline Parker murdered Parker's mother, Honorah Rieper. After serving a five-year sentence for the murder, she changed her name and returned to the United Kingdom. She was identified by journalists following the release of the movie Heavenly Creatures, directed by Peter Jackson, in which Kate Winslet portrays Hulme (Perry).

Early life[edit]

Born in London, the daughter of physicist Henry Rainsford Hulme, Perry was diagnosed with tuberculosis as a child and sent to the Caribbean, South Africa, and New Zealand in hopes that a warmer climate would improve her health.[1] She rejoined her family after her father took a position as rector of Canterbury University College in New Zealand. She attended Christchurch Girls' High School, located in what became the Cranmer Centre.[2][1] A 1948 Auckland Star photograph of Juliet arriving in New Zealand was discovered by Auckland Libraries staff in 2012 and written about in the Heritage et AL blog.[3]

Murder and trial[edit]

Main article: Parker–Hulme murder case

In June 1954, at the age of 15, Hulme and her best friend Pauline Parker murdered Parker's mother, Honorah Rieper.[4][5] Hulme's parents were in the process of separating and she was supposed to go to South Africa to stay with a relative.[6] The two teenage friends, who had created a complicated fantasy life together populated with celebrities such as Mario Lanza and James Mason, did not want to be separated.[1][7]

On 22 June 1954, the girls and Rieper went for a walk in Victoria Park in the Port Hills of Christchurch. On an isolated path, Hulme dropped an ornamental stone so that Rieper would lean over to retrieve it. Parker had planned to hit her mother with half a brick wrapped in a stocking. The girls presumed that one blow would kill her but it took more than 20.[6]

Parker and Hulme stood trial in Christchurch in 1954 and were found guilty on 28 August. As they were too young to be considered for the death penalty under New Zealand law at the time, they were convicted and sentenced to be "detained at Her Majesty's pleasure". They were released separately five years later.[8] At the time of Hulme's death in 2023, Parker and Hulme were not believed to have had any contact since the trial.[9][10]

The events formed the basis for the 1994 film Heavenly Creatures, in which Melanie Lynskey portrayed a teenage Pauline Parker and Kate Winslet the teenaged Juliet Hulme. At the time of the film's release, it was not generally known that mystery author Anne Perry was Juliet Hulme; her identity was made public after journalists tracked her down some months after the film's release.[11] Although some presumed Hulme and Parker's relationship to be sexual, Perry stated in 2006 that, while the relationship was obsessive, the two "were never lesbians".[10][12]

Later life[edit]

After being released from prison in November 1959, Hulme returned to England and became a flight attendant.[13] For a period she lived in the United States, where she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1968.[14] She later settled in the Scottish village of Portmahomack, where she lived with her mother. Her father had a distinguished scientific career, heading the British hydrogen bomb programme.[15]

Hulme took the name Anne Perry, using her stepfather's surname.[9] Her first novel, The Cater Street Hangman, was published under this name in 1979.[9] Her works generally fall into one of several categories of genre fiction, including historical murder mysteries and detective fiction. Many feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, who appeared in her first novel, and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in her 1990 novel The Face of a Stranger.

After Perry's identity as Hulme was revealed in 1994, she said:[12]

It seemed so unfair. Everything I had worked to achieve as a decent member of society was threatened. And once again my life was being interpreted by someone else. It had happened in court when, as a minor, I wasn't allowed to speak and I heard all these lies being told. And now there was a film, but nobody had bothered to talk to me. I knew nothing about it until the day before release. All I could think of was that my life would fall apart and that it might kill my mother.

She continued writing and said that she was surprised that her friends stuck by her despite the revelation of her identity and the ensuing media attention.[12] In 1998 she was featured by The Times in its list of 100 "masters of crime".[1] Her story "Heroes", which first appeared in the 1999 anthology Murder and Obsession, edited by Otto Penzler, won the 2000 Edgar Award for Best Short Story.[1]

In 2005, Perry appeared on the Trisha show to discuss her murder conviction on a special themed show.[16] A 2009 documentary film, Anne Perry Interiors, gave a snapshot of her life and the people close to her.[17] In 2009 she received a lifetime achievement award at the Agatha Awards.[18][19] In 2013 and 2020 she was a guest of honour at the Bouchercon mystery fiction convention.[1] As of 2014, Perry had published 29 novels in the Pitt series, 20 novels in the Monk series, ten other novels for adults, three young adult novels and 11 mystery novellas with Christmas themes.[20] Publishers Weekly noted that her sales at that time exceeded 10 million copies and that her works regularly appeared on The New York Times bestseller list.[20]

In 2017, Perry left Scotland and moved to Los Angeles in order to more effectively promote films based on her novels.[21] She had a heart attack in December 2022, and died at a hospital in Los Angeles on 10 April 2023, aged 84.[1][22] Her novel The Fourth Enemy was published the day after her death.[9]

Bibliography[edit]

Each series is listed in internal chronological order, according to the author's website.[23]

Perry's two main series each feature a male and a female protagonist. Thomas Pitt is matched with his wife Charlotte, while William Monk is matched with Hester Latterly, a Crimean War nurse.[24] The Monk mysteries are set earlier in the Victorian era (1850s–1860s) than the Pitt books (1880s–1890s).

Featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt[edit]

Further information: Thomas Pitt (character)
  1. The Cater Street Hangman (1979)
  2. Callander Square (1980)
  3. Paragon Walk (1981)
  4. Resurrection Row (1981)
  5. Rutland Place (1983)
  6. Bluegate Fields (1984)
  7. Death in the Devil's Acre (1985)
  8. Cardington Crescent (1987)
  9. Silence in Hanover Close (1988)
  10. Bethlehem Road (1990)
  11. Highgate Rise (1991)
  12. Belgrave Square (1992)
  13. Farrier's Lane (1993)
  14. The Hyde Park Headsman (1994)
  15. Traitors Gate (1995)
  16. Pentecost Alley (1996)
  17. Ashworth Hall (1997)
  18. Brunswick Gardens (1998)
  19. Bedford Square (1999)
  20. Half Moon Street (2000)
  21. The Whitechapel Conspiracy (2001)
  22. Southampton Row (2002)
  23. Seven Dials (2003)
  24. Long Spoon Lane (2005)
  25. Buckingham Palace Gardens (2008)
  26. Betrayal at Lisson Grove (US title: Treason at Lisson Grove) (2011)
  27. Dorchester Terrace (2012)
  28. Midnight at Marble Arch (2013)
  29. Death on Blackheath (2014)
  30. The Angel Court Affair (2015)
  31. Treachery at Lancaster Gate (2016)
  32. Murder on the Serpentine (2016)

Featuring Daniel Pitt[edit]

  1. Twenty-One Days (2018)[25]
  2. Triple Jeopardy (2019)
  3. One Fatal Flaw (2020)
  4. Death with a Double Edge (2021)
  5. Three Debts Paid (2022)
  6. The Fourth Enemy (2023)

Featuring Hester Latterly and William Monk[edit]

Further information: William Monk
  1. The Face of a Stranger (1990)
  2. A Dangerous Mourning (1991)
  3. Defend and Betray (1992)
  4. A Sudden, Fearful Death (1993)
  5. The Sins of the Wolf (1994)
  6. Cain His Brother (1995)
  7. Weighed in the Balance (1996)
  8. The Silent Cry (1997)
  9. A Breach of Promise (alt. title: Whited Sepulchres) (1997)
  10. The Twisted Root (1999)
  11. Slaves of Obsession (alt. title: Slaves and Obsession) (2000)
  12. A Funeral in Blue (2001)
  13. Death of a Stranger (2002)
  14. The Shifting Tide (2004)
  15. Dark Assassin (2006)
  16. Execution Dock (2009)
  17. Acceptable Loss (2011)
  18. A Sunless Sea (2012)
  19. Blind Justice (2013)
  20. Blood on the Water (2014)
  21. Corridors of the Night (2015)
  22. Revenge in a Cold River (2016)
  23. An Echo of Murder (2017)
  24. Dark Tide Rising (2018)

Featuring Elena Standish[edit]

  1. Death in Focus (2019)[26]
  2. A Question of Betrayal (2020)[27]
  3. A Darker Reality (2021)[28]
  4. A Truth To Lie For (2022)[29]
  5. The Traitor Among Us (2023)[30]

The World War I series[edit]

  1. No Graves As Yet (2003)[31]
  2. Shoulder the Sky (2004)[32]
  3. Angels in the Gloom (2005)[33]
  4. At Some Disputed Barricade (2006)[34]
  5. We Shall Not Sleep (2007)[35]

The Christmas stories[edit]

  1. A Christmas Journey (2003)
  2. A Christmas Visitor (2004)
  3. A Christmas Guest (2005)
  4. A Christmas Secret (2006)
  5. A Christmas Beginning (2007)
  6. A Christmas Grace (2008)
  7. A Christmas Promise (2009)
  8. A Christmas Odyssey (2010)
  9. A Christmas Homecoming (2011)
  10. A Christmas Garland (2012)
  11. A Christmas Hope (2013)
  12. A New York Christmas (2014)
  13. A Christmas Escape (2015)
  14. A Christmas Message (2016)
  15. A Christmas Return (2017)
  16. A Christmas Revelation (2018)
  17. A Christmas Gathering (2019)
  18. A Christmas Resolution (2020)
  19. A Christmas Legacy (2021)
  20. A Christmas Deliverance (2022)
  21. A Christmas Vanishing (2023)

The Christmas Collections[edit]

  1. An Anne Perry Christmas: Two Holiday Novels (2006) – contains A Christmas Journey (2003) and A Christmas Visitor (2004)
  2. Anne Perry's Christmas Mysteries: Two Holiday Novels (2008) – contains A Christmas Guest (2005) and A Christmas Secret (2006)
  3. Anne Perry's Silent Nights: Two Victorian Christmas Mysteries (2009) – contains A Christmas Beginning (2007) and A Christmas Grace (2008)
  4. Anne Perry's Christmas Vigil: Two Victorian Holiday Mysteries (2011) – contains A Christmas Promise (2009) and A Christmas Odyssey (2010)
  5. Anne Perry's Christmas Crimes: Two Victorian Holiday Mysteries (2014) – contains A Christmas Homecoming (2011) and A Christmas Garland (2012)
  6. Anne Perry's Merry Mysteries: Two Victorian Holiday Novels (2015) – contains A Christmas Hope (2013) and A New York Christmas (2014)

Fantasy[edit]

  1. Tathea (2000)[36]
  2. Come Armageddon (2002)[37]

Timepiece series (young adult novels)[edit]

  1. Tudor Rose (2011)[38]
  2. Rose of No Man's Land (2011)[39]
  3. Blood Red Rose (2012)[40]
  4. Rose Between Two Thorns (2012)[41]

Other books[edit]

  • The One Thing More (2000)[42]
  • A Dish Taken Cold (2001)[43]
  • I'd Kill For That (2004, one novel co-written by multiple authors)[44]
  • Letters From The Highlands (2004)[45]
  • Heroes (2011)[46]
  • The Sheen on the Silk: A Novel (2010)[47]
  • The Scroll (2014)[48]

Short stories in anthologies[edit]

  • Death by Horoscope (2001, anthology of short stories by various authors, including Perry, and edited by Perry)[49]
  • Much Ado About Murder (2002, anthology of short stories by various authors, including Perry, and edited by Perry)[50]
  • Death By Dickens (2004, anthology of short stories by various authors, including Perry, and edited by Perry)[51]
  • Thou Shalt Not Kill: Biblical Mystery Stories (2005, anthology of short stories by various authors, including Perry, and edited by Perry)[52]

Critical studies, reviews and biography[edit]

  • Drayton J. (2012) The Search for Anne Perry, HarperCollins.[53]
  • Graham P. (2011).So Brilliantly Clever: Parker, Hulme and the murder that shocked the world. Awa Press.;[54] re-issued in 2013 as Graham P. (2013) Anne perry and the murder of the century. Skyhorse Pub.[55]
  • West, Michelle (June 2000). "[Review of 'Tathea']". Musing on Books. F&SF. 98 (6): 41–46. Retrieved 18 February 2016.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Gates, Anita (12 April 2023). "Anne Perry, Crime Writer With Her Own Dark Tale, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Pauline Parker". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 22 June 2010. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  3. ^ Graves, Joanne (29 June 2012). "Juliet Hulme". heritageetal.blogspot.co.nz. Blogger. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2015. Whilst scrolling through microfilms on a job for a customer, I came across an interesting photo in a 1948 copy of the Auckland Star.
  4. ^ Honorah used the surname Rieper although she was never legally married to Herbert Rieper.
  5. ^ "Parker–Hulme Murder Case Source: Star-Sun, 23 August 1954, p.1". Christchurch City Libraries. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b Gillies, Abby (14 November 2011). "The Parker-Hulme murder: Why it still matters to us". Nzherald.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  7. ^ Mundow, Anna (30 June 2013). "Book review: 'Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century,' by Peter Graham". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  8. ^ "'Heavenly creatures' found guilty of murder: 28 August 1954". New Zealand History. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d MacDuff, Keiller (13 April 2023). "'Heavenly creature' turned crime writer Anne Perry dies". Stuff. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  10. ^ a b "We were not lesbians, says former Juliet Hulme". The New Zealand Herald. 5 March 2006. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
  11. ^ Drayton, Joanne (5 September 2012). "The search for Anne Perry". New Zealand History. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Neustatter, Angela (12 November 2003). "'I was guilty. I did my time': Anne Perry, the novelist whose past caught up with her". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Teenage murderer turned crime writer Anne Perry dies". 1 News. 13 April 2023. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Anne Perry, teen murderer-turned crime writer, dies at 84". The New Zealand Herald. 13 April 2023. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  15. ^ Tayler, R. J. (1991). "Henry Rainsford Hulme, 9 August 1908 – 8 January 1991". Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society. 32 (3): 313. Bibcode:1991QJRAS..32..313T.
  16. ^ "Film & TV Database". Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
  17. ^ Sergent, Jean (4 February 2019). "From crime reality to crime fiction: The strange case of the Anne Perry film". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Agatha Awards Malice Domestic Awards". Cozy Mystery. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Malice Honored Guests". Malice Domestic. Archived from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  20. ^ a b Picker, Lenny (7 March 2014). "Prolific and Profound: Anne Perry". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Kiwi killer Anne Perry leaves Scotland hideaway for Hollywood". The New Zealand Herald. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017.
  22. ^ "Anne Perry, killer turned crime writer, dies aged 84". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 12 April 2023. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  23. ^ "Pitt". anneperry.net. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  24. ^ Hugg, Karen (30 September 2021). "Up Close: Anne Perry". The Big Thrill. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  25. ^ Perry, Anne. "Pitt Series". AnnePerry.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  26. ^ "Death in Focus by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  27. ^ "A Question of Betrayal by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  28. ^ "A Darker Reality by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  29. ^ "A Truth to Lie For by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  30. ^ "The Traitor Among Us by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  31. ^ "No Graves As Yet by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  32. ^ "Shoulder the Sky by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  33. ^ "Angels in the Gloom by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  34. ^ "At Some Disputed Barricade by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  35. ^ "We Shall Not Sleep by Anne Perry". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  36. ^ Perry, Anne (2000). Tathea. Thorndike, Me.: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-7838-9156-3. OCLC 44518332.
  37. ^ Perry, Anne (2002). Come Armageddon. London: Headline. ISBN 0-7472-6746-4. OCLC 48979075.
  38. ^ Perry, Anne (2011). Tudor Rose: a timepiece novel. Edinburgh. ISBN 978-1-84299-317-0. OCLC 751806387.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  39. ^ Perry, Anne (2011). Rose of no man's land: a timepiece novel. Edinburgh. ISBN 978-1-84299-487-0. OCLC 751806390.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  40. ^ Perry, Anne (2012). Blood red rose: a timepiece novel. Edinburgh. ISBN 978-1-84299-955-4. OCLC 757148660.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  41. ^ Perry, Anne (2012). Rose between two thorns: a timepiece novel. Edinburgh: Barrington Stoke. ISBN 978-1-84299-908-0. OCLC 793689779.
  42. ^ "The one thing more". WorldCat. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  43. ^ "A dish taken cold". WorldCat. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  44. ^ "I'd Kill For That". Macmillan. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  45. ^ Perry, Anne (2004). Letters from the Highlands. Meridian Magazine. Orem, Utah: Granite Publishing & Distribution. ISBN 1-932280-56-1. OCLC 225235313.
  46. ^ Perry, Anne (2011). Heroes. Edinburgh: Barrington Stoke. ISBN 978-1-84299-980-6. OCLC 751728633.
  47. ^ "The sheen on the silk: a novel". WorldCat. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  48. ^ "The scroll". WorldCat. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  49. ^ Anne Perry, ed. (2003). Death by horoscope. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers. ISBN 0-7867-1153-1. OCLC 52842560.
  50. ^ Anne Perry, ed. (2002). Much ado about murder. New York: Berkley Prime Crime. ISBN 0-425-18650-4. OCLC 50064666.
  51. ^ Anne Perry, ed. (2004). Death by Dickens. Berkley Prime Crime. ISBN 0-425-19947-9. OCLC 53223669.
  52. ^ Anne Perry, ed. (2005). Thou shalt not kill: biblical mystery stories. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7867-1575-6. OCLC 62212497.
  53. ^ O'Callaghan, Jody (27 July 2012). "'Barbaric' prison inspiration for murderer turned writer". The Press. Christchurch. p. A5. Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  54. ^ Graham, Peter (2012). So brilliantly clever: Parker, Hulme and the murder that shocked the world. Wellington, N.Z.: Awa Press. ISBN 978-1-877551-47-5. OCLC 813830215.
  55. ^ Graham, Peter (2013). Anne Perry and the murder of the century. New York. ISBN 978-1-62087-630-5. OCLC 816030632.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links[edit]

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