Anne Perry was a bestselling author of British crime novels whose own crime, committed when she was a teen, was dramatized in the movie “Heavenly Creatures.”
- Died: April 10, 2023 (Who else died on April 10?)
- Details of death: Died after a hospital stay at the age of 84.
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Anne Perry’s legacy
Born Juliet Hulme in London, Perry struggled with tuberculosis as a child and was sent to New Zealand to improve her health. There, she became best friends with Pauline Parker. As Hulme’s parents prepared to move her to South Africa, the two concocted a plot to thwart their impending separation – killing Parker’s mother. At age 16 (Parker) and 15 (Hulme), they committed the crime; they were caught and sentenced to prison. After serving five and a half years, Hulme was released and returned to England. A major news story in New Zealand at the time, the incident was adapted into the 1994 Peter Jackson film “Heavenly Creatures,” starring Kate Winslet as Hulme.
As an adult, Hulme changed her name to Anne Perry and began writing crime novels. Her prolific career began with 1979’s “The Cater Street Hangman,” the first of her series featuring police detective Thomas Pitt. More than two dozen other Thomas Pitt novels followed. Perry’s other well-known series featured Victorian policeman William Monk in another two dozen novels. Perry published many other books, including several Christmas novels, the Timepiece series for young adults, her World War I series, and a number of standalone novels. Her most recent novel, “The Fourth Enemy” from her Daniel Pitt series, was published the day after her death.
As Perry’s writing career began, most readers were unaware of her role in the 1954 murder. Details of her involvement only came to light with the success of “Heavenly Creatures,” when a journalist familiar with the case revealed her identity.
Perry on her time in prison
“It was there that I went down on my knees and repented. That is how I survived my time while others cracked up. I seemed to be the only one saying, I am guilty and I am where I should be.” —from a 2003 interview for the Guardian
Tributes to Anne Perry
Full obituary: New Zealand Herald
