Popular crime writer Anne Perry, who once served a sentence of five years in jail for a murder which she had helped in committing, died on April 10, 2023. She was 84 years old. The news was shared by Meg Davis, her Literary agent.
Anne Perry, born as Juliet Hulme, was just 15-years-old when she had helped her friend Pauline Parker to kill the latter's mother in New Zealand in 1954. Pauline Parker's mother, Honora Mary Parker, was brutally killed by being hit with a brick-- a murder that shook the nation back then. Both Hulme and Parker had planned the murder in order to avoid being separated, as Parker was being sent abroad by her parents. The teenage girls were too young to get a death penalty, and hence they were imprisoned instead.
After serving five years in jail for her crime, Juliet Hulme changed her name to Anne Perry and she left New Zealand. She did various jobs in England, and finally turned to writing crime thriller novels which brought her much fame. Her first novel 'The Cater Street Hangman' was published in 1979. Some of her notable works include historical detective books the Thomas Pitt and William Monk series, among others.
However, her past caught up with her when the story of the gruesome murder was made into a film. Titled 'Heavenly Creatures', the film was made by director Peter Jackson in 1994. It featured actress Kate Winslet, who played Perry's character. And soon enough, Perry's real identity was revealed. "I had to give up my past- the hardest thing imaginable - and begin life in my new identity as Anne Perry, knowing even a tiny slip could unravel everything... I was guilty. I did my time," Perry had told The Guardian in an interview in 2003.
In the last few years, Perry had moved to Los Angeles, USA to explore film adaptations of her bestselling novels.
Her French publisher, 10/18, said in a statement that Perry will be remembered for writing her “memorable characters, historical accuracy, the quality of her detective stories, and also for her exploration of social issues”.
During her lifetime, Perry won several awards including the Edgar Award for Best Short Story and the Agatha Award for Best Novel, among others.
Anne Perry never married. She is survived by her brother Jonathan Rainsford Hulme and his family.
