Sandra Anne Taylor

Anne Perry, born Juliet Marion Hulme, was a British author celebrated for her historical detective fiction, particularly her Thomas and Charlotte Pitt and William Monk series. Her early life was overshadowed by a murder conviction in 1954, when, at fifteen, she and her friend Pauline Parker killed Parker's mother. After serving five years, Hulme changed her name to Anne Perry and relocated to the United Kingdom. Her identity as the convicted murderer was revealed to the public in 1994 following the release of the film 'Heavenly Creatures,' which dramatized the events of her youth. Despite this revelation, Perry continued to write prolifically, achieving significant commercial success and critical recognition for her mystery novels. She passed away in 2023, leaving behind a substantial body of work.

Born Juliet Marion Hulme in London in 1938, she was sent to various warmer climates, including New Zealand, due to a childhood diagnosis of tuberculosis. It was in New Zealand that, at the age of fifteen, she and her sixteen-year-old friend Pauline Parker committed the murder of Parker's mother. The two teenagers, reportedly driven by a desire to avoid separation as Hulme was due to leave the country, bludgeoned the victim. Both were found guilty and sentenced to be 'detained at Her Majesty's pleasure,' serving five years before their release.

After her release, Hulme adopted the name Anne Perry and moved to England, eventually becoming a flight attendant and later joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She began her writing career, publishing her first novel, 'The Cater Street Hangman,' in 1979. Perry became known for her meticulously researched historical mysteries, often featuring recurring characters like the Pitt family and the investigator William Monk. Her identity as Juliet Hulme was revealed to the public in 1994, coinciding with the release of the film 'Heavenly Creatures.' This revelation brought intense media scrutiny, but Perry maintained that her relationship with Parker was obsessive rather than romantic.

Perry continued to write prolifically throughout her career, publishing over 100 books across various series, including the Pitt novels, Monk mysteries, a World War I series, and fantasy novels. Her work frequently appeared on bestseller lists, and she received accolades such as the Edgar Award for Best Short Story and a lifetime achievement award at the Agatha Awards. She moved to the United States in 2017 to promote film adaptations of her novels. Perry died in Los Angeles in April 2023, with her final novel published the day after her passing.

“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.”