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The Search for Anne Perry: The Hidden Life of a Bestselling Crime Writer
In 1994, director Peter Jackson released the movie Heavenly Creatures, based on a famous 1950s matricide committed in New Zealand by two teenage girls embroiled in an obsessive relationship. The movie launched Jackson’s international career. It also forever changed the life of Anne Perry, an award-winning, bestselling crime writer, who at the time of the movie’s release was publicly outed at Juliet Hulme, one of the murderers. A new light was now cast, not only on Anne’s life but also on her novels, which feature gruesome and violent deaths and confront dark issues, including infanticide and incest.
Acclaimed literary biographer Joanne Drayton was given unparalleled access to Anne Perry, her friends, relatives, colleagues, and archives to complete this book. She intersperses the story of her life with an examination of her writing, drawing parallels between Perry’s own experiences and her characters and storylines. Anne Perry’s books deal with miscarriages of justice, family secrets exposed, punishment, redemption, and forgiveness, themes made all the more poignant in light of her past. She has sold 25 million books worldwide and published in 15 different languages, yet she will now forever be known as a murderer who became a writer of murder stories. The Search for Anne Perry is a gripping account of a life, and provides understanding of the girl Anne was, the adult she became, her compulsion to write, and her view of the world.
Acclaimed literary biographer Joanne Drayton was given unparalleled access to Anne Perry, her friends, relatives, colleagues, and archives to complete this book. She intersperses the story of her life with an examination of her writing, drawing parallels between Perry’s own experiences and her characters and storylines. Anne Perry’s books deal with miscarriages of justice, family secrets exposed, punishment, redemption, and forgiveness, themes made all the more poignant in light of her past. She has sold 25 million books worldwide and published in 15 different languages, yet she will now forever be known as a murderer who became a writer of murder stories. The Search for Anne Perry is a gripping account of a life, and provides understanding of the girl Anne was, the adult she became, her compulsion to write, and her view of the world.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
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April 5, 2014
The Search for Anne Perry by Joanne Drayton is a 2014 Arcade Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I remember distinctly having a conversation with a friend on a popular book club site about how much we enjoyed the work of Anne Perry. Another member added that while her books were entertaining enough, Anne's personal history was what really peaked his interest. I had no idea what he referring to, so he began to elaborate. Like many people in this book, my initial reaction was that this man must have been confused. Of course I got onto the web and searched for "Anne Perry". I was shocked to learn that I was the once that was confused. I had never heard anything at all about this murder conviction. As I continued to research the story I finally put it together that Anne Perry was one of the girls that killed a woman in New Zealand. I had heard the story before, but I never put it together that one of my favorite historical mystery authors as in reality Juliett Hulme. The on line discussion about Anne's books had become heated by the time I checked back in to the book club. Some folks swore they would never read a book by Anne Perry, others felt she had paid her debt and was now leading a productive life. Still others waffled on whether or not she had really paid her debt because she only spent five years in prison. The debate may still be going on for all I know. I will confess to having some mixed feelings myself. By the time I discovered Anne's history I had developed a bond with Thomas and Charlotte Pitt and was also a fan of Anne's Christmas stories. So, since I had read so many of her books and really enjoyed them, I decided I was going to continue to read them.
When I saw this book listed on Edelweiss I couldn't pass it up. I wanted to know more about Anne as an adult and hopefully away from her crime. How did she manage to hide her true identity for long ? How did she get started writing novels? Why, with her history did she write murder mysteries? Had she ever married, did she date, have close friends? I couldn't wait to dive into this one. At this time I should tell anyone that is looking for a standard biography that this book isn't like that, really. Thankfully, the author didn't make the book about Anne's past by going over the crime itself. Instead, the author starts with the period in Anne's life when a film was being made about her crime and it sparked the interest of the media. For Anne this meant that she was finally "outed" as the infamous Juliett Hulme. What would her publisher think? What about her fans and readers?
It seems that while there were those that took the news hard, most people went right about their business and didn't really give it a great deal of thought. The books continued to sell and Anne continued to write and publishers continue to publish them. But what of those years after Anne was released from prison? Well, it seems Anne joined the Mormon church and lived by the strictures of the religion. She did have some relationships with men, but they usually ended after the truth came out and Anne always felt like she needed to be honest about that if the relationship began to grow serious. She did have close friends and later she became closer with her younger brother who even helped her with research for her books.
My impression of Anne is that she was a little eccentric at times, but she had learned to channel her imagination into a productive career and was basically a regular person constantly doing battle with her past. Most of those in Anne's inner circle were quite fond of her and always spoke highly of her. Yet, it is apparent that Anne still lived a very isolated life.
Did the author tone down the absolute horror of the crime Anne committed? Yes and no. Yes, she did because she failed to delve into it in detail and no, because it was at the heart of everything Anne did as an adult. Her life in prison was touched on and we do get the impression her time there was far more brutal than one might think.
The author also spent a lot of time giving the reader insight into Anne's books. From the Pitt series to the Monk series and various themes Anne touched on in these novels that could suggest a certain allegory between Anne's history and the characters in her books. This was interesting and could have been true to some extent. Some have been critical of the time spent talking about the books, but that is what Anne does for a living. It is huge part of her life I thought it should have been included.
Did I feel like I really learned anything about Anne personally? No, not really. I didn't really come away feeling I knew her any better than before. I learned some interesting facts about her, I learned a little about the publishing business and I gained some new insight into her books, but I don't feel like I got a real handle on who Anne Perry really is. By all accounts she is a very nice woman, still loyal to the Mormon church and still active in writing. She has lived a relatively normal and quiet life keeping a few people close to her and everyone else at arm's length.
I did get the feeling that there was a great deal of information left out of the book and yes, there was the impression that perhaps the author smoothed something over or gave into pressure and left out anything that could be construed as unflattering. This is an interesting read, but I wish it could have gone into some areas in more detail and I don't mean the murder. I'm not sure if anyone really gets too close to Anne or if anyone will ever get a handle on who she really is . We will probably never get a look at Anne in a deeply personal sense. So, it would seem that Anne will remain a mystery to most of us.
Overall I will give this one a C or 3 stars.
I remember distinctly having a conversation with a friend on a popular book club site about how much we enjoyed the work of Anne Perry. Another member added that while her books were entertaining enough, Anne's personal history was what really peaked his interest. I had no idea what he referring to, so he began to elaborate. Like many people in this book, my initial reaction was that this man must have been confused. Of course I got onto the web and searched for "Anne Perry". I was shocked to learn that I was the once that was confused. I had never heard anything at all about this murder conviction. As I continued to research the story I finally put it together that Anne Perry was one of the girls that killed a woman in New Zealand. I had heard the story before, but I never put it together that one of my favorite historical mystery authors as in reality Juliett Hulme. The on line discussion about Anne's books had become heated by the time I checked back in to the book club. Some folks swore they would never read a book by Anne Perry, others felt she had paid her debt and was now leading a productive life. Still others waffled on whether or not she had really paid her debt because she only spent five years in prison. The debate may still be going on for all I know. I will confess to having some mixed feelings myself. By the time I discovered Anne's history I had developed a bond with Thomas and Charlotte Pitt and was also a fan of Anne's Christmas stories. So, since I had read so many of her books and really enjoyed them, I decided I was going to continue to read them.
When I saw this book listed on Edelweiss I couldn't pass it up. I wanted to know more about Anne as an adult and hopefully away from her crime. How did she manage to hide her true identity for long ? How did she get started writing novels? Why, with her history did she write murder mysteries? Had she ever married, did she date, have close friends? I couldn't wait to dive into this one. At this time I should tell anyone that is looking for a standard biography that this book isn't like that, really. Thankfully, the author didn't make the book about Anne's past by going over the crime itself. Instead, the author starts with the period in Anne's life when a film was being made about her crime and it sparked the interest of the media. For Anne this meant that she was finally "outed" as the infamous Juliett Hulme. What would her publisher think? What about her fans and readers?
It seems that while there were those that took the news hard, most people went right about their business and didn't really give it a great deal of thought. The books continued to sell and Anne continued to write and publishers continue to publish them. But what of those years after Anne was released from prison? Well, it seems Anne joined the Mormon church and lived by the strictures of the religion. She did have some relationships with men, but they usually ended after the truth came out and Anne always felt like she needed to be honest about that if the relationship began to grow serious. She did have close friends and later she became closer with her younger brother who even helped her with research for her books.
My impression of Anne is that she was a little eccentric at times, but she had learned to channel her imagination into a productive career and was basically a regular person constantly doing battle with her past. Most of those in Anne's inner circle were quite fond of her and always spoke highly of her. Yet, it is apparent that Anne still lived a very isolated life.
Did the author tone down the absolute horror of the crime Anne committed? Yes and no. Yes, she did because she failed to delve into it in detail and no, because it was at the heart of everything Anne did as an adult. Her life in prison was touched on and we do get the impression her time there was far more brutal than one might think.
The author also spent a lot of time giving the reader insight into Anne's books. From the Pitt series to the Monk series and various themes Anne touched on in these novels that could suggest a certain allegory between Anne's history and the characters in her books. This was interesting and could have been true to some extent. Some have been critical of the time spent talking about the books, but that is what Anne does for a living. It is huge part of her life I thought it should have been included.
Did I feel like I really learned anything about Anne personally? No, not really. I didn't really come away feeling I knew her any better than before. I learned some interesting facts about her, I learned a little about the publishing business and I gained some new insight into her books, but I don't feel like I got a real handle on who Anne Perry really is. By all accounts she is a very nice woman, still loyal to the Mormon church and still active in writing. She has lived a relatively normal and quiet life keeping a few people close to her and everyone else at arm's length.
I did get the feeling that there was a great deal of information left out of the book and yes, there was the impression that perhaps the author smoothed something over or gave into pressure and left out anything that could be construed as unflattering. This is an interesting read, but I wish it could have gone into some areas in more detail and I don't mean the murder. I'm not sure if anyone really gets too close to Anne or if anyone will ever get a handle on who she really is . We will probably never get a look at Anne in a deeply personal sense. So, it would seem that Anne will remain a mystery to most of us.
Overall I will give this one a C or 3 stars.
July 14, 2018
Not having known about Anne Perry's past or that her identity had been changed due to a crime (murder) that she (then known as Juliet Hulme) and her best friend had committed when they were teenagers, I was surprised to learn of her "hidden past." The bulk of The Search for Anne Perry: The Hidden Life of a Bestselling Crime Writer seemed to focus on the development of Anne Perry's career from her early struggles of writing and getting her books published to the later successes of her writing career, and on very detailed synopses of Perry's books which actually become "spoilers" to potential readers of her books. Joanne Drayton cleverly intersperses chapters describing Perry's past crime with the chapters of lengthy analyses of Perry's books and connects the plots, characters and themes in the books as expressions of Perry's adult views of crime, remorse, forgiveness, and redemption. The reader learns a great deal more of the crime in the latter chapters of Drayton's book. Drayton's is a sympathetic view of the author and how she has dealt with her past crime. In interviews, Perry can be quoted with the following:
"...it's not what mistakes you make that marks who you are, but it's how you deal with them. Do you own up to your mistakes and do you live with them?" "...blame yourself and go into decline or try to make something good come out of it." She wanted to give herself a future because she can't change the past. It is perhaps ironic that her career has been primarily in the crime fiction genre.
Then she is quoted in another interview which is puzzling to me: ..."human nature doesn't change...tend to repeat our mistakes...a slightly different outside appearance, that's all...same people inside, different clothes." I am ambivalent whether she truly feels remorse or more worried how truth may affect her career or her loved ones. That said, I still have her books on my to-read list.
"...it's not what mistakes you make that marks who you are, but it's how you deal with them. Do you own up to your mistakes and do you live with them?" "...blame yourself and go into decline or try to make something good come out of it." She wanted to give herself a future because she can't change the past. It is perhaps ironic that her career has been primarily in the crime fiction genre.
Then she is quoted in another interview which is puzzling to me: ..."human nature doesn't change...tend to repeat our mistakes...a slightly different outside appearance, that's all...same people inside, different clothes." I am ambivalent whether she truly feels remorse or more worried how truth may affect her career or her loved ones. That said, I still have her books on my to-read list.
September 8, 2015
I picked this new biography off a bookshelf while waiting in the airport for a delayed flight. Although I have never read an Anne Perry book, I have seen a documentary about her as a writer, and of course as a NZer I know the story of her previous teenage life as Juliet Hulme, who murdered, with her close friend Pauline Parker, Pauline's unsuspecting mother. This all happened in Christchurch, not far from where my daughter lives now. As Anne Perry she has written a remarkable number of novels, historical detective stories, and apparently extremely well-written and clever ones. Peter Jackson's film about the murder, "Heavenly Twins", let the cat out of the bag; before that even her literary agents and publishers didn't know her past identity. Definitely a case of fact being stranger than fiction. It was an unusually structured biography, with large hunks dedicated to discussing the story lines and characters of Anne's novels, I think to make connections between her books and her past experience. As I haven't read her books I found this fairly tedious and scanned these long sections, much more interested to return to the novelist's life now and indeed in the past. The story of Juliet was also scattered throughout the book in a rather unnecessarily fragmented way. As a writer, I found the parts on her writing career, and the interviews with her agents and editors most interesting. Her US Agent, Don Maass ran the very first writing workshop I ever went to, and I recall asking him if he would ever take on a writer who only wanted to write one good book. He said NO!! The days of innocence. In summary, Anne Perry's story is fascinating and because of this I persisted with the biography. But the biography itself could have done with massive editing I think, and did not do a great story justice.
July 13, 2014
This book and story has been a long time coming, and I for one am glad someone has written it.
It clears up a lot of unanswered questions and more importantly we get to hear the story from Perry's own perspective.
I can remember when the story broke about Anne Perry and the life she left behind her many years ago. The life of Juliet Hulme, a young girl convicted of conspiring to and actually killing her friends mother. This young girl, murderess at the age of 15, was to go on and become a world renowned author of murder mysteries.
The true story reads like script for a television crime drama.
I along with many others was and still am, an avid reader of Perry's books, and the revelation of her past was and still is a topic of conversation among bookworms. Where do you draw the line between the book and the personal life of an author? Can and should the personal opinions, personal choices, religious beliefs or political affiliations of authors influence the reader and their decision to buy a book?
Each reader or buyer must make that choice themselves. I own my buying power and you own yours.
Where Perry is concerned I personally think she has paid her debt to society in form of her imprisonment and I can imagine she will still be looking for forgiveness and redemption till she draws her last breath. It is certainly a common thread in many of her books. She is also known for her critical assessment of gender inequality, misogyny, abuse and human suffering in general, regardless of whether it is centred on the Victorian era or in her mythological fantasy.
Her faith and religion plays a major role in some of her books. Tathea is heavily laden and influenced by the Book of Mormon. I think it is safe to say that her faith and the church have been her beacon and support system for a very long time.
What becomes very apparent in this book, is the way Anne is perceived by those that have gotten to know her without knowing her true identity and how those friendships or relationships have stayed intact even after learning the truth. They know and celebrate her as the adult Anne, the person they have learnt to love and admire.
Juliet is the past. Her actions will always be part of who Anne is, but Juliet is merely a chapter in her life. A book and story unto itself, which should be closed and placed on the bookshelf. Nothing will change what happened to Honora Parker.
I think this book could have done with a wee bit more structure. The author weaves in and out of the past and present, from book plots to real life events. Some of the details and comparisons are superfluous, however I think the point the author was trying to make comes through clearly. That point being the use of the crime and Perry's old or new identity to create media hype over and over again to sell stories.
Only a few of those tasked with writing about it have actually managed to recognize the fact that the penal system has done its job. Juliet acknowledged her guilt and Perry has worked extremely hard to never forget.
I was and still am surprised by the lack of compassion and interest shown towards her both before and after the crime. Neglect, disinterest before and during her internment in an adult prison neither parent visited her. Both mother and father left the continent. Even if Perry managed to rebuild or chase relationships with her parents after her release, their behaviour speaks volumes about they way they treated her.
There is a passage in the book in which Perry talks about the fact she and her mother never spoke about the crime, because her mother didn't want to. Perry also alludes to the lack of care, parenting, rules and even restraint in their parenting.
Part of me would really like to hear her story, written in her own words and style, but I think she will probably remain stoic in her shouldering of the burden and in doing so lessening the burden for her childhood friend.
I think this book gives an excellent overview of long journey of Anne Perry's books, with many intricate descriptions and explanations for plots and various new ventures. It is a must have read for fans of Perry. It really gives an outsider a good insight into the extremely long process of publishing and lengthy journey to become a very popular author.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Edelweiss.
It clears up a lot of unanswered questions and more importantly we get to hear the story from Perry's own perspective.
I can remember when the story broke about Anne Perry and the life she left behind her many years ago. The life of Juliet Hulme, a young girl convicted of conspiring to and actually killing her friends mother. This young girl, murderess at the age of 15, was to go on and become a world renowned author of murder mysteries.
The true story reads like script for a television crime drama.
I along with many others was and still am, an avid reader of Perry's books, and the revelation of her past was and still is a topic of conversation among bookworms. Where do you draw the line between the book and the personal life of an author? Can and should the personal opinions, personal choices, religious beliefs or political affiliations of authors influence the reader and their decision to buy a book?
Each reader or buyer must make that choice themselves. I own my buying power and you own yours.
Where Perry is concerned I personally think she has paid her debt to society in form of her imprisonment and I can imagine she will still be looking for forgiveness and redemption till she draws her last breath. It is certainly a common thread in many of her books. She is also known for her critical assessment of gender inequality, misogyny, abuse and human suffering in general, regardless of whether it is centred on the Victorian era or in her mythological fantasy.
Her faith and religion plays a major role in some of her books. Tathea is heavily laden and influenced by the Book of Mormon. I think it is safe to say that her faith and the church have been her beacon and support system for a very long time.
What becomes very apparent in this book, is the way Anne is perceived by those that have gotten to know her without knowing her true identity and how those friendships or relationships have stayed intact even after learning the truth. They know and celebrate her as the adult Anne, the person they have learnt to love and admire.
Juliet is the past. Her actions will always be part of who Anne is, but Juliet is merely a chapter in her life. A book and story unto itself, which should be closed and placed on the bookshelf. Nothing will change what happened to Honora Parker.
I think this book could have done with a wee bit more structure. The author weaves in and out of the past and present, from book plots to real life events. Some of the details and comparisons are superfluous, however I think the point the author was trying to make comes through clearly. That point being the use of the crime and Perry's old or new identity to create media hype over and over again to sell stories.
Only a few of those tasked with writing about it have actually managed to recognize the fact that the penal system has done its job. Juliet acknowledged her guilt and Perry has worked extremely hard to never forget.
I was and still am surprised by the lack of compassion and interest shown towards her both before and after the crime. Neglect, disinterest before and during her internment in an adult prison neither parent visited her. Both mother and father left the continent. Even if Perry managed to rebuild or chase relationships with her parents after her release, their behaviour speaks volumes about they way they treated her.
There is a passage in the book in which Perry talks about the fact she and her mother never spoke about the crime, because her mother didn't want to. Perry also alludes to the lack of care, parenting, rules and even restraint in their parenting.
Part of me would really like to hear her story, written in her own words and style, but I think she will probably remain stoic in her shouldering of the burden and in doing so lessening the burden for her childhood friend.
I think this book gives an excellent overview of long journey of Anne Perry's books, with many intricate descriptions and explanations for plots and various new ventures. It is a must have read for fans of Perry. It really gives an outsider a good insight into the extremely long process of publishing and lengthy journey to become a very popular author.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Edelweiss.
October 21, 2012
This book attempts to understand Anne Perry through her fiction, and there is excessive detail on the characters and plots that i found annoying. I felt the author could have explored the moral parables between the characters and the author without going into so much detail. Fans of Anne Perry's work might not mind so much. I skim read most of those bits, which made for a very slow start.
The rest of the book was fairly interesting, about Anne's life, her struggles as an author and her professional relationship with her editors and publishers.
For me there wasn't enough detail about the early years. For me the fascination with her story is to try to make sense of what she did. I came to this book as a fan of Heavenly Creatures, the movie captures the adolescent friendship so poignantly that you become sympathetic with the girls, and are left with the horror at the murder at the end, thinking how could you? But there are no answers here. The book does the same thing in a way to the movie, paints a picture of Anne Perry as an intelligent and talented author, who you can't help but feel sympathetic to. But it doesn't really give much more insight into why, apart from Anne believing it was a case of Honora or Pauline.
It forced me to reexamine whether i think there is forgiveness for murderers, and that is very confronting. It would be easier to believe that all murderers are inherently evil.
The rest of the book was fairly interesting, about Anne's life, her struggles as an author and her professional relationship with her editors and publishers.
For me there wasn't enough detail about the early years. For me the fascination with her story is to try to make sense of what she did. I came to this book as a fan of Heavenly Creatures, the movie captures the adolescent friendship so poignantly that you become sympathetic with the girls, and are left with the horror at the murder at the end, thinking how could you? But there are no answers here. The book does the same thing in a way to the movie, paints a picture of Anne Perry as an intelligent and talented author, who you can't help but feel sympathetic to. But it doesn't really give much more insight into why, apart from Anne believing it was a case of Honora or Pauline.
It forced me to reexamine whether i think there is forgiveness for murderers, and that is very confronting. It would be easier to believe that all murderers are inherently evil.
September 30, 2013
Read for Book Group not a well written biography at all
May 25, 2014
A fascinating story that is written in such a way so as to make the remarkable seem positively dull. I received more insight reading the Wikipedia article on Anne Perry's life. In addition to which, the plot summaries for each significant Anne Perry novel were unnecessary and only served to spoil these books that I had previously looked forward to reading.
July 2, 2023
I’m a true crime buff. The murder of Honorah Parker by her teenage daughter Pauline and the girl’s best friend Juliet Hulme caught my eye in the mid 1990s with the movie HEAVENLY CREATURES. When I discovered Juliet was now best selling mystery writer Anne Perry, I was even more intrigued. Since then I’ve read everything I could about the murders and what became of the teens. THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY is the most interesting, if you’re patient enough to sift through all the boring parts of the biography.
Joanne Drayton’s introduction left me hopeful THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY would read more like a memoir than a textbook. Unfortunately Drayton chose to tell the story through the Perry’s books and characters. If I was an Anne Perry fan, I would have enjoyed THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY more. I tried to like the writer but found her work overly descriptive for the type of mystery/thriller I enjoy. Since Perry has written over fifty books, you can imagine how arduous. The last third of the book detailing the murder and trial as well as Perry’s current life was much more interesting.
Dayton did her homework with pages of sources and footnotes. She found some info about Pauline, now Hillary Nathan, although Hillary wouldn’t speak to her.
Some thoughts on the trial:
Defense psychiatrists tried to show the girls were insane siting a rare delusional condition called folie a deux, which was what I surmised after watching HEAVENLY CREATURES, before reading any of the books. Folie a deux is a shared psychosis, where two or more close individuals experience the same beliefs/delusions. As individuals, they aren’t necessarily psychotic (though they may be) but the symbiotic relationship between the individuals creates the condition.
Forensic psychology, in its infancy when the murders took place in 1954, bears no resemblance to what we do today. The prosecution and defense argued insane vs bad. The prosecutor’s “evidence” included homosexuality (which both girls denied), fantasy play, (which was unchristian) which the defense saw as evidence of mental illness.
Whether or not the girls were lesbians is material only because of the era when homosexuality was considered a mental illness and also judged as perverse. PARKER AND HULME: A LESBIAN VIEW explores the issue of their sexual orientations in depth. My opinion of that book was that the writers set out to prove lesbianism as opposed to investigate the possibility. That book was published in 1995, when more people were in that out of the closet and LGBT folks had no rights, so the exploration of Parker and Hulme’s orientations were now newsworthy than they’d be.
After their release from prison, Perry and Nathan led remarkable similar lives, except for Perry’s writing career. Both women became deeply religious. Neither has committed another crime or act of violence. They lived somewhat isolated lives, Hillary is almost reclusive. Hillary has never spoken publicly about her mother’s murder, Anne was forced because she was discovered by reporters.
THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY mentioned Anne’s anxiety after being discovered. When on press tours, interviewers were more interest in her own story and she began to panic before scheduled meetings. In my own relentless pursuit to reading everything, I never stopped to think about the cost to Anne before reading THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY. I’m torn between curiosity and guilt for wanting to know more.
I skimmed through parts of THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY as if I was on a treasure hunt looking for gems about the murders and Anne’s life. I do recommend this biography as the best of a very boring bunch.
Joanne Drayton’s introduction left me hopeful THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY would read more like a memoir than a textbook. Unfortunately Drayton chose to tell the story through the Perry’s books and characters. If I was an Anne Perry fan, I would have enjoyed THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY more. I tried to like the writer but found her work overly descriptive for the type of mystery/thriller I enjoy. Since Perry has written over fifty books, you can imagine how arduous. The last third of the book detailing the murder and trial as well as Perry’s current life was much more interesting.
Dayton did her homework with pages of sources and footnotes. She found some info about Pauline, now Hillary Nathan, although Hillary wouldn’t speak to her.
Some thoughts on the trial:
Defense psychiatrists tried to show the girls were insane siting a rare delusional condition called folie a deux, which was what I surmised after watching HEAVENLY CREATURES, before reading any of the books. Folie a deux is a shared psychosis, where two or more close individuals experience the same beliefs/delusions. As individuals, they aren’t necessarily psychotic (though they may be) but the symbiotic relationship between the individuals creates the condition.
Forensic psychology, in its infancy when the murders took place in 1954, bears no resemblance to what we do today. The prosecution and defense argued insane vs bad. The prosecutor’s “evidence” included homosexuality (which both girls denied), fantasy play, (which was unchristian) which the defense saw as evidence of mental illness.
Whether or not the girls were lesbians is material only because of the era when homosexuality was considered a mental illness and also judged as perverse. PARKER AND HULME: A LESBIAN VIEW explores the issue of their sexual orientations in depth. My opinion of that book was that the writers set out to prove lesbianism as opposed to investigate the possibility. That book was published in 1995, when more people were in that out of the closet and LGBT folks had no rights, so the exploration of Parker and Hulme’s orientations were now newsworthy than they’d be.
After their release from prison, Perry and Nathan led remarkable similar lives, except for Perry’s writing career. Both women became deeply religious. Neither has committed another crime or act of violence. They lived somewhat isolated lives, Hillary is almost reclusive. Hillary has never spoken publicly about her mother’s murder, Anne was forced because she was discovered by reporters.
THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY mentioned Anne’s anxiety after being discovered. When on press tours, interviewers were more interest in her own story and she began to panic before scheduled meetings. In my own relentless pursuit to reading everything, I never stopped to think about the cost to Anne before reading THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY. I’m torn between curiosity and guilt for wanting to know more.
I skimmed through parts of THE SEARCH FOR ANNE PERRY as if I was on a treasure hunt looking for gems about the murders and Anne’s life. I do recommend this biography as the best of a very boring bunch.
August 9, 2015
Although I really enjoyed the story of Anne Perry's life, I found all the detail about her books a bit too much. I also thought some of the ideas didn't flow well together. It also finished rather abruptly. It wasn't a page turner but I enjoyed it and wanted to read it through.
February 27, 2017
Really disorganized, way too much information about her novels. In fact the majority had little to do with searching for Anne Perry instead it was a breakdown of all of her novels with sporadic all over the place references to the past or present.
May 27, 2014
I'm not sure the extensive summarizing of the novels really works, but I have difficulty imagining how the book would have come across without them. I think the book is extremely valuable in the way it brings out what Perry really went through in the aftermath of the crime. There is a point where she is in prison and decides to fully accept responsibility for her situation. "Nobody did this to me." This was a 15-year-old sent to serve an indeterminate sentence at hard labor in a qhastly old prison where people were being executed. If the book were presented as a straight-up narrative with that as the climax though, it might read as an apologia or indeed special pleading, and it's not that. It does serve, I think, as a corrective to what seems like a common view, namely that Perry killed someone and then went off, changed her name and became a best-selling author; there was so much more to it than that.
I attended a seminar once where Perry spoke, and it seems to me really clear that she lives with the reality of having done that crime every day of her life. She didn't bring up the crime explicitly, but she talked about you deal with having done something wrong in your life. One way in which the plot summaries are effective, I think, is in bringing out ways that moral dilemmas in the books might resonate with Perry's life.
I attended a seminar once where Perry spoke, and it seems to me really clear that she lives with the reality of having done that crime every day of her life. She didn't bring up the crime explicitly, but she talked about you deal with having done something wrong in your life. One way in which the plot summaries are effective, I think, is in bringing out ways that moral dilemmas in the books might resonate with Perry's life.
January 3, 2020
To be a biographer, a writer must have objectivity and sensible distance from their subject. It’s one thing to interview your author but another to be overly charmed by them, and Anne Perry must be extremely charming. Perry has danced above her past for many years now. I admit romantic period crime is not really my thing. I read her first book and think it is pretty skillful, but not good enough to read more of her novels.
This biography can’t really explain her past. Probably none could. It gets bogged down in detailed descriptions of every one of Perry’s books.
This biography can’t really explain her past. Probably none could. It gets bogged down in detailed descriptions of every one of Perry’s books.
September 2, 2012
This book is thoroughly researched, well written and a serious biography, that is a page turner. The narrative bowls along and in one of the very clever tools the writer uses, links and weaves Anne`s story with a particular novel that she has written, which works extremely well.
February 18, 2023
Like many of the Goodreaders reviewing Joanne Drayton’s The Search for Anne Perry I’ve never read any of Perry’s books (I don’t care for historical fiction); unlike what appears to be the majority of them I have never seen the movie “Heavenly Creatures.”* But as a mystery reader I knew of Perry and as a true-crime addict I knew a lot about Juliet Holmes. And I was surprised when their connection was revealed, as I would have been if the child had grown up to be some well-known politician or NPR reporter or rock group front person. A successful and permanent change of that magnitude is not common, and The Search for Anne Perry is an interesting, well-researched account of someone’s accomplishing it. But true-crime fans looking for fresh insight into the thinking that resulted in the Hulme/Parker murder will be disappointed. Octogenarian Anne Perry knows as much about why she committed so terrible a crime more than a half-century ago as you do because both of you would need to consult the same historical records; even if teenager Hulme understood and could explain her motives at the time, personal memories are too incomplete and malleable and self-serving to be reliable. The past truly is a foreign country.
The Search for Anne Perry might interest true-crime readers and will likely engage Perry fans. Outside that niche it doesn’t have much to offer.
*my reviews are ALWAYS based solely on the book itself; I’ve not watched/listened to their avatars in any other medium. Nothing against movies/TV series/blogs/podcasts; I simply prefer reading.
The Search for Anne Perry might interest true-crime readers and will likely engage Perry fans. Outside that niche it doesn’t have much to offer.
*my reviews are ALWAYS based solely on the book itself; I’ve not watched/listened to their avatars in any other medium. Nothing against movies/TV series/blogs/podcasts; I simply prefer reading.
March 11, 2016
Since the minute I finished the movie Heavenly Creatures, I have been fascinated by the idea that someone who committed murder as a teenager would move on to write about murder as successfully and copiously as Anne Perry has as an adult. I have to say that since I learned about the murder, I have been turned off by the idea of reading Perry. I was curious, but felt that I shouldn't support someone writing about murder from personal experience so I haven't read any of her books. However, reading this book has changed my mind.
I think one can get a good idea from the movie and from So Brilliantly Clever: Parker, Hulme and the Murder that Shocked the World of the sort of mania that developed between the two girls at a young age two factors that don't justify, but do inform, in regards to their crime. However, Perry herself was involved in the writing of this book and, for me, that made all the difference. I was previously unaware that Perry had made such an effort since being released from prison to live, what sounds like, an exceedingly moral life. Drayton brings a human picture of Perry to life and details not just her relationship with Pauline and the crime, but her life since with a strong focus on themes of forgiveness, guilt, shame, exposure and judgement. I found myself guilty of many of the assumptions made by others over the years and written about by Drayton. I also found the bits and pieces pulled from Perry's novels that give some insight into her own thoughts about crime, forgiveness, redemption etc... extremely interesting. I do agree with other reviewers though that it seemed that an excess of information was given regarding plot lines that was unnecessary given what, to me, was the scope of this book. I found some parts of the book chilling...
"Well it's not very difficult to hit someone on the head, if they trust you and are not expecting anything of the sort."
But also honest...
"Actually to kill someone, you have to care desperately over something, whether it is hate, fear, greed, or because they stand in the way between you and something you hunger for."
A good read for anyone for whom the Parker-Hulme murder, especially the aspect of the involvement of Perry and her life following the crime, hold a certain interest. I guess I'll have to add The Cater Street Hangman to my to-read list now...
I think one can get a good idea from the movie and from So Brilliantly Clever: Parker, Hulme and the Murder that Shocked the World of the sort of mania that developed between the two girls at a young age two factors that don't justify, but do inform, in regards to their crime. However, Perry herself was involved in the writing of this book and, for me, that made all the difference. I was previously unaware that Perry had made such an effort since being released from prison to live, what sounds like, an exceedingly moral life. Drayton brings a human picture of Perry to life and details not just her relationship with Pauline and the crime, but her life since with a strong focus on themes of forgiveness, guilt, shame, exposure and judgement. I found myself guilty of many of the assumptions made by others over the years and written about by Drayton. I also found the bits and pieces pulled from Perry's novels that give some insight into her own thoughts about crime, forgiveness, redemption etc... extremely interesting. I do agree with other reviewers though that it seemed that an excess of information was given regarding plot lines that was unnecessary given what, to me, was the scope of this book. I found some parts of the book chilling...
"Well it's not very difficult to hit someone on the head, if they trust you and are not expecting anything of the sort."
But also honest...
"Actually to kill someone, you have to care desperately over something, whether it is hate, fear, greed, or because they stand in the way between you and something you hunger for."
A good read for anyone for whom the Parker-Hulme murder, especially the aspect of the involvement of Perry and her life following the crime, hold a certain interest. I guess I'll have to add The Cater Street Hangman to my to-read list now...
July 22, 2016
About 80% of this book is how Anne Perry came to fame thru her various books. It went in to detail about her Pitt and Monk series, other manuscripts she wanted published, her ups and downs with publishers, tours, etc.
In regard to the murder, the book intermingled snippets of information throughout the book on how Anne was raised and sent off to live with friends, how she came to know Pauline, about the murder, trial and imprisonment. Drayton made it clear that thru Anne's writings, she is coming to terms with the events of her life. Anne's writings are cathartic for her. I think Drayton did a good job of highlighting Anne's recovery rather than concentrate deeply on the murder.
In regard to the murder, the book intermingled snippets of information throughout the book on how Anne was raised and sent off to live with friends, how she came to know Pauline, about the murder, trial and imprisonment. Drayton made it clear that thru Anne's writings, she is coming to terms with the events of her life. Anne's writings are cathartic for her. I think Drayton did a good job of highlighting Anne's recovery rather than concentrate deeply on the murder.
June 3, 2018
I found this book frustrating. My caveats: I think people who served their time shouldn't have to spend the rest of their lives paying for a crime and I think neither Hulme or Parker had really thought through the implications of the crime. Also, I have been a reader of Anne Perry's Pitt books until the last few years.
The research on this is methodical and well-documented. I would have liked more present-day psychology. I also would have liked more from people who knew the girls and their families at the time, though I realize after five decades, that's difficult.
I felt like the author was biased towards Anne. In fact, she is pretty much reverential. I don't think she started out that way, but I think she got snowed. I believe Anne Perry is (and always has been) a highly-intelligent sociopath. She seems to charm pretty much everyone and I think she charmed the author. I don't think she's evil, but I think she has no empathy. Everything I have read about the interviews she's given in recent decades gives lip service to the idea that they did a terrible thing and regretted it (though I think Anne always pushes the emphasis on Pauline, even though Anne found and assembled the murder weapon.) And then it's about how Anne has suffered and how her family has suffered, but mostly how Anne has suffered. I'm also not convinced that Anne suffered much in the period between the time she was released and the time she was outed. I don't think she was haunted by the crime until it threatened to ruin the life she had built.
Ordinarily, I'd give it two stars, but the third is just for all the research.
The research on this is methodical and well-documented. I would have liked more present-day psychology. I also would have liked more from people who knew the girls and their families at the time, though I realize after five decades, that's difficult.
I felt like the author was biased towards Anne. In fact, she is pretty much reverential. I don't think she started out that way, but I think she got snowed. I believe Anne Perry is (and always has been) a highly-intelligent sociopath. She seems to charm pretty much everyone and I think she charmed the author. I don't think she's evil, but I think she has no empathy. Everything I have read about the interviews she's given in recent decades gives lip service to the idea that they did a terrible thing and regretted it (though I think Anne always pushes the emphasis on Pauline, even though Anne found and assembled the murder weapon.) And then it's about how Anne has suffered and how her family has suffered, but mostly how Anne has suffered. I'm also not convinced that Anne suffered much in the period between the time she was released and the time she was outed. I don't think she was haunted by the crime until it threatened to ruin the life she had built.
Ordinarily, I'd give it two stars, but the third is just for all the research.
October 21, 2018
If you're looking for sensationalism, this book won't feed your hunger. Joanne Drayton doesn't linger over the murder committed by Anne (Hulme) Perry at the age of 15 but rather chooses to show the person within and the influences that crime had on Perry throughout her life and in her writing.
February 2, 2025
A detailed description of Ann Perry’s life and crime with a full account of her many books and subsequent successes.
March 26, 2020
"THE CRIME: In 1954 Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker, aged 15 and 16 respectively, murdered Pauline's mother by bludgeoning her to death with a brick housed in a stocking. The murder took place in Christchurch, New Zealand and quickly became worldwide news. The reason for the murder was the mistaken belief that Pauline's mother was the only person who stood in the way of the girls spending their lives together as Juliet was due to leave New Zealand and return to her homeland of England. The girls had it in mind that Pauline would travel with her.
THE MOVIE: In 1994, Peter Jackson, later of Lord Of The Rings Fame directed a movie called Heavenly Creatures which outlined the story of Juliet and Pauline's crime forty years ago. The mo
vie was the first for Kate Winslet and, although never a massive movie, it stirred up a hornet's nest. What happened to the two young girls after they were found guilty of murder? Are they still alive?
The simple answer is yes although the whereabouts of Pauline and her life now are unknown. But it was the discovery of Juliet and her new life and her new name that staggered everyone, from those in New Zealand who remembered the crime, the journalists who lost touch with the two girls after they were secretly released from jail after five years of incarceration to the readers of crime novels across the globe. Since her release from jail, Juliet had changed her name, moved to Scotland and begun a meager existence as a crime novelist. By the time the film broke her story open she had become quite a successful author, well-known with many books published. She is Anne Perry author of many novels including the Pitt series of detective novels and the Monk series.
>Joanne Drayton's book assumes you know the story before you read it. Instead of plunging straight into the crime she uses a chronology of Anne's works to give her biography. She begins with Anne, having already been released and changed her name, scratching out the first plots of what would become her Pitt series. Title by title we are taken through her works, the publishing dramas, and successes, the film rights and eventually we arrive at the prolific author as she is known today.
As the book rolls on and we are faced with Anne forever trying to keep her past a secret. Drayton begins to take us back to events in New Zealand. For every journalist that haunts Anne, requesting interviews that she is afraid will lead to disclosure, we get more and more of the story of two outcast young ladies full of adoration for each other and a passion for writing. Their dreams are outrageous and equally their plans to stay together.
Eventually, her identity is confirmed
and Anne has to live through a period of uncertainty. Each interview requested is about the murders and not based on her literary merit. During the tumultuous times, Anne continues to write and release novels, stirring her angst as she again launches on an author signing tour of the United States. Fear for both a decrease in sales and a backlash from journalists and the open community envelop Anne and it is the close friendships she has forged with publishers and contacts that see her through.
This book is concise and well written but not exactly what I was looking for. As a lover of true crime, I was hoping for a more in-depth look at the crime itself, although it is a simple deed and only took minutes to accomplish. I would recommend this more as a biography of Anne and her writing than her history but still, it is not a bad book. If you are coming to this story with no knowledge of the crime this book may suit you better than I who was looking for more surroundi
ng the matter."
THE MOVIE: In 1994, Peter Jackson, later of Lord Of The Rings Fame directed a movie called Heavenly Creatures which outlined the story of Juliet and Pauline's crime forty years ago. The mo
vie was the first for Kate Winslet and, although never a massive movie, it stirred up a hornet's nest. What happened to the two young girls after they were found guilty of murder? Are they still alive?
The simple answer is yes although the whereabouts of Pauline and her life now are unknown. But it was the discovery of Juliet and her new life and her new name that staggered everyone, from those in New Zealand who remembered the crime, the journalists who lost touch with the two girls after they were secretly released from jail after five years of incarceration to the readers of crime novels across the globe. Since her release from jail, Juliet had changed her name, moved to Scotland and begun a meager existence as a crime novelist. By the time the film broke her story open she had become quite a successful author, well-known with many books published. She is Anne Perry author of many novels including the Pitt series of detective novels and the Monk series.
>Joanne Drayton's book assumes you know the story before you read it. Instead of plunging straight into the crime she uses a chronology of Anne's works to give her biography. She begins with Anne, having already been released and changed her name, scratching out the first plots of what would become her Pitt series. Title by title we are taken through her works, the publishing dramas, and successes, the film rights and eventually we arrive at the prolific author as she is known today.
As the book rolls on and we are faced with Anne forever trying to keep her past a secret. Drayton begins to take us back to events in New Zealand. For every journalist that haunts Anne, requesting interviews that she is afraid will lead to disclosure, we get more and more of the story of two outcast young ladies full of adoration for each other and a passion for writing. Their dreams are outrageous and equally their plans to stay together.
Eventually, her identity is confirmed
and Anne has to live through a period of uncertainty. Each interview requested is about the murders and not based on her literary merit. During the tumultuous times, Anne continues to write and release novels, stirring her angst as she again launches on an author signing tour of the United States. Fear for both a decrease in sales and a backlash from journalists and the open community envelop Anne and it is the close friendships she has forged with publishers and contacts that see her through.
This book is concise and well written but not exactly what I was looking for. As a lover of true crime, I was hoping for a more in-depth look at the crime itself, although it is a simple deed and only took minutes to accomplish. I would recommend this more as a biography of Anne and her writing than her history but still, it is not a bad book. If you are coming to this story with no knowledge of the crime this book may suit you better than I who was looking for more surroundi
ng the matter."
April 19, 2016
I first saw Peter Jackson's brilliant film Heavenly Creatures not long after it came out, and the fact that it was based on the diary of one of the girls involved intrigued me. For those who don't know the story, in 1950's New Zealand, two teenage girls, Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme, murdered Pauline's mother when the girls were to be seperated by Juliet moving to South Africa. Both girls were jailed and then started new lives with new identities after being released. When the film was released media interest meant the hunt was on to find the girls. Juliet Hulme turned out to be British crime writer Anne Perry, sending ripples through the literary world.
I searched for years to find books about the crime and trial with no success until I found this book recently. The author had complete access to Anne Perry and her friends so I was fascinated at the thought of getting her side of the story. Juliet/Anne is a fascinating woman and I very much liked the chance to see her as a person and read behind the headlines. Sadly, I don't feel that the author has really done justice to Anne or the subject matter and it feels more like a fan reviewing the books, than a serious look at Anne's life.
Why do I say that? The author spends countless pages at a time, ploughing through the plot and characters of every new release Anne brings out during the book-and that is a lot of books. Ms Drayton includes social commentary on Victorian morals and applying comparisons to Anne's life. Frankly, I found this very boring and it dragged on for too much of the book. After the third book analysis, I started skipping these sections. It was either that or abandon the book. I wasn't a fan of the religious parts of the book as I don't like reading that kind of thing but being a Mormon was an important part of Anne's life and rehabilitation and it was needed in the book, so I didn't mind it really. It doesn't overpower the story so that was ok.
The good bits! There isn't a massive amount of Juliet's life and her friendship with Pauline but what is there is very interesting to read. Anne talks a bit about the arrest, trial, her issues with her parents, the importance of having found a best friend in Pauline, the fear of them being parted because of the Hulmes divorcing and the horrific conditions inside the prison that Juliet was in. It sounded more like a Chamber of Horrors. While I agree that prisons need to be a place nobody wants sent to in order to reduce crime, I don't agree with these draconian prisons where prisoners get bad food and wallow in their own filth. It sounded like a dreadful experience so I can get why Anne doesn't want to talk much about it. I also found her struggles as a writer interesting, and the countless problems she had with her publishers shows how difficult it was to get a good deal. The aftermath of her being 'outed' and her relationship with her mother was also good to read about.
Anne Perry has had quite a life and I found her to be totally different from my expectations. Anne indicated that she was sorry for what she did but whether that apology was to save her carreer or if it was genuine is open to question after reading another book on the subject. However I feel that I'm not here to judge her or pass comment on her character or crimes as this review is about the book and how I found her as a subject. If there had been less of the book review and social commentary, I would certainly have given it more. I'm giving it 3 stars because of how interesting Anne and her story are. Had I been marking it on author style and content, I would have given it 2 stars.
I searched for years to find books about the crime and trial with no success until I found this book recently. The author had complete access to Anne Perry and her friends so I was fascinated at the thought of getting her side of the story. Juliet/Anne is a fascinating woman and I very much liked the chance to see her as a person and read behind the headlines. Sadly, I don't feel that the author has really done justice to Anne or the subject matter and it feels more like a fan reviewing the books, than a serious look at Anne's life.
Why do I say that? The author spends countless pages at a time, ploughing through the plot and characters of every new release Anne brings out during the book-and that is a lot of books. Ms Drayton includes social commentary on Victorian morals and applying comparisons to Anne's life. Frankly, I found this very boring and it dragged on for too much of the book. After the third book analysis, I started skipping these sections. It was either that or abandon the book. I wasn't a fan of the religious parts of the book as I don't like reading that kind of thing but being a Mormon was an important part of Anne's life and rehabilitation and it was needed in the book, so I didn't mind it really. It doesn't overpower the story so that was ok.
The good bits! There isn't a massive amount of Juliet's life and her friendship with Pauline but what is there is very interesting to read. Anne talks a bit about the arrest, trial, her issues with her parents, the importance of having found a best friend in Pauline, the fear of them being parted because of the Hulmes divorcing and the horrific conditions inside the prison that Juliet was in. It sounded more like a Chamber of Horrors. While I agree that prisons need to be a place nobody wants sent to in order to reduce crime, I don't agree with these draconian prisons where prisoners get bad food and wallow in their own filth. It sounded like a dreadful experience so I can get why Anne doesn't want to talk much about it. I also found her struggles as a writer interesting, and the countless problems she had with her publishers shows how difficult it was to get a good deal. The aftermath of her being 'outed' and her relationship with her mother was also good to read about.
Anne Perry has had quite a life and I found her to be totally different from my expectations. Anne indicated that she was sorry for what she did but whether that apology was to save her carreer or if it was genuine is open to question after reading another book on the subject. However I feel that I'm not here to judge her or pass comment on her character or crimes as this review is about the book and how I found her as a subject. If there had been less of the book review and social commentary, I would certainly have given it more. I'm giving it 3 stars because of how interesting Anne and her story are. Had I been marking it on author style and content, I would have given it 2 stars.
June 21, 2012
I think it was my mother who first told me that Anne Perry had been "outed" as the teenage murderess played by Kate Winslett in Peter Jackson's 1994 movie Heavenly Creatures. Juliette Hulme (Winslett) and her friend Pauline Parker were convicted of murdering Pauline's mother Honorah on 1954. Having enjoyed a number of her Inspector Pitt series of Victorian crime novels I was intrigued by the story. But did not think of it again until recently when a customer asked me whether we had any of Anne Perry's books in stock. Unfortunately we had one only of the Monk series and as I looked into it found out that she is not particularly well supported by her publishers here in Australia (with many titles quickly going to indent in spite of her popularity in libraries. Perry has always enjoyed greater success as a novelist in the US.
This biography of Anne Perry is written by Joanne Drayton whose earlier work includes a number of acclaimed biographies of New Zealand writers and artists (most famously Ngaio Marsh). It took over a year of negotiations before finally in late 2010 Anne Perry and Perry's agent Meg Davies gave permission for Drayton to write Perry's biography.
Though not particularly scholarly (and I do feel the short development time frame shows in the quality of the writing) the book is still enjoyable. The story unfolds in 1994 with Drayton cleverly juxtaposing the developing media furore with the development of the girls relationship in the early 1950s and the circumstances which led up to the murder. Drayton draws parallels between the dilemmas of Perry's characters and the effect of the murder trial and the girls' subsequent imprisonment and Perry's quest for redemption; these parallels provide insight into Perry's development as a writer. Drayton's documenting of Meg Davies and Don Maas communications with Anne and each other also provides a fascinating look at the ways in which literary agents and editors (to a lesser extent - these days anyway) work with and support their writers. The effect of the whole is both absorbing and intriguing and has me wanting to reread Perry's Pitt titles and try her Monk series too. Here's hoping that Perry's books will become more readily available in Oz; how about it Headline?
This biography of Anne Perry is written by Joanne Drayton whose earlier work includes a number of acclaimed biographies of New Zealand writers and artists (most famously Ngaio Marsh). It took over a year of negotiations before finally in late 2010 Anne Perry and Perry's agent Meg Davies gave permission for Drayton to write Perry's biography.
Though not particularly scholarly (and I do feel the short development time frame shows in the quality of the writing) the book is still enjoyable. The story unfolds in 1994 with Drayton cleverly juxtaposing the developing media furore with the development of the girls relationship in the early 1950s and the circumstances which led up to the murder. Drayton draws parallels between the dilemmas of Perry's characters and the effect of the murder trial and the girls' subsequent imprisonment and Perry's quest for redemption; these parallels provide insight into Perry's development as a writer. Drayton's documenting of Meg Davies and Don Maas communications with Anne and each other also provides a fascinating look at the ways in which literary agents and editors (to a lesser extent - these days anyway) work with and support their writers. The effect of the whole is both absorbing and intriguing and has me wanting to reread Perry's Pitt titles and try her Monk series too. Here's hoping that Perry's books will become more readily available in Oz; how about it Headline?
September 30, 2014
The Search for Anne Perry is a well written and well researched nonfiction exposé. It is a must read for the legions of Anne Perry fans. However, the book structure is a bit difficult to follow for those of us who are not familiar with Anne Perry novels, the first part of the book especially. There are many references to characters and plots in Perry's book series, and having not read those books, I had to scramble to figure out what was going on. Though I hate to admit it, I skipped over most of the detailed references to Anne Perry's novels. The author is obviously trying to connect Anne's history to the plots and characters of some of her books.
The later part of the book reveals the ugly secrets. The calculating brutal murder of her best friend's mother is shocking to read, even sixty years after the fact. My greatest sympathy is for the murder victim, the unsuspecting mother.
Despite Anne's isolation and suffering for years in prison, she seems to have survived without serious psychological problems. In the early years after her release from prison, she found forgiveness through the Mormon faith. Interestingly, Ms. Drayton notes that themes of redemption thread through Perry's novels, something Anne desperately needed after the dreadful crime she and her then best friend committed at age fifteen.
Anne Perry is now in her seventies. She lives a low profile life except for her book tours; she became an internationally known super author of the murder/crime genre. Her experience certainly adds a new twist to the phrase, write what you know.
Several years ago I met Perry's American agent, Don Maas, at a writing conference and he spoke of her as if she were a writing goddess. Although her British and American agents remain loyal and supportive, they were totally shocked when they learned their Anne Perry was actually the convicted murderer, Juliet Hulme, convicted in a bizarre crime described by many: as THE murder of the twentieth century.
I found an Anne Perry novel in my stack of books to read, and it is now at the top of the pile. Who knows, because of this enlightening book by Joanne Drayton, even I may become an Anne Perry fan.
by Ann McCauley
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
The later part of the book reveals the ugly secrets. The calculating brutal murder of her best friend's mother is shocking to read, even sixty years after the fact. My greatest sympathy is for the murder victim, the unsuspecting mother.
Despite Anne's isolation and suffering for years in prison, she seems to have survived without serious psychological problems. In the early years after her release from prison, she found forgiveness through the Mormon faith. Interestingly, Ms. Drayton notes that themes of redemption thread through Perry's novels, something Anne desperately needed after the dreadful crime she and her then best friend committed at age fifteen.
Anne Perry is now in her seventies. She lives a low profile life except for her book tours; she became an internationally known super author of the murder/crime genre. Her experience certainly adds a new twist to the phrase, write what you know.
Several years ago I met Perry's American agent, Don Maas, at a writing conference and he spoke of her as if she were a writing goddess. Although her British and American agents remain loyal and supportive, they were totally shocked when they learned their Anne Perry was actually the convicted murderer, Juliet Hulme, convicted in a bizarre crime described by many: as THE murder of the twentieth century.
I found an Anne Perry novel in my stack of books to read, and it is now at the top of the pile. Who knows, because of this enlightening book by Joanne Drayton, even I may become an Anne Perry fan.
by Ann McCauley
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
August 19, 2014
For a long time I have been intrigued by the relationship between Anne Perry's murder mysteries -- which usually have a component of moral struggle in them or a story of redemption -- and the experiences of her own life. I've wanted to know how she thinks about her past, and how does it influence her writing? This biography is as close as I will ever get, I imagine, to having that curiosity addressed. Not all my questions are answered, but they are, at least, explored.
The book was always intended to be a "literary biography" -- one that explores the evolution of her work, so other reviewers' complaints about too much attention to the content of her books are a reflection not so much on the quality of this book itself as on how the publisher packaged it -- with more attention to sales than to accurate representation of its contents.
I privately hope that when Perry dies, she will be found to have left behind a memoir that examines the impact on her life of things like remorse, living in secrecy, having your secret revealed, and what she has learned. It is clear she would only allow publication of such a work to happen after the deaths of her own immediate family and the families of others involved -- so I may not live to read it. But I can wish.
The book was always intended to be a "literary biography" -- one that explores the evolution of her work, so other reviewers' complaints about too much attention to the content of her books are a reflection not so much on the quality of this book itself as on how the publisher packaged it -- with more attention to sales than to accurate representation of its contents.
I privately hope that when Perry dies, she will be found to have left behind a memoir that examines the impact on her life of things like remorse, living in secrecy, having your secret revealed, and what she has learned. It is clear she would only allow publication of such a work to happen after the deaths of her own immediate family and the families of others involved -- so I may not live to read it. But I can wish.
January 11, 2015
This should have been a really interesting story but because of the author's determination to analyse Anne Perry's moral growth by dissecting her writing, it wasn't interesting at all. I have read several of Anne Perry's books and talking about them all one at a time only spoiled for me the ones I haven't read yet. Incidentally, describing all the plots makes each book sound more bizarre than the last - with manacled corpses and decomposing coachmen.
I was not aware of the details of the murder and found it horrifying. There is very little explanation in the book of why it happened or the complete truth about how it happened. There was only a faint attempt to look back at this crime through the lens of current psychological understanding, which leaves the reader struggling to understand the motivation. All the way through Anne's (Juliet's) high level of intelligence is stressed by the admiring author. The person missing from this book is Honora, the victim and I was left with a profound sense of sadness that a woman and mother was killed apparently because some self obsessed teenagers thought she was an obstacle.
I was not aware of the details of the murder and found it horrifying. There is very little explanation in the book of why it happened or the complete truth about how it happened. There was only a faint attempt to look back at this crime through the lens of current psychological understanding, which leaves the reader struggling to understand the motivation. All the way through Anne's (Juliet's) high level of intelligence is stressed by the admiring author. The person missing from this book is Honora, the victim and I was left with a profound sense of sadness that a woman and mother was killed apparently because some self obsessed teenagers thought she was an obstacle.
November 21, 2017
Joanne Drayton does Anne Perry a huge disservice in this biography! Firstly, the story jumps between the past and the present which is quite disconcerting. The past continues after two or three chapters in the present and bounces back again.
But the biggest issue I have with this book is that she spends 2 -4 pages describing every book Anne has written. I started the book intending to read more of Anne's books but Joanne takes each book, tells the full story, describes the characters, tells you what happens to such a degree that you never have to read the book. And seeing as how Anne has written so many books, this pads Joanne's book out nicely. But ruins it for readers. I stopped reading her full coverage of the books and found I was skipping at least three pages to get past each book.
She answers many questions we all want to know about the murder in Anne's teenage years and she handles it well. You get a thorough insight to the life of a best selling author. BUT ..... having read this biography, you never need to read another Anne Perry book again. Disappointing and frustrating.
But the biggest issue I have with this book is that she spends 2 -4 pages describing every book Anne has written. I started the book intending to read more of Anne's books but Joanne takes each book, tells the full story, describes the characters, tells you what happens to such a degree that you never have to read the book. And seeing as how Anne has written so many books, this pads Joanne's book out nicely. But ruins it for readers. I stopped reading her full coverage of the books and found I was skipping at least three pages to get past each book.
She answers many questions we all want to know about the murder in Anne's teenage years and she handles it well. You get a thorough insight to the life of a best selling author. BUT ..... having read this biography, you never need to read another Anne Perry book again. Disappointing and frustrating.
September 30, 2012
This is an intriguing story, well researched and academically written. It is a bit of a difficult read if you are just wanting to know the story of Anne Perry as it (cleverly) interweaves fact and fiction, past and present.
I am a little torn by this book ... before I read it, I was open to understanding Anne Perry, but when I read again about the brutality of the crime and the casualness of the girls when in court (smiling at each other, showing no remorse) I found this very disturbing. I accept the included psychologist findings of the girls separation from reality, but I can't help but feel very sad for Honorah who at 45 years of age, lost her life, while the two young girls, now women, lead new lives.
The descriptions of prison life and isolation for 15-year-old Anne (Juliet) are daunting especially when she is so alone.
A great read.
I am a little torn by this book ... before I read it, I was open to understanding Anne Perry, but when I read again about the brutality of the crime and the casualness of the girls when in court (smiling at each other, showing no remorse) I found this very disturbing. I accept the included psychologist findings of the girls separation from reality, but I can't help but feel very sad for Honorah who at 45 years of age, lost her life, while the two young girls, now women, lead new lives.
The descriptions of prison life and isolation for 15-year-old Anne (Juliet) are daunting especially when she is so alone.
A great read.
June 28, 2021
This is the biography of Anne Perry, prolific writer of mysteries. However, Anne Perry is not her original name but she was actually born as Juliet Hulme. Her name change came about after she was imprisoned for the death of a young girl and became an author. Drayton covers her life but mostly her writing career and offers samples of Anne’s writings from her books throughout the biography. I enjoyed the book but I thought that the book summaries interrupted the flow of the book and the discussion of her life was not linear. The death of the girl was not discussed till later in the book and contained few details about it.
January 9, 2016
Very disappointing read. Definitely not plagiarized; fully 1/4 of the book is footnoted. However, is little more than a summary of the crime and multiple plot outlines of her books. And not all of them either. If you are looking to know the woman herself, you will not find her here. Would not recommend beyond good use of language and grammar == definitely not a biography. She never found Anne Perry or Juliet Hulme either, for that matter. Much was written but it failed to inform in any way.
August 15, 2015
I'd give this book a 3.5. If you're a fan of Anne Perry, you'll find this a very interesting book. It is a literary biography so the author talks about how Ms Perry got started writing & the difficulties she faced as well as the plots of her various novels. But the author also talks about Ms Perry's hidden past and she writes it in such a way that you have to continue to read the book to find out what happened. A very good read.
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